Her Forever

Vulcan’s POV

“Well, maybe we could have dinner together. I don’t know anyone around here, and it would be great to talk to a fellow person that has an interest in supernatural medicine.” Tamera tutted as she put the last tray on the table.

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea. I’m not the sociable type, really.” Touching Tamera’s hand again, I was disappointed I didn’t feel sparks fly through my skin. Everything about this woman drew me in. It wasn’t the permanent pained look on her face or the nasty scar that rode up her shoulder and neck; it was just her. Her brown eyes that looked to have a spark in them at one point in her made me want to ignite them again.

“You look in pain; I’ve been in pain as well. Maybe we could comfort each other,” my thumb rubbed over her knuckles as she pulled away without looking at me.

“There is nothing that would comfort me; I’m a lost cause.” Tamara took the tray full of b***d samples and walked down the hall to her small office, including a laboratory. Several vials of b***d, plasma, and herbal medicine riddled her desk.

“I don’t believe that. No one is a lost cause,” I almost growled. How could this intelligent woman think she could be lost? Not worth living or being happy? I needed to know more, and I wouldn’t leave until I got the answers I sought. Stroking my long beard, the thought of not looking good enough crossed my mind. I wasn’t the best-looking god. In fact, I was considered ugly, especially with the limp I held. What sort of god would have a limp? Me. Because lousy luck liked to follow me.

I used to hide the limp the best I could, but I stopped as the years went on. I didn’t’ care what the Olympian gods thought of me, so I left and made friends with Hades. He was the one that didn’t care how I looked but how I contributed to society and my loyalty.

Finding myself a bit out of sorts, I tried to straighten my clothes so they weren’t as wrinkled and brushed my beard that trailed down my chest a bit too far for most women’s liking. I smelled my underarms, ensuring I wasn’t giving off an odor; I had just watched wolves sparing; maybe I smelled terrible to her?

I looked up, and I saw Tamera with a faint smile on her face as she tried to cover it with her mouth. The little twinkle I was looking for was there as I took a few steps forward. “I’m not the most handsome man-“

“God, you mean?” she mused as she organized her lab area.

“Right, god,” I sniffed. “But I am an honest one, and I want you to know my intentions.” Tamera slammed the tray down, causing several vials to tip over.

“I don’t believe in bonds; they are worthless,” she snapped. “Bonds are nothing but physical attraction to make you have s*x with your mate, and then you get thrown away.” My breath hitched.

“This isn’t a bond,” I corrected her. “You would have felt sparks, heat, or something; I want nothing but to get to know you. You draw me in, and I want to know why. Just let me get to know you, two damaged souls that need the support of one another. I’ve been through some s**t, and it looks like you have too. Please, just let me be your friend,” I stepped back to give her some space.

Her statement about bonds irked me. Leaving it alone for now would be best; besides, we weren’t even bonded anyway.

Tamera’s shoulders slumped as she crossed her arms. Her eyes still didn’t meet mine. “I don’t have much longer, Vulcan. I can’t promise you a friendship that may only last for a month or so. My soul is broken, and Sorceress Bhodi, as already said, my time is limited. I don’t have much to live for.”

She was rejected by someone. I growled silently. What person would dare deny a mate? They are precious and a gift.

“Let me be the one to change that,” I retook her hand. “Let me give you something to live for while you do the same for me.” Her eyes watered, and I pulled her into a hug. She struggled at first but slowly relaxed into me. I don’t like using force, but damn it felt good to hold her. I don’t remember the last time I had hugged anyone besides Parisa when she needed comfort when she first came out of that club.

Tamera let out a breath and put her arms on my chest. “Thank you,” she sobbed. “I can’t promise anything but thank you for pushing to be a friend.” I smiled as I petted her hair. “I-I just don’t want to hurt anymore. I am tired of being alone and I guess, you do seem genuine.” I sighed, that’s all I wanted.

“How about that dinner then?” Tamera was quiet as she finally nodded. We stepped outside the clinic area of the packhouse and heard howls outside. They were so loud one would think they were in the packhouse.

“Someone is shifting; it must be Parisa since there are no other wolves expected to shift for a few more months,” her voice trailed off. “You must go watch your friend,” I shook my head.

