The Shepard's Agony Page 19
“Underworld trials are fast, but not that fast,” she said.
He shrugged. “Your father decided that there was too much evidence and too many witnesses to just let us go.”
Gwen felt a chill run up her spine. “Us?”
“Yeah, I stood beside them at the trial.”
“But, you’re still here, they didn’t,” she gulped, “kill you.”
He shook his head, a hint of a smile on his lips. “No, your dad is too nice of a pack Master. I told him that, when we were alone.”
“You were alone with him?”
David scratched the back of his head and Gwen swore she could see a hint of red creeping up his neck. “Yeah, he wanted to ask me what happened between us when we were alone in the motel. I had the privilege of trying to explain to the man that I wasn’t touching his only daughter.”
Gwen smiled gleefully. “Even though you did?”
“Don’t tell him that.”
“Twice.”
“He will kill me if you tell him that.”
Gwen didn’t say anything, deciding it was the best choice. She also didn’t say that she wouldn’t mind if he did it again, he had some pretty good ideas while she’d been tied up.
“So, what’s going to happen to you?” It couldn’t be so bad if he was still alive, but a part of her still dreaded the answer.
David crossed his arms and cleared his throat. “Eventually, when Evey and Jacob leave for Griffon City, Jimmy’s going to go with them. Your father said that part of his punishment would be working with the creatures he’s hunted, so, I don’t know. I guess he’ll be a bodyguard or something for whomever he works for. The cops in that town are going to take care of it.”
Gwen nodded, deciding to ignore for the moment that he hadn’t answered her question. “He has skills for that, but I don't think they'd let him be a police officer, even in a city that's not supposed to exist.”
“Yeah, and because the full moon was only three days ago, they decided to turn Andrew. Part of his punishment is living as a Were and finding the differences between Weres and humans.”
Gwen saw him flex his hands and clench them. The last time she saw him, he seemed to be getting slightly smaller and weaker. Now, with his first change safely behind him, he was in perfect physical health.
“Have you found any differences?” she asked.
David paused and shook his head, knowing what differences she was talking about. “No, it’s strange what I feel. I feel stronger, but not like a different person.”
Gwen glowed. That was the best thing she’d heard in a while; he understood that Weres were just people, like he used to be.
“What about you?” she asked again. “What happens to you?”
David sighed and cleared his throat. “They actually offered to let me keep my dad's sword. I told them they could have it; melt it down, sell it, do whatever. He's done too many bad things with it that I felt weird just holding it. I don't want it and I don't think Andrew or Jimmy should have it either. When Jacob and Evey take Andrew and Jimmy to Griffon City, I’m going to go with them.”
Gwen immediately shook her head. “No,”
David grabbed her hands and held on tight. “You know I have to be punished for what I did. Stop shaking your head like that, it won’t be so bad, it’s only ten months.”
“Ten months?”
He caressed her cheek with the back of his hand and, despite the situation, Gwen found comfort from the touch and leaned into it.
“I don’t know how I’m going to handle ten months away from you, but I know it could have been worse. When he said he was banishing me I thought he was going to give me a few years at the least, maybe a decade or two, not a few months. I think Elaine, my mother, might've helped out with that decision.”
“Ten months is your idea of a few?” Gwen asked, bitterness in her voice even though she tried to hide it. Maybe she could convince Larry into letting him come back early.
“I could go with you,” she said.
David shook his head. “Leaving your pack to start another one? I don’t think that’s a future you’d be happy with.”
He was right, but she would still do it, and the fact that he wouldn’t let her was disheartening.
“Hey,” David lifted her chin and Gwen found herself unexpectedly kissed. She barely had time to react before he pulled away and grinned at her. “I will be back. Okay?”
She nodded. “Okay.”
He got up, lifting her to her feet with him before wrapping his arms around her waist and taking her hand.
“What are you doing?”
“Dance with me.”
“What?” Before she could answer him, he already had her swaying with him. Gwen turned her head to see if anyone was watching them. No one was, they were all preoccupied with their own daily business, so she relaxed.
She relaxed enough to snicker a little. "This is incredibly corny. You know that, right?"
“I'm trying to be romantic here. It's not my strong suit," David said, and then he got a look in his eyes. "You look so beautiful right now.”
Gwen inhaled a shaky breath at the compliment and pressed herself closer. She wanted to feel the warmth of his body and memorize it. "There's something I should tell you."
"That we're mated?"
She looked up at him.
He shrugged, cheeks darkening just a little. "Elaine told me when I asked why I couldn't hear anyone else's thoughts. That was kind of embarrassing."
"Sorry," she said. "You don't mind, do you?"
He kissed her. His lips were soft, the prickle of his growing whiskers scratching and tickling her in a way she liked. "Because it's with you? No," he said, and they kept right on moving.
“When do you have to go?” she asked as he twirled her and brought her back to his chest.
“Today, your dad decided to let me stay until you woke up.”
Gwen clutched his hand and hid her face in his shoulder. She didn’t want him to go, but she plastered on a smile and faced him again.
She could tell his smile was just as forced, but it was better to leave without tears.
“When I’m gone, I’m going to study. Take a class in school or something, you know, learn about farms and land and ranches.”
This time Gwen’s smile was real. “So you can have a farm?”
“Yeah, or work on one. Something with mountains in the background and fields of wheat and tall grass. I always liked the idea of that.”
Gwen was lost in the image of it. “That sounds nice. Maybe we could have Moon Night there? I mean, you’re a part of this pack now.”
He nodded. “If I want mountains, it will probably be difficult to get everyone there every three months though.”
“A lot of packs host it annually, and not everyone celebrates it anyway.”
"Which would change if the story of Luna and the original werewolf are true."
"Oh, right,"
“That’s still do-able, though,” he said. “When I’m gone, I’m going to save, too. Not just for the farm, but so I can buy you a great big diamond ring. Make this mating thing more official.”
Gwen stopped dancing. “You mean—”
He kissed her, stopping whatever awkward thing that was about to spew from her mouth. “Don’t say anything yet, wait ‘til I come back so I can do it right.”
Gwen tried not to cry, she really did, but her eyes were burning. “Okay.”
It was hard watching him go, but she knew he’d come back.
And no one said she couldn't go to Griffon City and surprise visit him.
Gwen imagined how fun it would be to call him, pretending to be still with the pack while getting ready to knock on the door of whatever place he would be staying at wearing a trench coat, high heels, and a whole lot of nothing else. She smiled.
The End
Thank you for reading The Shepard's Agony!
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Discover more books by Mandy Rosko at her website:
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Other Paranormal Romances by Mandy Rosko
Things in the Night Series:
The Vampire's Curse Book 1
The Legend of the Werewolf Book 2
The Dragon and the Wolf M/M Novella
The Shepard's Agony Book 3
Others:
The Princess' Dragon Lord
Just One Touch
My Angel Lover, Have Mercy on Me M/M
Mate of the Wolf
Night and Day Book M/M Book 1
The Calm Before the Storm M/M Book 2
All Hell Breaking Loose M/M Book 3
Medieval Romances by Rizzo Rosko:
Lady Thief Book 1
Lady Deception Book 2
Connect with me online:
Rizzorosko.com
Twitter: @Rizzorosko
About the Author
Mandy Rosko lives as a hermit with her scared of everything dog, and she works in Ottawa, Ontario. Every once in a while she peels herself away from writing and Internet surfing to socialize with real people
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Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thir teen
Chapter Four teen
Chapter Fif teen
Chapter Six teen
Chapter Seven teen