Chapter 14 - Awakening

Zelena.

Roses, I can smell roses and it's making my nose itch. I tried to lift my hand to scratch but I couldn't move it. I tried the other hand, and I can't lift that one either. I started to panic. Oh God, what has he done to me now. I want out, please let me free. I tried to open my eyes. They are very heavy and dry. I blink my eyes open and try to focus on something around me. Ow, that hurts, I blinked my eyes a few times to get the moisture on them. I can start to make out a few objects. I turned my head to the side and there's a window with blue curtains, a small brown leather armchair sits in front of it. Where the heck am I? Next to the window is a bookshelf with a lot of books piled on top of each other. I've never seen this place before. I look to the end of the bed and there's and open door leading to a bathroom. I turned my head to the other side and there's a head laying on the bed. I blink a few more times to focus better. There's a man sitting on a chair next to the bed, he is leaning forward with his arms and head resting on the edge of the bed. But who is it? I tried to move my arms some more, but they're tied down at my sides. Why am I tied to the bed? I kick my legs and try to pull my arms free.

"Zee, Zee, Zee, calm down you're alright".

I snap my head to the side and Gunner is now standing by the bed. I close my eyes tight and open them again, he's still there. I look down to where the head was laying, and it's gone. This can't be right, why is he here? This must be some messed up kinky sex dream, tied to a bed with this ravishing man standing over me. I close my eyes again and shake my head a little. Nope, not a dream, he's still there.

"It's me. You're okay" he soothed.

He sat down on the edge of the bed putting his hand on my knee. I don't understand what is happening, why is Gunner here and who's room is this? Where is Hank? I opened my mouth to talk but nothing came out. My throat burns and itches, I want to rub it with my hand but the restraint bites at my wrist when I pull. Gunner noticed me struggling to talk and grabs the water bottle on the table by the bed. He held it to my face and bends the straw to my lips. I stare at him, feeling very uneasy but my throat is on fire. I take the straw into my mouth and gulp down some water. Oh, that's good. He started to pull it away, but I shake my head and he puts the straw back between my lips. Ah, that's so much better. I lick my lips, pleased with the newfound saliva. I look at Gunner and he has sat back down on the chair staring at me.

"I thought I'd lost you there for a little while" he said shakily.

A single tear rolled down his cheek and he quickly wiped it away, placing a half assed smile on his gorgeous face.

"But you're okay now".

He took hold of my hand and squeezed it gently. I lifted my hand and pulled on the restraints while staring at him, the question of 'why' written all over my face.

"Oh right" he says jumping up and started unbuckling my first wrist.

"You were thrashing around a lot while you were out, and we didn't want you to hurt yourself anymore, so we thought it best to, you know, tie you up".

Who's 'we'? He was talking as he moved around to the other arm and untied that one. I grabbed my wrists and rubbed them. As I tried to lift myself up on the bed a little, pain shot through my chest and stomach.

"Whoa, whoa, slow down and I'll help you" he blurted out, he walked quickly back over to the chair and grabbed the pillow he had been leaning on. With so much care and tenderness, he helped me sit forward and placed the pillow behind my back.

"There you go".

He smiled and sat on the edge of the bed, he seems happy. But I'm still confused, and I still don't know where I am or how I got here.

"Where?" I coughed and cleared my throat a little.

"Just take it easy, try not to talk too much" he said patting his hand on my knee again.

I stared at his hand, it made me feel a little uncomfortable. Not that I don't like his touch, but any kind of human contact is not something that I'm overly fond of. It's different with Gunner though, I remembered, with him it feels different, it feels safe. I figured if he wanted to hurt me, he would have done that while I was sleeping, right?

"Where am I?" I croaked out.

"This is my room" he said stretching out is arms in the air and looking around the room.

"How long?" I muttered.

"You've been here for five days now. What's the last thing that you remember?" he asked softly.