“If you aren’t going, I’m not. I say let’s get that dinner.” Tamara smiled as I held my arm out for her link arms with me. Her smile was no longer hidden as I saw the faint pearls of her teeth. “I’ll cook; no one will be at the packhouse with a new alpha shifting.”

Tamera led me to her cabin; she didn’t stay in the packhouse despite being a single woman. Most of the single wolves lived in the packhouse or one of the several dormitories around the territory. She wanted her own space, and that was what Alpha Jack had provided her.

As we walked Tamera explained how she arrived here. She had reached out through a North American werewolf pack message board created by Earth supernaturals. Rosalie actually helped run the sight so packs could stay in touch better than old fashion snail mail.

Tamera put the message board that she was a pack doctor, and due to unfortunate circumstances, she had to leave her pack. Tamera had trained in both human and werewolf anatomy. Pack doctors were on-demand, and she was given several options, but Jacks’ offer stood out the most. Tamera explained that Jack had offered her the one thing she wanted, and that was her own living accommodations.

“Why did you want to move packs?” I took a bite of the salmon she had just grilled on her small patio. I had prepared tea and coffee despite her explaining that she was the host and I didn’t have to do anything. Her heavy sigh let me know it was the reason why her body and soul were just twinkling.

“My mate, my ex-mate is why I am here,” she placed her plate down and loaded roasted vegetables on the table. “My mother was mated to a werewolf after I was born. My real father was gone; he wanted nothing to do with a baby anyway. We moved into the Cool Springs Pack when I was only three years old, and my mom was mated to the gamma. She became a werewolf when I was eight so she could help protect the pack and me.

I didn’t think I would find a mate, that my mom was just one of the lucky humans that got one. I went off to college at eighteen and came back once I had finished my residency at twenty-five. I was pretty smart and jumped ahead a bit,” she chuckled. “Anyway, my first night back, I was claimed by Alpha Santos. There were sparks, the whole good smell, and stuff, yadda, yadda,” she waved her hands around as she rolled her eyes.

“He claimed me that night because that is what you do, right? Werewolves take their mates then and there. Santos didn’t leave room for discussion.” her eyes softened. “We were together for about a month, and he continued to ask me when I would want to be changed into a werewolf, but I said I wasn’t ready, I wasn’t sure if I ever would be ready,” her eyes shifted to the woods. “I was scared; mom said it was painful, and technically I didn’t have to do it. I thought I had other qualities that made me strong besides becoming a wolf. Then I told Santos I didn’t want to.” I took my chair and placed it right beside her as I rubbed her back.

“Without telling me, he went to a witch in a nearby coven and dissolved our bond. I didn’t even know that could happen?” Tamera began to sob as I pulled her to me. “I felt terrible pain through my neck, fire that burned deep into my shoulder. By the time Santos came back, the bond had dissolved.” I grabbed the table with one hand as I heard it crack. What kind of a*****e dissolves a bond? It took an enormous amount of power, and that gods could only create, except for Charmunda, who was partly made of Hades.

“He told me he needed someone physically strong and that he was sorry, he couldn’t make this work. I told my mother, who told the pack and everyone was upset, but they can’t go against their alpha. I lived with my mother for a few months before I couldn’t take seeing him anymore. He had a different she-wolf every night in his room. I started to waste away, and he became intolerable.”

I pulled Tamera into me; I didn’t care if she only wanted to be friends. I would be her friend if she needed it, but I would hold the s**t out of her. Tamera didn’t protest as she put her arms around my neck. “And that is how I’m here,” she finished.

Stroking her hair a few times, I let out a sigh. “I know you don’t want to hear this,” I began. “A bond is there to help along with something that is already there. A person can reject it because we all still have our free will. However, that d**k head did it the wrong way.” I growled. “I swear to Selene that if I ever see him, I’ll dismember him myself.”

Tamera chuckled, “you do that and let me watch,” she fake pouted while she started to laugh. Her laughter caught the attention of a few kids who started pointing in our direction. My hand went through her hair as I saw the sparkle begin to come back.

“See, it isn’t that hard to laugh now, is it?” I felt her body perk up as she shook her head.

“You make me laugh; I don’t remember the last time I did that.”

“Something else that might brighten your day, Santos won’t get a second chance since he rejected you.” Tamera’s eyes widened.

“Really?” I nodded.

