Gabel had caught onto my hiding out in my scrying room, and demanded I instead spend my days with him in his office. That was reasonable, of course. He wasn't in his office all the time. He frequently was out with the warriors training, or seeing to various things. I made up excuses to avoid him at those times.
I had never trained much as a warrior, but I decided that it would get me away from Gabel for a few hours and anger him, so I asked Master-of-Arms Flint.
Beta Hix, who was present for the request, said, "It is not appropriate. She is the Alpha's intended. She does not need to protect herself, and common wolves shouldn't have their paws on her."
Hix's expression was a deep scowl. He glared at Flint, and when Flint didn't immediately agree with him, he got even more angry.
Flint, naked except for a kilt swathed around his torso and rubbed his chin. Two of his more senior wolves stood behind him. They looked doubtful too. When Hix glared at them, they shriveled up like dead roses. But Flint didn't care. "If Lady Gianna wants to train, I don't see the problem."
"The problem is she is the Alpha's intended. What does it say about us that she feels the need to defend herself? And the idea of lesser wolves putting their paws on her is offensive."
"I think it says a great deal for a future Queen to want to be a strong match for her King." Flint said.
Hix's nostrils flared. So Gabel did intend to be a King. No surprise. But Flint shouldn't have said that, if Hix's reaction was any indication. I tucked that away and indulged my smugness and scorn. Deluded Alpha Gabel.
He'd feel it. He'd feel it like something uncomfortable and vaguely nauseating in his belly. He'd know I was thinking some rancid thought about him.
If it pissed off Gabel, and Gabel would be humiliated by it, especially if I was lousy and weak (which I was), then good. I especially wanted to do it.
"If it upsets you so much thinking common wolves will be touching her," Flint told Hix, "Then you can be her training partner."
Hix jerked like someone had yanked his collar.
"The Lady Gianna wants to improve herself." Flint informed Hix, "I will never stand in the way of a wolf who wants to improve themself!"
Hix snarled and paced, but Flint was Master of Arms, and he was the final authority on it outside of Gabel. Gabel wouldn't stop him. Gabel also wouldn't approve. But when they saw how bad I was, Gabel couldn't pull me because that would make it seem like he was ashamed.
My first session was that morning, not in the main grass ring, but with an audience nonetheless. Flint came over to supervise, Hix was angry, and a crowd of about twenty or so wolves had gathered. Including my two goons (they looked uncomfortable) and Platinum, who was already laughing at me.
I looked to the house and saw the windows to Gabel's office. I wondered if he was standing and watching. I couldn't see through the glass.
Hix paced around me. He had on just a kilt, having already been training before I showed up, and there were half-healed red scratches raked into his dusky skin. He had several much older scars on his torso, one that looked like it had been caused by a silver-acid burn. "I will be gentle with you."
"If you think Alpha Gabel is gentle with me, you insult me." I flung back at him.
This made Hix scowl something fierce, and the wolves shifted.
Gabel had never laid a hand on me to hurt me, but he had been cruel in ways that hurt much worse.
If Hix hurt my flesh, would Gabel feel it?
Would Gabel feel my body being abused and broken and cut and mangled?
Would he care if he did? Would it hurt him in a way he could not ignore? Or would he savor it like he savored all other pain? Would it enrage him to know he was not the one doing it? Would he be jealous? Angry at the violation of my flesh?
These wolves did not know if I meant Gabel abused me, or if I was referring to being his lover. They weren't comfortable with either. If Gabel and I had consummated the Bond, it made me their Luna in all but name and Gabel hadn't declared it. If Gabel was abusing me, it wouldn't sit well with them either. A big, strong Alpha wouldn't abuse a little weak wolf. Weak wolves abused other weak wolves trying to make themselves feel big.
"I will be gentle with you." Hix informed me, angry and insulted.
"If that's what you think is best." I told him.
I had very little training as a warrior. Like all wolves, I had learned the basics as a child. When my Seer abilities manifested themselves, the time for training had been switched to my talents. I had only continued to do a very little bit, and compared to the strength of Gabel's forces, I was a joke.
Hitting Hix's broad palms with my own fists was exhausting, and felt like hitting broad, flat stones. Hitting his carved abdomen was also like hitting a stone. In fact, hitting any part of him was like hitting a stone. And getting hit by him was like being hit with a stone.
He grabbed my hand, yanked me to him. It felt like I had gotten shoved into a wall. Or the wall had shoved itself at me. I choked on breath. His fingers dug into my wrist, his other hand slid over my shoulder and behind my head. His hand pushed my head down and into his chest. The other kept control of my wrist, curling into me. My bones creaked and my fingers went numb from the pressure.
"Quit." he growled at me.
I almost whimpered about the pain in my hand, and my neck being cranked into his skin. He smelled of sweat, and something that reminded me of an expensive cigar. It was not unpleasant. I squirmed, forcing him to hold me tighter, and before I whimpered, I reminded myself it needed to hurt.
So Gabel would feel it.
I imagined Gabel standing in front of his glass window and watching this and feeling my pain, how I was trapped, that feeling he would never let himself feel. That feeling he had never felt. That feeling he inflicted on everyone else, and that he couldn't escape or prevent or do anything about because it was happening to me, and not to him!
A surge of rage and strength shot through me. I yanked my right knee up and stomped down on Hix's foot. He twitched, then I snapped my knee up again and kicked him as hard as I could in the small of his thigh. The shock-- it's a little muscle and easy to hurt, but most males instinctively think you have kneed them in the jewels until they realize you haven't-- caused him to loosen his grip just enough I was able to duck out of the neck crank.
He spun me around by the arm and flipped me onto my back. The ground knocked the wind out of me. He ducked over me, faster than I could even blink, and that huge forearm was under my neck. He let go of my hand, grabbed my hair and shoved my chin over his arm and forced my head forward over his arm.
