12. | Behind These Obsidian Eyes

Gunter, now a large brown wolf with a long coat, looked at him, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. His tail wagged with excitement as he approached Yuè and nudged him with his nose, inviting him to climb on his back.

Yuè flinched away, memories of sharp teeth and torn flesh entering his mind as he stared at Gunter unsure if he could trust him, unsure if he wanted to go where he was taking him.

But he remembered the kiss, the warmth and the tenderness of it. He remembered the words, the promise and the hope of how he'd protect him.

Gunter wasn't like the wolves that took pleasure in his pain, in the taste of his blood on their tongues. The way he tilted his large head at him, rumbling in excitement and anticipation was nothing like the ones who had hurt him.

So Yuè took a deep breath, pushing away thoes dark thoughts and moved closer to the wolf, reaching out a hand to pat the side of his neck. He decided to trust him. He decided to trust Gunter.

Yuè climbed on his back, holding on to his fur. It felt much like riding a horse, if the horse was a giant man shifting wolf that is. He felt Gunter's muscles tense and relaxed under him, his breath steady and calm.

'Are you ready?' Gunter's voice echoed inside his head causing him to startle. He almost fell off if not for the tight grip he had on Gunter's fur.

"Yes. Yes I'm ready. Can you talk to everyone like that?" He asked, leaning forward to secure himself a bit better. The dress was uncomfortable, sliding up his thighs and he grimaced. "I'm not heavy am I?"

'Hmm, I didn't think you'd hear me. Only other wolves can hear wolves.' Gunter answered, the soft, deep, and gentle tone of his voice making it sound as though he were talking right in his ear. 'But you aren't heavy. It feels comfortable when you sit on me.' He laughed, hearty and boyish sounding, yet deep at the same time.

Yuè went red at that before he shook his head to rid himself of such inappropriate thoughts. "Where are we going? I do not wish to anger your brother further."

'I told you, I won't let him hurt you. Besides, he's at the northern borders." Gunter soothed his mind. "And to show you who I really am."

As they traveled down the mountainside, the clouds drifted away from the sun, painting the sky with hues of pink and gold, its gentle light dispersing the velvety shadows of Salthelm below and kissing its rugged terrain.

He clung to the large wolf, fingers tangling in the thick fur. Gunter's past was a mystery to him, a dark and tangled web of emotions Yuè wasn't sure he was ready for.

He could feel the steady rhythm of Gunter's breath, the warmth of his fur against his skin. It was an act of surrender, a leap of faith into the unknown.

As Gunter reached the base of the mountain, his massive paws carried them effortlessly toward the tree lines of the Azar forest.

'Say, if you had a choice to go home to your father, would you? If that meant you could never return or see me again?' Gunter asked out of the blue.

Yuè was taken aback by the question, his brows lowering over his eyes as he thought. His immediate response would have been yes. He would do anything to be by his father's side again. He missed him dearly. However, now, as he thought about it. He was not so certain.

But going back home also meant facing Edgar and all of those who had shunned him, tossed him out at the first possible second.

Then there was never seeing Gunter again. The thought alone made him sad. More than he would have thought it would. "I would love to see my father and be by his side once more, but…I have no place there anymore." He said. "And I think I would miss you very much."

'But what if you did?' Gunter asked, the wind blowing the tall, towering, tree branches that wove above their head as they entered the forest.

"I don't." Yuè said strongly. "They cast me out to die. They broke my arm and sent me to my death with no evidence. Even if I could go back, I wouldn't want to." His fingers tightened in Gunter's fur.

'My father plans to give me lands. You can live with me!' Gunter shouted in Yuè's head, a little too excited.

Yuè winced a little at the volume, but a small smile crept onto his lips. "Thank you, Gunter." He rubbed the spot on his head between his ears. "Are we close?"

'Almost. Hold on tight.'

Yuè could feel Gunter's powerful muscles coil, and with a single, fluid motion, he sprang forward.

The wind whistled through the leaves overhead, carrying the heavy scent of flowers and the damp soil that kicked up beneath Gunter's massive paws as he sliced through the underbrush, nearly as silent as a wraith despite his large form.