“Yeah, Selena made those bonds for a reason; you can reject it, but if you do, you have to find someone on your own. Really, you could still have a second chance, mate. You didn’t initiate the rejection first.” Tamera scrunched her button nose.

“Nah, I’m good. I don’t need a second chance as long as you’ll be my friend.” As much as I wanted to be more, a friend was what she needed. One day she could find comfort in me of something more, as long as she didn’t friend zone me. I couldn’t stand for that.

We finished dinner in comfortable silence, she would try and act like she wasn’t staring, but she was. Was this what was Hades felt when Parisa first looked at him? I had some damn eagles in my stomach watching her eat. I picked up on every single mannerism she had. The way Tamera closed her eyes as she would eat meat but scrunched her nose as she forced herself to eat the roasted broccoli.

I was supposed to wait for my mate, that was what I really wanted, but the feeling of just being with her was enough. It was comforting, domestic, and dare I say calming?

What if I stayed with Tamera? What would my future mate say? The food I was eating became less appetizing as I tried to stomach it. Could Selene alter a bond, so I was no longer soul-bound to another? I didn’t want to put the woman that was destined to be mine in pain.

But what if I was in pain? The thought of leaving Tamera once we have found the gods and the Sphere of Souls is painful. I didn’t want to leave her. I wanted to stay.

I felt giddy since Tamera was warming up to me while we sat together watching the sunset. Caressing her arm, holding her hand, she was letting me do it all when just a few hours ago she wanted nothing to do with me. I’d trade any moment of my life to continue this bliss.

“I’m glad there isn’t a bond between us,” she spoke up as her finger touched my palm. “If there was, I think I would have immediately told you to go away.” I squeezed her a bit tighter.

“Then I would have chased you,” I jokingly spoke. “Not everyone is like that a*****e; I would never do what Santos did; I’ll prove it to you if you let me? There isn’t even a bond involved here, Tamera.”

Tamera blushed as I played with her hands. They were so small, just skin and bone from not eating and the broken bond that still pulled her down.

“If I’m still around for you to show me,” she whispered; I grabbed her chin to look up at me.

“You will be around because I will fix you, just like you are fixing me.” Her deep eyes caressed my face as she continued to stare. Little freckles were painted on her cheeks, her brown eyes had flecks of gold. She was like a little pixie. My little pixie.

I’d give up any bond to be with Tamera. We could have a life together. We both had been hurt by people meant for us; we understood each other and know how it feels to be rejected.

“Aphrodite was arranged to be with me by my parents, but we all know what happened there….” I smiled as my finger traced her cheek. “Aphrodite left when I said she couldn’t walk all over me and sleep with others. I tried to make it work, and since that day, I have been broken too. After all, she was supposed to be the most beautiful, and I am the worst at the physical appearances of the gods. She couldn’t stand to look at me.”

“That’s a lie. You are good-looking! Handsome and sexy even!” Tamera burst out while her face flushed red. I laughed as she put her fingers through my beard. “You are; you are insanely good-looking; when you walked in the clinic today to check for Alpha Parisa, it was all I could do to look away.”

f**k yes, she thought I was handsome. Tamera was the one for me; I didn’t care what Selena had prepared for either of us. Once we find her, I’ll make sure Tamera will never hurt again and belong to me. It would be a slow, grueling process, but she was worth it.

After a few more hours of talking on the patio, sitting on her comfortable outdoor couch, we talked about our lives. I had become engrossed in her tales of residency of trauma and ER work. Anything to do with battle wounds fascinated her, which was great since she worked in a packhouse full of fighting ready wolves. Tamera’s head started to nod off as she leaned against my chest.

This was what I always wanted. Someone to share a life with, and she felt something too, without a bond.

Closing my eyes and leaning my head back, the usual howls and barks turned into growls. Tamera immediately woke up and grabbed my hand. “Heat, someone is in heat,” she repeated. “Parisa,” she whispered again. “Her body must be reacting all at once.” Tamera tried to get up, but I held her back down to me.

“Hades is with her; she will be fine.” Tamera nodded reluctantly as she put her head back on my chest. Not one peep did I hear from her until Steffan, Parisa’s brother, came running.

“Come to the packhouse; dad wants your help with something important!” Steffan said out of breath. “We think we know who took Parisa.”