Chapter 6: Chapter 5~ Holy Shit! I love you!!

Everyone is starving. And the smells coming from the house are making it worse! Brian was the first in the door…followed by the other 3… Renata immediately asks “How was everything? Is everyone okay?” Orion walks over to her and hugs her tight to him and breathed her in….She looks over his shoulder and says “Sooo…not good?” And even Orion chuckled into her shoulder!

They all sat down to dinner. She has kept it simple…making london broil with mashed potatoes..gravy with a green bean caserole. She knew their day had been long…and there’s nothing better than comfort food to settle a day like that.

After dinner, they all gathered in the living room to let her know what had happened. And she was angry! “That scumbag! That piece of shit! He thinks it’s okay to treat our people like that? Like slaves? I will cut his balls off and deep fat fry them and feed them to his wife! What kind of man is he? I want to see the girls? Can we go see them? I can bring bandages…and coffee. I will make coffee..give me a minute! Those poor girls!” “Baby? Come out of your head! We have had the girls seen by a doctor..and I will take you in the morning…with coffee, if you want…..to see them!” Orion calms her. He looks over at Abraham..who has his head down but his shoulders are shaking…and forget about Brian and Aaron…they’ve fallen against each other on the couch…laughing. And his little fairy isn’t the least bit bothered by the laughter!

He leads her to a chair and sits her on his lap…very quietly, he says “I gave you yesterday and today to get used to us..right?” She nods..”And you are going to accept me as your mate, yeah?” And again she nods..then whispers “I am covered in scars. I’m not so pretty…so I want to show you first..then I will tell you what happened. And she stood up and lifted her shirt off. Orion gasped! And all three boys started snarling and growling..and Orion said “RUN!” And all 3 took off out the back door. She whispered “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to make them mad” Orion said “not mad, baby…sad”

“Why are they sad?” she asked him.. He said “someone hurt you and they couldn’t stop it. That makes them sad” he answered.. Then he asked “Can I see them all?” And she stepped out of her jeans and stood there. He looked at each one…touching them kissing some. He whispers “these aren’t ugly. These are signs you didn’t give up..he didn’t best you! They’re your badges of honor! You’re proof you are a survivor!” He smiled and said “now put your clothes back on! The guys will be back in a minute and Only I get to see that much of your body” and he popped her on the ass!

The guys came back in and she fed them raspberry cheesecake with coffee. Brian looked at her and said “Reni…what can you tell me about Luke?” She sighed… and laid her head on Orion’s shoulder…. “He isn’t a bad looking guy… crass…vulgar.. he’s about 6’ tall.. dirty blonde hair. Brown eyes. Oh..he has a scar..behind his right ear, down his neck. His breath stinks..like dead fish and garlic. I remember thinking if that is the scent of your mate the Goddess talked about..she sure got this one wrong!” And they all cracked up..

“His pack is somewhere in New York, I think. Or maybe Pennsylvania. I’m not really sure. I saw signs…Erie…I think..after I had been running several hours. I don’t even know if Luke is his real name! I didn’t see anyone except three guards and the server girl who helped me escape. I wasn’t the only one there though. I would hear other girls screaming at night. He would beat me double because I was sassy and refused to scream. It was easy…just go inside my head and he can’t hurt me.. not with that fire poker..not with the knife and not with that stupid whip. He knew I was a fairy though. He chained me with iron shackles.”

“Why did you cry and apologize to the tree when they set you on fire?” Orion asked. “She was in pain. And she was dying.. it was my fault! I didn’t call the rain soon enough..I thought I could do it…but I had never tried to manipulate the weather before.” She says.. Orion asked “Is that why it rained for 3 days? You didn’t know how to stop it?” She laughs and says “No…that was when I discovered if I cry…it rains”

Orion told them all it was time to call it a night and they all headed off to bed. As he was walking into his room… Renata stands in his doorway and asks “Could you sleep in my room tonight? When I remember what happened…I don’t…umm…I don’t sleep well..so maybe we can just talk awhile?” And he scooped her up bridal style and carried her into her room. He stripped to his boxers and climbed under her covers…she ran in the bathroom and brushed her teeth..slipped on sleep shorts and a cami and got into bed beside him. He rolled towards her and he reached his hand and wrapped a red curl around his finger. “I, Orion Demeter, accept you, Renata Reynolds, as my mate” he whispered. She turned to him and repeated her acceptance of him.. He leaned forward and kissed her. Then he wrapped her in his arms and they fell asleep almost immediately.

🐺 Orion..wake up 🐺’What is it’ 🐺 Someone is out back… I hear them breathing 🐺’’How long?’ 🐺 10 minutes maybe 🐺 Artemis,Achilles, Basil…backyard now! I’m on my way’

Orion slams through the back door…and 75 feet from the door.. Renata’s garden is on fire and Heracles roars! Renata came out the door at a dead run …She’s saying “no! They’re crying! And it starts to rain. Achilles, Artemis and Basil howled out their anguish at their Luna’s sadness. I led her back in the house and sit her down…starting coffee. I linked the guys to find me something…I want to know who tonight’

She sips her coffee and says “I have to go to the nursery and get plants. I will replant in remembrance.” Orion looks at her for a long moment…”Do you have any enemies you can think of?” She laughed…says “2…only one local, though. I’m sure Luke is looking for me..but I don’t see fire being his style “ and she laughs again. Resilient girl!

The guys came back in and said the rain washed all sent away..Then a thought occurred to Orion and he asked “Renata..two years ago…when you were hiking the Appalachian, did something happen to make you cry..”

She sat a few minutes …thinking back.. “I went hiking on a senior class trip. I was four days from my birthday…But…when it was time to board the bus…I felt like my heart was breaking. I didn’t want to leave. I cried all the way home “ He scooped her into his arms and onto his lap… he buried his nose in her neck.

“It was my fault. I scented you..and I followed you. All the way to the bus. I couldn’t stay…I had to be somewhere…and I can’t even remember now…but I thought I could come back the next day and follow your scent. But it rained. And I couldn’t pick it up.. I had lost you “ Orion told her.

And she laughed! She laughed long and hard and she said “If we break it down like that…then it was my fault…for making everything wet and erasing my scent. We can’t play the blame game. We are fated…and this is our destiny. How we got here…doesn’t matter!”

He leaned his forehead against hers and told her “I love you. I have loved you for two years!” She looked surprised and then she said “I love you. Holy shit! I love You!” And she jumped into his arms. Orion looked at the guys and said “good night fellas” and ran to her room…locking them inside.