Chapter 27

Shera flinched when she was grabbed, her gaze turning to Gerard as he moved her forward. They had agreed that they would scout out a missing lycan together when it was reported. It had been one of the scouts he had sent out and now they stared at him. His body was torn open, innards strewn across the forest floor. It was brutal and proved to be unnecessary.

No words had to be exchanged for the two to agree that the man got close to the pack in question. If they spoke, they could be next. Shera shifted and slowly made her way through the brush in all fours. Gerard wasn't too far ahead, standing straight to draw attention. It would be like hunting if their target wasn't people like them and it riddled her with anxious adrenaline.

Gerard stopped and Shera circled around him slowly as he sniffed around him. She could smell them, a small group of lycan that didn't belong. She stopped as soon as she heard them bolting forward, crouching lower just as they passed her. Gerard didn't budge as the four circled him and snarled. "Who are you," one snapped.

"Does it matter? You're on my turf," Gerard snorted.

"More like ours," another laughed. Gerard had a lip raised as he shifted in front of them. They all looked to one another. Gerard was taller than them, bulkier while still being lean. Shera lunges forward, cutting the ankles of the one closest to her as one of them went after Gerard. The dog fight ensued.

Shera continuously jumped in and out of the bushes while Gerard attacked from the front. One latched onto Shera near the end, rolling away from the rest. She rolled him onto his back, her claws digging into his neck and she stopped. The lycan looked up, growling and snarling at her as if she attacked first. There was pure terror in his eyes as he struggled to push her off, her body not budging yet not killing him.

He was just a kid. He was smaller than she was and there were no scars. She held her breath for a moment, looking up as Gerard walked forward.

"What's the hold up," he asked.

"He's just a kid," Shera informed him quietly. The kid stopped struggling and he looked between the two in shock. "He's using kids."

Gerard knelt down and stared before grabbing the boy's snout and moving Shera's claws, "We can take him back with us. You can't stop next time though."

"I'm not killing kids," Shera snapped and fell silent. She couldn't completely come to terms with the idea but it wasn't a stretch. Her father taught her from a young age and had her begin enforcing early. He would do it to someone else's kid in a heartbeat. Gerard pulled the kid up and started pulling him along after getting Shera to her feet.

It seemed like a long trek back as the kid struggled against Gerard and Shera. He was sat down, his form shifting back to a humans and Shera crossed her arms as Raymond walked in with the four Shera had begun to train. The five stopped short and stared before looking to one another and turning to walk out.

"Gerard," the boy gasped. Shera and Gerard looked to one another. Somewhere in their silence, they had moved to each other's side. Shera was at a loss for words as Raymond turned around.

"What," Gerard and Raymond asked. The boy looked in confusion and Michael began to laugh at the scene playing out.

"All right man, your name can't be Gerard," he sniffed.

"That would make two Gerards. Oh, is that confusing, Shera? Or do you guys have like, a code name," Leila asked loudly. Raymond looked as though he was ignoring them as he faced the kid with wide eyes.

"I get the feeling you're related," Gerard patted the boy's head and the boy flinched from him.

"Well, yeah," Raymond replied. "How did you-"

"Shera refuses to kill children," the room fell silent as people shifted. The sentence was vague but it was angled enough for the man that they could connect the dots. Raymond nodded slowly at this before sighing and giving a half-hearted smile.

"Jonah can be stubborn so if you all are questioning him you won't get much," he informed them.

Shera stared at Jonah and then at Raymond before smiling back at him, "I think he thought we killed you or were treating you badly. He might talk better now."

Raymond nodded slowly, "True."

"How could you betray the pack," Jonah cried. He glared at Raymond who gave a soft sigh when his brother continued. "These people won't think twice about leaving you to die or experimenting untested medicine on you!"

"Do I look like a mad scientist," Gerard whispered to Shera with a smirk. She covered her mouth and closed her eyes to keep a straight face from the comment. It wasn't the time to joke but he was trying to lighten the mood for her even a little.

"They're teaching me history that Scott wasn't," Raymond told him. "No experiments, no torture, and they've done nothing but help since I got here, bud." Jonah sat there quietly, his eyes wide as they turned to stare at the two who captured him. "Scott lied, man. These people are actually better than him."

"Propaganda is one hell of a beast," Michael chimed in. The four started talking between Jonah and Raymond, making Shera and Gerard step back as they laughed and joked with the kid.

"Seems they'll take care of this situation," Gerard chuckled softly. Shera glared at him and crossed her arms as he pulled her closer to his side. "We need to dress up a bit, foxy, the vampires have come for the agreement we signed."