I rested my head back on the pillow, closed my eyes and tried to think. I remember running through the forest and turning into a wolf, I smiled at the memory. I'm a fucking wolfwoman! Then, I remember getting a shirt off the clothesline and sneaking into the house. Hank was there and he threw me into the basement. I scrunched my eyes and I felt Gunner Squeezed my leg. I remember him punching me in the face. And then I remembered the pain and the convulsions. Fear and panic coiled into my memory. I opened my eyes and sprung up on the bed. Ow, my chest. I felt around my neck, but the strap was gone, my neck was now covered in bandages. I lifted the baggy grey top I was wearing, and my abdomen was wrapped in bandages as well. I looked at Gunner and he was watching me. He looked both angry and sad at the same time. What did Hank do to me, what was that thing he put on my neck? He nearly killed me. I thought I died. I wanted to die. I started to hyperventilate, and my chest ached with each sharp intake of breath.

"It's okay, you're safe now" Gunner's soothing voice said as he slid forward on the bed and gently wrapped his arms around me, pulling my head into his chest.

Wow, this is different. I don't think I've ever been hugged before. This feels so nice, so warm, and safe. I don't know the last time I felt safe, truly unequivocally safe and secure. But here it is, wrapped in the arms of a boy I've known for two days. I threw my arms around his waist and pressed my face into the heat of his chest. Before I understood what my body was doing, I began to sob into his shirt. Why did this happen to me, why does that man have to be my father? I want my mum. I don't even remember her, but still I yearn for her. The patch on his shirt was soaked in my tears, but he didn't relent, he held me tight and tried to sooth me. I buried my face further into his chest and continued to cry.

"Shh, it's okay" he whispered stroking my hair,

"I won't let him hurt you anymore".

After a few minutes of mournful sobs and a few more of silent crying, he gently laid me back down on the bed and pulled himself in next to me. My head was resting on his arm and my face was nuzzled into the crook of his shoulder and chest. He made me feel better, like I didn't hurt any more. I felt somewhat protected in his arms and something that I'd never felt before. Home. I squirmed further into him, wrapping my leg around his leg and my arm around his back. I held him tightly and he let me. Right here on this bed, wrapped in his arms, everything that's wrong in the world just disappears. After another few minutes, I was fast asleep again.

When I woke up it was dark, with nothing but the light from the moon outside lighting the bedroom. Gunner's arms were still around me, he was spooning me from behind. I could feel his soft warm breath on the back of my neck. I shuffled myself back a little so that my whole body was pressed up against his. He was so warm, I could feel the heat radiating off him. I breathed in deeply, oh my, he smells so good. There was something about just being close to him that made all my fear and anxiety slip away. He nuzzled his face into my hair, I think he is awake. I felt something start to poke into my backside. Oh yes, he is definitely awake. At least a part of him is. I felt my cheeks get hot with blush as I smiled to myself. He lifted his hip forward a little, grinding his hard dick on my ass. Holy heck, what do I do? I'd never even kissed a boy before, and now here I am with the most beautiful creature I had ever seen, and he's grinding his erection between my ass cheeks. He growled and squeezed me a bit tighter. Pain shot through my chest and I let out a painful squeak. He very quickly rolled himself off the bed, jumped up and stood by the door.

"I'm sorry" he said with a panicked tone.

I carefully turned over on the bed to look at him.

"I didn't mean too" he said rubbing his face.

He was holding a pillow over his crotch. I giggled. He looked over at me, his eyes glowed silver in the moonlight coming through the window.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked still standing by the door,

"No, I'm okay" I smiled and patted the bed in front of me

"I'm sorry, I should have controlled myself better"

"Gunner I'm okay, please come and sit back down".

He walked awkwardly back over to the bed and sat on the edge, keeping the pillow firmly in his lap. We sat silently for a minute, both of us a little embarrassed about what just happened. "Are you hungry? I can go and get you some food" he said as he turned to me and smiled,

"I'm starved".

I hadn't noticed how hungry I was until he mentioned food. I don't remember the last time I ate. It's normal for me to long periods of time without food, but I was positively ravenous right now.

"I'll run downstairs and grab you something" he said standing up and putting his pillow back on the bed.

"Actually, if it's okay I'd really like to walk a little" I said sitting up,

"Can I come with you?"

He tilted his head and looked at me, contemplating, I imagine.

"Are you sure you're up for it?" he asked,

"I'm sure".

I tried to lift myself up off the bed but struggled. Gunner jumped to my side holding my waist and my hand for support. I blushed again at his touch, recollecting the other part of his anatomy that I was sort of touching just moments ago.