The Wolf's Marine

On the Deck

Wilder's Pov.

"How was visiting your Grandpa?" I feel her readjust her position before answering, "Well I guess it was pretty good, Grandpa's feeling better and now I am owner of the bait shop."

"Owner of the bait shop? That's a lot of responsibility, I'm happy for you." A full fledged warrior and the owner of a business, my mate is so cool!

"Thanks. I don't know quite how I'm going to run it but I'll find a way."

"If you ever need help, I'll be happy to lend a hand." I offer. It would make me so happy to help her with her business.

"Just you wait, I'm gonna take you up on that offer!" She teases.

We sit in a comfortable silence. Her resting her head on me makes me the happiest wolf alive and in return I rub circles on her arm.

"What made you want the wolf tattoo on your back?" I finally break the peaceful silence. That wolf is clearly me and I need to know why she has me on her back, not that I mind I just want to know why.

"I've been having dreams about that wolf since I joined the marines. He's sort of a comfort, kept me from losing my mind in that damn desert." She explains.

I think I'm going to keep my suspicions to myself, I don't want to freak her out or make her think I'm egotistical.

"In my dreams he stops the nightmares or when he leaves the nightmares start. Either way he keeps the nightmares at bay as long as he's there." I kiss her forehead before I speak, "I'm sorry you have nightmares."

"It's okay, it's life. I just wish I could stop reliving the horrors in that damn desert. The worst part is sometimes I think I see them, my men, in everyday life and they're talking to me. It's terrible, makes me think I'm going crazy." She sighs, pulling out of my embrace.

"What makes me cry is that they never found Leo. His body was disintegrated from the heat of the IED. At least that's what they told me." She looks so sad. What do I do?

I pull her into a hug and gently rub her back. She doesn't make a sound but melts into the hug.

"You're going to have to deal with this a lot if we're going to make this work." She whispers so quietly a human would've missed it.

"I would do anything for you, remember? Besides, you'll have to deal with a lot too. I have trauma as well." She pulls away and holds onto my biceps, locking eyes with me. "You do?"

"Yes. I couldn't protect Sarah Beth from a pack of rogues and they killed her and almost me. No one blames me for her death besides myself. Alpha keeps telling me that I did all I could. I'm a horrible person. I can't even protect a child from rogues." I feel the urge to cry but I can't do that in front of my mate. She doesn't need to worry about my troubles, she already has enough on her plate.

"How many rogues were there?"

"Fifteen."

"And how many did you kill?"

"Twelve."

"Wilder, that's a feat. Not just anyone could fight fifteen WEREWOLVES and kill twelve of them." She tells me, doing her best to make me feel better.

"I should've killed them all. I was so weak from blood loss I couldn't stop those three from killing her. I should've died instead of her Storm. It should be me in that box six feet underground not her." I argue. Why can't she understand I'm terrible?

"I feel like that too. I was supposed to be taking lead when we were on recon, but Jake said he would and I let him. The sniper would've killed me instead of him if I took lead like I was supposed to. When I close my eyes I can still feel the splatter of blood hit my face from when the bullet went through his skull. I can still feel that same bullet cut my cheek open." Storm lets go of me to point to a small cut on her right cheek.

"You think that's a big scar? Look at these." I try to lighten the mood with some teasing and taking off of my shirt.

Her eyes immediately widen and if she was a wolf, I know she'd be drooling with that look on her face.

She reaches out to touch one and then recoils as if she'd been burned. "Can I touch one?" I give her a nod.

She runs her fingers down the three claw marks on my left ribs. The direct contact sends pleasant tingles through me. She touches the various other ones, each time sending more pleasant tingles.

"You think these are bad? You should see the ones I keep covered." She grins before turning around pulling her shirt halfway up. I guess I turned this into a contest, but she's not supposed to lift her shirt up!

Looking at her back causes me to grimace, I'm glad she's not facing me. I don't want this grimace to make her feel insecure.

Her back is covered in burns and some burns have scars on top of them. I stare for sometime before she lowers her shirt and turns back around.

"You win."

"Good, I like it that way."

"Was that the IED too?"

"Yes. It was so hot and there was so much shrapnel. I should've died instead of Jake and I really should've died in that IED. Instead I lost my leg and my best friends." She attempts a laugh at her supposed joke.

"How about this, we heal together? You and I work together and make this pain go away. How does that sound?" I offer, taking her hands in mine.

"I'll do it if you stop killing everybody's livestock." What? I haven't even eaten livestock in weeks.

"Storm, I haven't killed livestock since I met you. I'm not the one killing livestock."

"Then who is?"

"I don't know. I'll tell Alpha and he'll figure it out. For now you and I just need to relax. Come on, you need to go to bed." I do my best to curb the conversation and get her to think about something else. Someone is obviously trying to frame me for something I no longer do.

I herd her to the couch and she plops down. "I'll do get you a pillow and blanket." I want her to be warm and comfortable.

"What about you? Where will you sleep?"

"Outside, I am a wild animal after all." I shoot her a wink. Her face becomes red as a tomato. I wish I had a camera to take a picture. She's so cute!

I quietly sneak into Storm's bedroom, doing my best to stay silent. I do not want to wake Eva up.

Once I secure an extra pillow and blanket from the closet, I sneak back out of the room. A soft snore tells me Eva is still sleeping and I remained deathly quiet.

I return to my beautiful mate and hand her the bedding. She arranges it how she wants it and then lays down.

With a crooked finger she beckons me closer. I lean in close to her face and before I know she's kissed me, on the cheek.

"Thank you." I feel my face grow hot and I know I'm blushing. "You're welcome." I return the favor and to my disappointment she doesn't blush.

"Goodnight Storm!" I call out to her before I shut the door. Just as I'm about to shift I spot the bowl and grab it. I gobble down the food and then put the bowl back. There, now "Wowf" technically ate it.

I shift to my wolf form and lay in front of the door. From now on, every day I am going to do my damndest to protect Storm the way I should've protected Sarah Beth.

That is a promise!