Heart of Stone (Part III)

III. Chapter 1 | Part 2 - Aubree

Letting him guide her back inside, a series of smiles greeted her. There was music playing from somewhere, not too loudly, but it was probably plenty loud with their sensitive hearing.

Stone excused himself to go upstairs and place that call to the Rosmi Maana Pack while Aubree went into the kitchen to pour herself a cup of coffee.

While adding cream and sugar to her mug of steaming goodness, Gavin came up next to her and helped himself to a mug from the cupboard and poured himself a cup as well.

"Bree," he said, almost tentatively, "I can't thank you enough."

Turning her gaze to him, she tilted her head in question as he pressed his lips together.

"You know," he said, "for helping us to bring Gwen back the other night."

His Adam's apple rose and fell in his throat, his eyes on his mug of coffee on the counter.

Her eyes widen as she touched his arm. His pain crept up through her and twisted around her heart.

"I couldn't have done it without your guidance."

He shook his head, his eyes avoiding hers. "All I had to do was help you to make the connection. Your soul knew what to do from there."

"And what good would I have done if you hadn't helped me to make the connection? Really, Gavin, I wouldn't have been able to help at all if you hadn't helped me."

He looked about ready to cry and she could feel the tremors building within. She reached around his lower back with one arm and he quickly pulled himself into her embrace, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. Gavin towered almost a foot over her as he lowered his head to her shoulder.

"I don't know if I could bear losing her too," he murmured.

"It's okay. She made it, didn't she?"

He took a moment to gather himself. She pushed warm thoughts and feelings to him in an attempt to soothe him.

"I miss Arthur... and my mother," he confessed after a few minutes. An ache from within him touched her. "I know your soul is the same, I can feel it... but she was my mom. She gave birth to me, raise me, taught me everything I know. I am so much like her that it scares Papa and he's tried to toughen me up, but I can't help it. I'm not like him. I'm just too soft..."

She rubbed his back. "It's okay, Gavin. You're strong in your own way."

"I'm sorry for pushing Papa yesterday. To confront you in his wolf form. But I couldn't stand to see him leave you like that. I'm sorry... but I don't regret it," he said. Pulling away from her, he added distance, his head lowered. "I knew you were ready. He was just scared. Scared that you'd be too scared to accept him."

"I know," she said.

He trailed a finger along the rim of his mug on the counter. "Promise that you'll be careful out there and come back safely," he murmured. "Biologically speaking, you're not my mother, but I still feel connected to you. I don't want to go through those pains again, and I don't think Papa could endure it either."

"It's just for a few days, Gavin. It'll be fine."

"I know, I'm just saying that I—I mean, we—will..." He trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck.

She elbowed him playfully. "I'll miss you all too."

He coughed and cleared his throat as he picked up his mug and blew on his steaming coffee. "I hope when you come back, I will be able to speak with you in your head and not have to force my way in like last time."