CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR
Silvana's Point Of View

I don't know how long we stayed there locked in each other's arms, the world seemed to fade away, leaving only the warmth of his embrace and the rhythm of his heartbeat against mine.

Garrick's rasped breathing had slowly, the tension in his body easing slightly. He was badly hurt, I could feel it. I knew everyone was grieving too, but his grief was different, more profound. Zephyr was like a father to him, a mentor and a guide. It wouldn't be so easy for him to get over his death.

I wrapped my arms around him tighter, which he reciprocated. We stayed there a bit longer, clinging to each other before deciding to sit on the grass, staring up at the vast expanse of the night sky.

"Do you really think dead people are the stars?" I asked, breaking the silence as I looked at him.

"Hmm," he hummed, turning his gaze from the sky to my face. "How so?"

"I read it from a book, tales about the human realm," I explained. "They believe their loved ones who has passed are the stars, watching over them from above,"

He let out a soft chuckle. "I doubt that. We aren't them, and that's just a silly fairytale, Silvana."

"Well, if it's real," I countered, tilting my head. "Then that means Zephyr," I raised my hand up, pointing to the brightest star in the sky. "Is that star."

"Hm, why so?" 

"It shines brightly, like him," I said with a small smile. "It's the brightest among all the stars, so I believe that's him, watching over us,"

"Well, he better come down here and help us deal with Eryk like he did years ago." I heard him joke. But I knew it wasn't entirely a dark humor joke, beneath the sarcasm, I could sense his deep sense of loss. I moved closer toward him, and leaned on his shoulder, taking his hand in mine, intertwining our fingers.

"You'll be alright," I whispered.

He let out a deep breath, a shaky shuddering breath. "I don't know....I've never really been alright,"

"You will," I leaned in and pecked his cheek. "And I'll be by your side, always,"

"Is this your own way of saying you'd never leave me?" I saw him smirk despite his serious tone. I moved back and playfully punched his arm.

"Asshole,"

"Agreed," he grinned, his eyes crinkling at the corners, the genuine smile on his lips warming my heart.

I then hugged him, burying my face in his neck, inhaling his scent. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me closer, our bodies molding together. Time seemed to pass slowly, he then inched back, his eyes trailing from my eyes to my lips.

"Do it." I urged him, my voice breathless. He didn't even waste a single time in capturing my lips with his, it first started as a tender kiss that deepened with each passing moment. His tongue traced my lower lip, sending shivers down my spine, I moaned softly against his lips as he pressed my body against his. 

As our kisses progressively turn intense, he pries my legs apart with his knee, sending all different types of vibrations to the core of my body. He grabs my thighs tightly causing his skin to press onto my skin, causing me to moan even louder into his mouth, making him smile into mine and continues to make our tongues twirl and gently nips my bottom lip with his teeth. 

"Garrick....I think we s-should-" My words were cut short as my moans kept growing louder as he continued carcassing my body. I sucked in a deep breath as his growing erection pressed onto me.

He pulls away, breaking our kiss. I catch my breath as so does he, I slowly look up at him. "You were saying?" He asked, his voice deep and dark.

"What I wanted to say is that-"  My words were cut short when he started trailing wet sloppy kisses from my jawline to my neck. He nips at the sensitive parts of my skin making my eyes roll. Honestly, I just wanted to tell him that we could take this to the room in the palace. But if he wants me here, who am I to complain?

As our kisses deepened, we  tumbled onto the soft grass, lost in our own little world.  Gradually, his kisses became deeper and more aggressive, just as I was about to swipe my tongue across his, I then felt something wet and warm trickle down my chin, followed by a metallic taste that filled my mouth.

W-whats that.

It seemed to be coming from me, but....it couldn't be. 

Then, before I could process whatever was happening, before I could make sense of this strange sensation, I felt sharp teeth digging into my lower lip, a sharp pain that jolted me back to reality.

I screamed out, a sharp, piercing cry that echoed through the silent night. Immediately Garrick moved away, his eyes widening in shock and horror. I looked up at him, only to see him half transformed, his face contorted in a snarl, his eyes were glinting a sharp, unsettling gold, and his lips were sneered with blood.

My blood..... Oh fucking hell no.

Fear surged through me as I inched back from him, he didn't look anything like the Garrick I knew, he lost out of control and hungry, a cold, paralyzing fear washed over me, threatening to drown me.

What's happening to him?

My heart hammered against my ribs as I stared at him. His eyes, the normal warm brown I'd grown to love, were now wild, radiating a terrifying golden light that held me captive. I could barely twitch a muscle.

"G-Garrick?" I whispered, my voice trembling. As if a switch had been flipped, the feral intensity in his eyes softened, the gold receding to reveal the familiar warmth.

"Silvana?" He rasped, his brow furrowing in confusion. His gaze drifted to my lips, and a visible tension gripped his shoulders. Immediately, he reached out towards me. 

"Fuck it! I'm so, so sorry!" 

Before I could utter a word, he swept me in his arms. "Don't say anything," he warned. "Let me take care of you."

"Okay." I murmured, burying my face in his neck.

He carried me back into the palace, heading straight for the chambers assigned to us. Gently, he placed me on the bed and went to the wardrobe. He rummaged inside, eventually pulling out a small vial filled with a viscous Crimson liquid.

"This will heal it instantly," He said, carefully popping the lid. He poured a small amount onto his fingertips and delicately traced the cut on my lip. A wave of soothing coolness washed over me, the throbbing fading with surprising speed. 

I reached up, touching the spot. No blood, no pain, no sign that I had been injured at all.

It was as if the cut had never existed.

"What is that?" I asked.

"Blood from a healer. It mends any kind of wound in a heartbeat," he explained.

"Oh," was all I could say.

He sank into the chair opposite the bed, raking a hand through his hair. Frustration etched itself onto his face, mingled with guilt. I rose from the bed and walked over to him, wrapping my arms around his neck. He instantly pulled me close, shifting so I was seated on his lap, resting his head against my chest.

"What happened earlier?" I asked.

"I lost control of my wolf. I'm so sorry," he confessed, his voice muffled. 

"Why are you sorry?"

"Because I could hurt you," 

"But you didn't," I countered. "You controlled your wolf."

"Next time, I might not."