"That's today," she asked. She hadn't expected them to be there so soon as she thought there'd be more time. Gerard's smile seemed pressed as he nodded to her question and the two left. "Where are we meeting them and how many?"

"Don't sound so excited," Gerard sighed. "You sound like you love them or something."

"This is serious though," Shera muttered. She was actually nervous and she hoped it didn't show too much. At this point though, Gerard could read her like a book and her pages were at the level of a second grader's homework. "Do we even have the government system set up properly?"

"Everything is already set. You were there," he groaned.

"What about enforcement though," she asked quickly. He leaned and kissed her head, her face heating a bit at the look on his face.

"That you weren't there for," he nodded. "We agreed the alpha females would take charge of that. You know what that means for you, little fox?"

Shera's eyes widened and she pointed at herself, unable to find the words as the responsibility of it came at her mind like a train.

"The other alphas answer to me, so they'll be answering to you too," he confirmed.

"I'm not a leader," Shera stated bluntly. He laughed at that and a huff left her chest.

"You know better than anyone about defense. I couldn't trust it to anyone more capable," Gerard nodded. "I got you a new dress by the way. It would be perfect for this meeting."

"Do you realize just how much information you keep to yourself," she muttered.

"A lot," he nodded. "It's saved me multiple times. Why? Do you want me to be more transparent?"

"That would be nice," Shera nodded and glared at him. He pushed the door to the apartment open and motioned her inside with a wave of his arm.

"I'll try, just for you," he chuckled. She rolled her eyes and walked in, going for her room before stopping and redirecting herself. Gerard was chuckling under his breath as she stepped into his room and sniffed. When did he have time to move her things? She turned to him and crossed her arms, his grin wide and mischievous. "What is it, little foxy? I can't help if I don't know."

"When," the scowl fell from her face. She should have realized he'd pull a stunt like this. He never failed to do something behind her back only to come forward with it soon after, why would present time be different?

"You've been sleeping in here since we almost mated," he shrugged. "I like your scent mingling with mine. It's soothing in a way."

"Oh no," Shera smirked to herself as she mocked a gasp. "You're a pervert, aren't you?"

Gerard's face went red as he opened and closed his mouth, "What are you- no!"

Shera started laughing and his face turned a brighter red, "You totally are!"

"If it's anyone's fault it's yours," he protested. He growled as she continued to laugh. His face being red was something she didn't expect but it spoke volumes of his thoughts on her. He was on her in moments, the two wrestling with each other before he pinned her against the floor with their mouths connected. Shera wasn't laughing anymore as shock registered on her face, her body soon responding to the advancement. He pulled away and stared down at her, a vicious smirk on his lips.

"Not fair," Shera muttered.

"Absolutely fair," Gerard snorted. "A mate should be staying in the room with their mate, no?"

"We aren't even married yet," Shera snorted. "Let alone mated."

"I want miniature versions of you running around as soon as this is all over," Gerard's face was serious, his eyes boring into hers.

"You do know that this isn't really the time for that. Right," she mumbled softly.

"I do," he hummed. "I can still imagine and dream though."

"I still don't understand-"

"Why I picked you," he finished. Shera slowly nodded and he groaned, relaxing his weight on top of her. "We need to get ready and we've had this discussion before. I like rare things. I am a collector of rare items.

"You are a rare find."

"So I'm an object," Shera felt a bit disappointed, a small ache starting in her chest. She didn't expect it as she shifted under the large man.

"You're a rare find because of who you are," Gerard finished softly. "It started as materialistic, yes, but now? I can't see a day where I don't wake up to your face. Where I don't have dinner with you and hear you complain about your brother or the group you're training. You turned into something so much more than what I bargained for and I didn't pay enough to have you."

Shera had covered her face as he sat up and spoke, her eyes tearing up at the sweet honey dribbling from his tongue. Fabric was dropped over her and she heard him start to undress and redress. "I'll do your hair, foxy," Gerard hummed. Shera stood up and turned so her back was to him, changing into the dress and staring at the shimmering fabric and detailed seams. Her fingers traced over one before her head was pulled up by Gerard.

"Why do you keep getting me these? I don't feel comfortable in heels," she sighed.

"Because it's helping me imagine your wedding dress," he sang.

"Right," Shera sighed. Gerard's hands slowly stopped flirting through her hair, the locks loosely put together yet secured in their locations.

"Perfect," he smiled softly.