The Warrior's Love

Chapter 2

 It was 12:30 in the afternoon. Mark and Hudson were to arrive soon. Danielle was rushing around like crazy, trying to get everything ready. She was so busy, she almost fell over Grace's wheelchair. 

 "Danni, are you ok??" Grace asked, her eyes wide. She was sitting at the table with some yarn and a crochet hook. Rex stood up and looked at Danni, who was steadying herself, and the wheelchair.

 "I'm alright, I'm alright. So's the wheelchair." she said.

 Grace nodded. "Danni, why don't you sit down a moment and take a breather?"

 "That does sound good...Alright, just for a minute, though." Danni sat down across from her friend. "What are you making?" 

 "A scarf." 

"Cool. I like the color." Danni smiled, examining Grace's work.

 "Thanks. I do too." Grace smiled looking up at her. "What do you think, Rexy?" Rex panted and smiled his doggy smile. He yipped in response. The friends laughed and Grace pet him. "I'm glad you like it, Rex." Grace then turned to Danni. "So, why are you rushing around like mad? I mean, I know your boyfriend is coming over, but usually, you don't rush around like crazy."

 "Well.." Danni paused a second, looking over at Grace. "It's mine and Mark's anniversary, and I just want things to be perfect. We've been together for five years already.."

 "Really? This must be a very special guy then." Grace eyed her with a smile.

 "Oh, you have no idea how special this guy is." 

 "So, if it's your anniversary, why did you want me and your boyfriend's friend to come?" 

 "Well....I don't know. Mark said his friend rarely ever got a break. So, I suppose, I wanted to offer him a break." Danielle shrugged.

 Grace nodded. "What exactly does his friend do? Why doesn't he ever get a break?"

 "Well, Hudson's job is....." Danni hesitated, wondering how she was gonna tell her without telling her he was a warrior. "His job is complicated." she finally said. "He always gets days off, of course. But usually, he doesn't really take them. He puts work above everything. Himself, his friends, his family..." The girl sighed a little.

 Grace frowned. "That's not a good thing to do....It's never right to put something like work above your family.." She turned away, a tear coming to her eye as she thought about a distant memory.

 Danni nodded, a sympathetic look on her face. She knew that Grace often missed her family. She knew that she wished she could've had more time with them. 

 Hudson and Mark had just arrived. Hudson's eyes went wide as he sniffed the air. "That scent....Do you smell it?" he asked his companion. 

 "What scent?" Mark asked, looking at him in confusion.

 "It's coming from inside the house..." Hudson said, ignoring the question.

 "Is it your mate?" Mark asked.

 "I don't know! Maybe! Now let's go in!" Hudson declared impatiently.

 Mark chuckled. "Alright, alright." He knocked on the door, which was soon opened by Danielle.

 "Mark! Oh, Mark, happy anniversary!" she exclaimed happily, leaping into his arms.

 Mark smiled broadly. "Happy anniversary, my love." 

 Hudson stood there, waiting patiently-or trying to anyway-to get inside. He was trying to be polite and not storm inside someone else's home. His wolf, however, was going insane and begging him to go inside.

 "Let's go inside. Lunch is almost ready." Danni smiled. Mark nodded and followed after his mate. Hudson hurried inside, following the scent of orange and vanilla. He stopped in the dining room, his eyes going wide as he caught sight of the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen. Grace.

 "Mine." he whispered. 

 Grace, likewise, was frozen in place. She was staring at him like he was the most handsome man on earth, which to her, he was. Rex had stood up by this time and was looking from Grace to Hudson. He gave a short bark, bringing the two out of their trance. Hudson was the first to recover. Not only could he smell the scent of his mate radiating off of her, but he could smell that she was human. He knew he had to act natural. It wouldn't be easy, but then again, no one said it would be.

 "Hello," Hudson spoke softly, walking up to her.

 "Hi.." Grace said in a shy, quiet voice.

 "I'm Hudson. What's your name?"

 "Grace..."

 "Grace...Such a beautiful name...It fits you well." Hudson smiled at her.

 Grace blushed a little. "Th-thank you...Um...I like your name too...Hudson was the name of my first service dog."

 "Really?" Hudson smiled before realizing she said, 'Service Dog.' "Why do you have a service dog?"

 "I can't walk...." she looked down sadly. 

 Hudson frowned. "What happened?"

 "It's a long story.."

 "There you are, Hudson! We were wondering what happened to you." Mark declared, coming into the room, Danni beside him.

 Hudson gave a slight growl and stepped in front of Grace protectively. This shocked Mark, Danni, and especially, Grace. Rex just sat there, giving his doggy smile. It was as if he knew and understood what Hudson, Danni, and Mark were and, that Hudson and Grace were mates. Mark's and Danni's eyes were wide as they stared at Hudson. Grace was confused and almost nervous. Hudson quickly turned around and knelt in front of her. He gave her a calming smile, which she returned.

 "Grace is his mate....." Mark breathed.

 "Amazing! Oh, I'm so happy for her! Now she'll get the love she's always dreamed about!" Danni squealed happily.

 "Not necessarily. Grace can't walk. He may not want her because of that. And, even if she could, he might not have wanted her anyway," Mark pointed out.

 "Why?" Danni asked, looking at her mate.

 "Because it would take time away from his training and warrior duties. He's always had his schedule chalk full of training and warrior duties. Now, he would have to rearrange some things so he could spend time with her." 

 "Unless..." Danni spoke quietly.

 "Unless what, love?"

 "Unless he's going to treat her the same way he treats his family and even himself. Unless he puts being a warrior over his mate. He may accept her, but things are going to get very interesting. And not in a good way." Mark nodded in agreement as he and Danni went back to watching Hudson and Grace.