Moon Goddess ...Alpha's wish #1
eighteen

**

It had been six weeks, four days and twelve hours. Gabe's body was tired and he looked like an unkept hobbo.

He had stolen clothes from humans who had hung their washing at night. His feet were bare, the cold never bothered him nor Devon, but their companionship did.

He had not eaten well, barely hunting for his food and Gabe looked emancipated.

Man and wolf barely acknowledged each other, so Devon remained silent and spiritless in Gabe's thoughts.

Gabe had promised Gabby that in future he would run to her for an eternity but that was a promise made to a mate who lived and breathed.

He felt empty, destitute. To ashamed to return to his home so why did he not feel her death, mourn her in the depths of his body?

Most mate less wolves die, they are irrevocably heartbroken so deeply that living is no longer a viable option. For others, they die alone in the wild or in their sleep.

"We must return".

Devon remained silent.

"Our long journey will end but on our soil. I want to be reunited with our Gabby in spirit".

Devon still didn't respond but he got up and pointed Gabe in the right direction.

**

"She has been so quiet. She mentioned returning to her job at the school. It's been nearly seven weeks and she still refuses to speak to anyone of us".

"Any word from Alpha Gabrielle?"

"He could be anywhere. We could never contact him through mind link no matter how far we ventured, he must have travelled thousands of miles to be so far off grid and out of reach".

"If he doesn't return soon, Gabby will leave us like Gabe. That thought breaks my heart".

"I won't let her leave; she is our Luna. She fought day and night sickness and injury to recover as well as she has and is now stronger. If she remains mute, I for one will accept Gabby Quade whatever her decision, but she cannot leave".

"You cannot make her stay".

That was the truth, they all wanted Gabby to remain but if she chose to leave their territory, they couldn't make her stay.

**

Gabby looked at her heavily scarred shoulder and wept. The dark purple skin was tender, shiny and thin. The colour reminded her of a birth mark, something she would cherish forever.

The Love she felt for Gabrielle had not diminished, if anything she was more deeply in love with the man.

Her memories of that night were explicit, as if it were yesterday. Even though her eyes were closed, she felt him marking her as his.

She was proud of herself for risking her life to save Gabrielles, if only he hadn't run away.

Beth and Tyler's encouraging words had been reassuring but they were wearing thin, Gabe still hadn't returned.

Maybe he truly believed she had died, and it was all too much. His emptiness marring her own, if only he knew she had survived.

Time waited for no man or wolf, she must return to her life and continue on with the children who believed in fairytales and fables.

Craig Leavers had been patient at first however now he was becoming more insistent. Beth had purchased Gabby a new phone so her ex vice-principle had been ringing often, asking when she would be returning.

That time would have to be soon, she could not keep living in a room that might never be shared with Gabrielle.

How she recovered was a miracle. She had full function in her left arm, even though she had lost more than half her body's blood.

Beth watched in wonder as muscle and tissue began healing. The severed artery slowly began to move and knit together before her eyes. The little human she had held in her arms had healed enough that night to bring her back to Deep Waters very carefully.

Day by day, in excruciating pain Gabby healed. Melissa tended to her ward day and night, amazed that her own knowledge and medicines could not have repaired the damage that was done.

Melissa knew in her heart that the Moon Goddess had intervened.

Gabby had heard over the weeks of everyone's bravery. Had Chantelle finished her sorcery Gabby would have been the eternal mate to George and the Moon Goddess would have been accused of meddling.

With a heavy heart she stood and looked around the room, Gabe's room.

"What was all this for?" Gabby whispered to no one.

LOVE

"I am alone and without Love. I have no wolf, I feel so ... baron. I can no longer hear his words. I shall leave and continue on with life and this emptiness", she professed gathering her measly things.

Looking at her reflection one last time, Gabby left his room and made her way down three flights of stairs.

As she entered the kitchen, all eyes looked at her.

"Today I will be returning to my home".

"I won't let you leave Luna", Zeta Caphy said standing. The bench seat scraping across the floor noisily when his giant frame stood up.

Gabby smiled; she didn't fear their enormous presence even if she was the tiniest of them all.

"I am not like you all. I don't belong here, and you would never belong where I need to return to. I think it's time we said our goodbyes", she said. Her eyes brimming with tears although she was too proud to let them fall.

"I will keep you captive, lock you in Alpha's room until you change your mind", Caphy stated without batting an eye lid.

"Hardly. I have kept you all in limbo. If I was ... that important ... why isn't he here? It's ...", now she was crying as Beth wrapped her arms around her new friend.

"We don't want you to go Gabby Moon, technically you are still our Alpha's mate, our Luna Quade".

"I am still Gabby Rivers too, just with a few more scars", Gabby said sniffling quietly.

Beta Simeon stepped forward and held out his arms, his features were so similar to his brothers it broke another shard off Gabby's heart.

"I have been given Paxon pack, I shall be their new Alpha with Chaperone, my mate their new Luna. You will always be welcome in our home", he added embracing his new sister in-law briefly.

"But who I want, need isn't here, he ran away again".

"We all thought you were dead. You should have died Gabby, only a miracle saved you that night. Gabrielle, the look on his face when he stood tall and stared silently as you lay in my arms ... Goddess it was heart wrenching to remember", Beth exclaimed, grabbing Gabby and resting her head against hers as they held onto each other.

"So where is he? If I was ...never mind. If he returns you all know where I will be. For how long depends. One day I may pack up and leave if the pain doesn't subside".

"You feel pain?" asked Bart.

"Every time I take a breath, it's ... unbearable".

"Perhaps, because you are human you don't feel like we all do when our mate ...".

"Don't finish that sentence. I want to believe Gabrielle still breathes", Gabby said raising both of her hands and stepping away from Beth. "Maybe he does think I died, but he should have returned by now. Seven weeks, this is no way to live", she added shaking her head.

"One more night or stay till the weekend Luna Gabby. Give us that", Tristan said, bending down on one knee and bowing his head.

"One more night Sentinel Tristan, then I shall leave at first light".

**