Gabel's window was in my sight. My vision started to dim. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't even gag. His fingers in my hair hurt. Stones boring their way into my skull.
There were worse places to be than with him curled around me.
I hoped Gabel could feel my consciousness waning, my throat struggling to remain open, the blood not reaching my brain and my lungs burning and struggling for air. I hoped he felt completely powerless to prevent it, stop it or fight against it. He loved resisting pain and triumphing over it. I wasn't going to give him any triumph. My weakness meant I'd be crushed everytime.
Just before I lost consciousness, I tapped Hix's forearm with my hand.
With a curse he released me and shot to his feet. I slumped forward and gagged a few times. He cursed repeatedly in his native language.
Master Of Arms Flint said, "Mind your tongue, Hix."
I got to my feet. My neck buzzed, and my hand was completely numb except for the vague ache in every joint. I glanced towards the house. I was so exhausted I swayed on my feet, and my throat still felt like I was going to gag every breath.
Hix, lips twisted in a disgusted frown, threw a towel at me. He pulled one over his own body. I'm sure he was sweating from the sun and fury, not effort. "You could not fight off a puppy."
"She is clever and tough." Flint corrected Hix. "Those two things cannot be taught."
"Are we done with this farce now?" Hix demanded of both of us. "An Oracle should be clever and tough."
"No." Master Of Arms Flint said. "She wishes to improve. As long as she wishes that, you will work with her. Lady Gianna."
"Master At Arms." I inclined my head to him.
Flint walked away, barking orders for the rest of the moon-faced wolves. They drifted after Flint, looking back over their shoulder at me.
Hix threw his towel into the basket, took mine, threw it into the basket, scowled at me. He took my chin in his hands, jerked my head up to examine the abrasions on my neck, the bruises forming on my wrist. Then he dropped his hands back to his sides.
He snorted, spun on his heel and stalked away.
Platinum rounded me up as soon as I entered the house. I smelled Gabel on her clothes. Just a whiff. But after my nose being full of Hix's musky, earthen scent for the past hour, I easily picked up Gabel's more cold, sharp scent mixed with Platinum's perfumed flowery stench.
"Alpha Gabel wants to see you. Now." she told me sourly.
I did not acknowledge her.
Gabel was in his office. I smelled anger. When he approached me, striding across the ancient carpet with the mantle of an Alpha on his shoulders, I knew I had been successful. I managed to keep my expression composed, but he felt me smirking at him, and it enraged him.
"What," he hissed at me, "Was that?"
"That was your Bondmate improving herself." I replied.
He titled is head to the side as if his chin were on a mechanical device. His jaw was uneven, his anger very real.
I looked around his office. I could smell traces of Platinum. But I didn't ask. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of hearing my inquiry from my lips. I wanted to ask him if my pain had bothered him. Physical pain. The kind he had such contempt for, being forced to endure it and not be able to stop it.
Maybe he couldn't feel it, I didn't know. So I wasn't going to ask. Gabel wanted me to throw my feelings at his feet, so I wasn't going to do it. I kept my face as neutral as I could. The obedient, dutiful Oracle speaking to her Alpha.
Oh, and his Bondmate.
"Master Of Arms Flint supports this," I added in a reasonable tone. "He believes any wolf who wants to improve themselves should do so. He told Beta Hix he would be my teacher and partner, since it would be inappropriate for your future Queen to be touched by common wolves."
Gabel's tongue moved between his white teeth at the word 'Queen', but he couldn't get any words out before I added, "Maybe you should speak to Master Flint?"
"I believe I will. I do not approve of this. It is not necessary for you, Gianna."
When he said my name it stroked my entire body in pleasure. I shivered uncontrollably.
Gabel's hands moved over my face. Like Hix, he lifted my chin, saw the skin burns from where Hix's skin had rubbed mine raw. His fingertips were gentle, elegant, not rough and stone, and when he kissed me, slow and deep, I dissolved into only one thought:
I wanted it.
His tongue against mine, his hands sliding over my bruised, tired body, the Mark throbbing like a second heart. The dark well of hurt inside me where our Bond grew bloomed.
I curled my arms around his shoulders, he yanked me close against him. One of his hands pushed under my shirt along my side and cupped my breast in his palm. I could barely breathe. His other hand dug into the small of my back.
Then he yanked back.
Contact broken, the pulsing of my Mark stopped just as abruptly. I felt his hand on my back. I felt his hand on my breast. His blue eyes were wide with shock for a moment. Then he yanked his hands back.
"Go shower," he told me. "I'm going to speak with Flint about this."
Humiliation surged up my throat. I caught the words before they escaped my teeth. His shocked expression transformed into the more familiar one of smug victory. The Bond had slipped ahead of him for a moment, but he had gotten control of it.
I didn't have anything to say that wouldn't give him some more satisfaction, so I just told him I would see him at dinner and left his room.
The contact broken, my skin felt filthy. I could still feel his hands on me. His tongue against mine.
I knew he was laughing at me.
/******
Oh hai there, peeps.
How is everyone doing? Eagerly awaiting your next helping of Gianna vs Gabel?
I should warn you: I don't know what's happening. I have no idea how this story ends.
I have absolutely no idea what's going on. In fact, some of you probably know better what's going on and what will happen. Who wants to speculate? Maybe I'll try writing some of your ideas just to see how they feel, and slap them up on my Patreon in the scraps section.
Bonus points for the craziest ideas, like "Gaia comes down in a UFO and has tentacles and makes off with Hix and Gianna is forced to have visions of chocolate chip cookies for all eternity"
Cheers-
Merry
(Your loyal pantster)
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