The Huntress

Part 27: Moments of happiness

She woke up from the sunlight that entered the room through the open window and irritated her eyes. The bedsheet was around their naked bodies, half-covering them as if a typhoon had passed and let it swirled like that. Her left leg was on top of his, her head above his arm. One of her arms was barely touching his chest, and the other was lightly around his head. She didn't want to move, in case she woke him up, so she stood like that, looking at his calm face and absorbing every little detail.

It was the first night in years that she had no nightmares. No screams, no dead people coming at her, no tortured souls asking for revenge. She felt relaxed and peaceful and tried to remember every detail to never forget this morning. James stirred a little and tightened his grip around her waist. He smiled and opened his spring-green eyes.

"Good morning, beautiful," he said and kissed her.

"Good morning," she answered, biting her lower lip. "Did you sleep well?"

"Best sleep ever!" he answered, smirking and hugged her. "I love you, Laurel Creed. My heart is yours." He touched a strand of her champagne brown hair that lightly touched her cheek and put it behind her ear.

"I love you, James Campbell. You make me feel born again. The world seems to take a new meaning."

She moved her body closer to his and diminished the distance between their lips. Rays of sunlight filled the room and made their sweaty, naked bodies glow above the wrinkled sheets.

An hour later, they entered the dining room, where Max and Lucy were already eating. They barely had time to shower and clean themselves.

"Sorry, for making you wait," Laurel said apologetically, though she didn't regret any of her actions with James the past hour. She took the seat next to Lucy while her sister filled her glass with grapefruit juice.

"No worries. I hope you slept well," Max teased them while they started eating.

"I slept amazing!" Lucy answered instead, and James felt grateful for not having to answer.

"We are leaving after breakfast," Laurel announced after a while. "There are things we need to arrange."

"And I need to return to my pack. I have a meeting that I can't postpone."

Lucy put a sad face and looked across the table, toward James with an accusing look.

"Hey, we talked about that," murmured Laurel as she tried to make her sister look at her. "This time it won't be for long. You will look at the stars every night like we used to do with dad. I'll look at them too, and we will know that we are always only a star away. We'll be looking at the same stars, and their light will remind us that we will soon be together again," she concluded.

Max promised to take care of Lucy and informed Laurel that if she ever needed an army, his men were available, and she shouldn't hesitate to call him. He exchanged some business advice with James and left with a goodbye. Lucy hugged them and gave a small painting of hers.

"Don't forget me."

"How could I?" He hugged her hard and let her small hands, compared to his, to hold on to him tightly.

Lucy had stolen his heart, and she had given all her love to him. She was young, but Max had taught her well. She knew everything about mates, even though chances were that she wouldn't have one. It was rare for werewolves and witches to be mates, and the moon goddess had only blessed the werewolves with that gift.

She could see how her sister reacted next to him and how her eyes brightened when he was near. He made her happy, and that was enough for Lucy.

Laurel's heart couldn't leave her sister, but she knew that with Max she was safe and happy. Everything would come to an end, and after that, she wouldn't leave her sister alone again. As she was seeing the girl she lost five years ago, right before they teleported back home, she promised herself that she would do anything to stay alive and not leave her alone in this cruel world.