Moss-covered boulders and twisted tree roots became mere obstacles to be effortlessly overcome.

Through dappled sunlight and shifting shadows, he navigated the labyrinth of trees until Yuè's gaze fell upon an open field of purple flowers. The blooms stretched as far as the eye could see; their fragrance a heady mix of sweetness and mystery.

Even the leaves of the trees that bordered the opening held the same matching vibrant hue of the nameless flower petals.

Gunter slowed, his breathing heavy, ribs expanding beneath Yuè's legs that clamped to his sides.

'This was my favorite place.' Long gone was the soft and childish tone of Gunter, only sorrow laced words.

In the distance, a serene stretch of water came into view, its mirror-like surface reflecting the shimmering sunlight, leading to the opening of a cave entrance. Its depths concealing untold mysteries and untamed magic.

As they drew closer to the cave, Yuè knew that they were approaching the heart of Gunter's pain. He could feel it in the way his muscles seemed to tense and his gait turned into slow reluctant steps.

"We don't have to Gunter." He whispered, rubbing his hands through the soft fur soothingly. It was beautiful, but beauty meant nothing if it was attached to pain.

Gunter shook his head. 'I feel like it's something I have to do. We have to swim from here. You'll have to hop down so I can shift back.'

Yuè slid from his back, stretching his arms over his head. He tugged on the hem of his dress until it covered his legs once more. He waited for Gunter to shift, taking a moment to study the surroundings. "How did you find this?" He asked, turning back to him.

'Well,' Gunter grunted inside Yuè's head, clearly the pain of the shift, but his next words were out loud. "I wanted to show someone I loved something incredible while I professed my love. So I just kept running around until I fumbled on something amazing."

He walked toward the body of water, his bare and toned ass on full display beneath the golden sunlight. "Can you swim?"

"Y-yes. I was swimming before I could walk." Yuè looked away, face on fire before he cleared his throat. "That's sweet of you." He bit the inside of his cheek. "Why is something so special a place you're scared of?" His eyes shifted to the edge of the water, toeing off the flat shoes he wore.

Gunter shifted his head toward Yuè, smiling sadly at him. "It was sweet of me. But it wasn't enough for her."

His gaze roamed over the area. "This is where it happened. This is where she betrayed me. My first love, my worst nightmare." His voice was low and haunting before he jumped into the water without waiting for Yuè's response.

Yuè could hear the sadness in his voice, the pain that was hidden there and it made his heart ache. Gunter should never sound like that. He wondered what could have happened to cause such anguish in the man's normal upbeat tone. What betrayals had he faced?

They swam through the dark and narrow passage, the water pressing against them from all sides. Gunter's silhouette was ahead of him, his movements swift and confident. He trusted him to lead the way, to keep him safe.

After what felt like ten minutes, they emerged from the water into a large and spacious chamber, illuminated by a faint and eerie light. Yuè marveled at the sight, he'd never seen anything like it. The walls and the ceiling of the cave was covered with glowing crystals of different colors and shapes, casting dotted lights on the stone flooring and the surface of the water they crawled out of.

Tugging his hair over his shoulder, he rang out the water as much as he could from the long locks. "Amazing." He murmured, reaching out to caress one of the glowing stones before looking over his shoulder.

Yuè gave a concerned look at Gunter. The man had been quiet for a while, but Yuè supposed that was to be expected when faced with something that hurt you so badly.

He moved over by his side, grabbing his hand within his own, giving it a squeeze. "Thank you, Gunter." He said to him, "You brought me here to ease my own fears. A place that hurts you so much simply to help me when you did not need to." He brought up his other hand, placing it on the man's cheek.

Gunter pressed his face more against his hand. "But if I didn't, I wouldn't have never let her go the way I needed to. That wouldn't be fair to you. I might be messed up from what happened but I want to love again. I wanted to love again when I saw you in my dreams."

Yuè's heart melted even more, his breath catching in his throat. "Gunter…." His eyes misted with tears and he brought up his other hand to cradle his head, pulling him down so that their foreheads touched.

