Hearing that sigh makes her ears droop. Has she upset him somehow? It was never her intention to drag him away from his family to come find her. Though she can feel the bond that ties the two together, she can never understand how much stronger it is for him than it is for her. His voice is strained in a strange, unnatural way and it makes her feel uncomfortable and awkward. Quietly she eats the fox as he speaks, telling her they needed to get her somewhere warm. For a moment, she had forgotten the chill that had frozen her body and stiffened her muscles. “I’m sure I can find a den or something to sleep in tonight…” she said shyly.

He tells her he will always be there for her and she suddenly feels worse. Barely able to hold in the groan, Gaia stands up and stretches her limbs, the fox now completely ignored. I’m glad to hear you have been well. And I do thank you for coming to help me, but I don’t think your mate will like it if you do it all the time. We’re not children anymore, I can handle myself out here. I just… got distracted tonight is all.” Perhaps her words are harsher than she intended but the last thing she wanted to do was cause her imprint pain. It was clear there was no love for her beyond what Fate forced him to have.

He sits suddenly and his next words crash into her like an avalanche. She stands, stunned, her heart hammering and her stomach churning. Her mind raced wildly as she stared with dead eyes at Zaphkiel. Silently, she begs him to be wrong, demands it from him. But his eyes do not lie. Her parents were dead, murdered for a plot of land. At some point, she had thrown up, her body rejecting the food she had just put inside it. When had that happened? Her throat hurt. Had she been screaming, sobbing uncontrollably at the sudden loss that had consumed her world? Then, there was nothing, no feelings for what seemed like a very long time.

When she finally came to her senses, Gaia looked around for her imprint. The thoughts she had had before were gone. Right now, she needed him, needed anyone. She didn’t want to be alone and she didn’t care if he returned home to his mate covered in her scent. ”Zaphkiel?” she asked, her voice horse and full of sorrow. She didn’t know what to say, she just needed to know he was there with her. The star speckled wolf was her only connection to the world and she was terrified that if he was gone, she would fall into nothing and be lost forever.
Seven - Loves none – Fated for Zaphkiel - Homeless
Eldest daughter of Iblis & Rhae