Gunter took a ragged breath, eyes squeezing closed. "Ask me. Ask me what happened." His voice trembled.

Yuè pressed his lips to his forehead, as though trying to ground him. "Will you tell me? What happened?" He whispered against his forehead. His hands tightened, holding Gunter closer.

"I was fifteen and she was nineteen. The carved path along the mountain was the worst it had ever been," Gunter began. "She was coming to visit to deliver a message when she nearly fell over the edge and I caught her. I was a stupid, poopy, idiot. Love at first sight. She was beautiful, Yuè. I thought she was more beautiful than anyone I had ever seen. Her smile lit up my world..

"A beacon of hope in my darkest nights. Even her laugh melted the coldest of hearts. Managed to make Marcellus smile a little." His voice was full of admiration and longing. For her? Or was it for what he thought he had?

"She was kind. Thanked me for saving her life. I wanted to know more about her so we sat down in the forest, me listening to her story about her abusive parents. She told me she had no one else in the world. No place to go. Told me she needed something. Someone." Gunter shook his head. "I- I told her I would."

His voice cracked and Yuè's heart fractured a bit more.

"We kept hanging out until one night she kissed me under the stars and told me she loved me. I couldn't say it back. Was too shy. So then I searched for a place where I could say it back. Because, because I really did believe her, Yuè. I really thought I was the one. I thought she loved me!" He hissed out.

Gunter gripped Yuè's shoulders as though it would ease the pain he felt. "Thought we were soulmates. But I was so wrong." The regret was dripping from his sorrowful tone. "She lied about everything. She used me because I was the king's son. And when her mate found out she betrayed him, he forced her to ask me to take her somewhere where she could be my first. Here. In this very cave."

He gestured around angrily, breath ragged.

"I was wrong, Yuè. I was so wrong." He said, his voice full of regret and pain. "She told him I forced myself on her. I remember happily skipping inside to bring her flowers. Fifteen men attacked me. Punching, kicking, beating me, while she and her mate watched, smirking."

He was trembling now. "They cut. They stabbed. They sliced until I didn't know what blow was what, or who was swinging. Then they left me here. In this cave. Broken and bleeding with my heart shattered into a million pieces until I drifted into a coma that took everything from me. Trapped in a nightmare of my own making. Now everyone sees me as this child. They pity me." Gunter finished, tears rolling down his cheeks.

Yuè didn't hesitate to pull him into his arms, holding him tightly as he cried. Anger burned and sadness warred within him at the light of Gunter's story. He never wished to harm others, but Yuè swore that if he ever met this woman and her mate, he would tear them to pieces for hurting Gunter.

"It was not your fault Gunter, do you hear me? You are not to blame for the disgusting horrible things they did to you." He whispered heatedly. "You didn't deserve such a fate, such cruelty."

Yuè pulled away so he could look the man in the eyes. "They did not take everything from you. You are here now, facing your fears head on. You have your brothers who care for you so much. And you have me." He used his thumb to wipe away the tears from Gunter's cheeks. The ring he'd been given glinted in the glowing cave light like a beacon of all that Gunter had to gain. Like a promise between them.

"Can you sing me to sleep like you did when I was trapped in my own mind?" Gunter shifted his head so he could kiss Yuè's thumb that wiped the tears from his cheeks.

Yuè smiled at him warmly. "Of course. Although it's been a while since I sang. You may not be able to fall asleep." He joked as he pulled him over to a soft patch of moss, where he sat, bringing Gunter with him. He shifted so that he could lay his head in his lap. "I remember this lullaby my mother sang to me when I was a babe. It's one of the only memories I have of her." He explained.

He threaded gentle fingers through Gunter's hair as he began to sing, the words flowing from him easily in his mother's native tongue.

The melody was soft and loving, speaking of the moon and her lover. How they were lost to one another but using the reflection of the water, they could see each other again.

He kept his eyes locked with Gunter's, watching as his eyes drooped the longer he sang. Just before his eyes drifted closed, Yuè leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips.

Gunter slipped off to sleep with one last word, escaping him. "Mine."