Skylar."
Hearing that deep, husky voice speak my name sent shivers down my spine and made me tremble in a way I never would have anticipated before. My Wolf purred deep within me and I had to bite my lip to keep myself from making a similar sound. The moonlight made Gabriel look ethereal, bringing definition to the strong bone structure on his face and his sculpted muscles. Once again, I simply couldn't believe that fate had given me such a physically perfect other half.
Although I felt lust stir within me my rapid heartbeat could be partially attributed to nervousness. I could not forget my dislike for him and I was unsure how to act or respond.
Gabriel had made no move to further approach me and was simply standing several yards away, studying me. His deep black eyes and facial expression were unfathomable as he examined me. I felt heat rise on my skin as our eyes met again. Was I passing his inspection? Was I good enough? The petty part of me wondered if he was disappointed that I wasn't a stunning beauty. Perhaps someone like Anne would be better for him in that regard. My Wolf snarled at the notion and I winced inwardly.
Unsure what else to say, I merely echoed his statement.
"Gabriel." The name felt delightful on my tongue and I noticed Gabriel tense, a flicker of surprise crossing his features. My Wolf's purring grew louder; she much enjoyed saying her Mate's name aloud. I had no doubt that he wasn't used to people calling him by his name. To everyone else, he was just Alpha. To me, even with the mere handful of words that had passed between us, I felt the inevitable sense of familiarity that came with discovering one's Mate.
A few more seconds passed with Gabriel remaining unusually still. The normal sounds of the forest seemed to have dimmed in comparison to my racing heartbeat.
Gabriel slowly took a step forward, then another, before stopping again. He stared at me, his dark eyes reflecting the unusual emotion I had seen in them earlier. It was disbelief and relief, almost awe, as if he had found something that had once been lost. I couldn't help but feel perplexed at his reaction.
My nervousness increased again and I shifted position. The silence was becoming oppressive and my lust was unfurling once more as my body recognized our closer distance. I knew I had to say something to break the heavy quiet between us. Without thinking, I blurted out the first thing I thought of.
"I'm sorry I ran."
It was a simple apology but I meant every word. Despite my dislike and distrust for the power-hungry leader in front of me, the logical side of me knew it would have pained me to see him run away if our roles were reversed. Mates were not supposed to run in opposite directions upon meeting. I was surprised at the lack of anger on his face; I had abandoned him in front of both packs, after all.
Gabriel's stare intensified as he took a couple steps closer. We now stood less than ten feet apart. I could see every detail from his high cheekbones to the contours of muscle beneath his clothing. I swallowed, hard. My Wolf was pushing to get out as I felt the crackling tension between us.
"Why did you?" He finally said, voice low. There was no anger or hurt in his voice, and despite the question, he did not look confused. A small part of me suspected that he knew my motivation for running.
I broke eye contact then, staring at the ground. I wanted to make up a feeble excuse but doubted I could lie to such a powerful Alpha, even if he wasn't my Mate.
"I didn't know how to react. I had to clear my head." My cheeks reddened as I thought of how he must have reacted after I took off. He likely thought I was a coward. "I wasn't expecting to...to discover something like that tonight."
"I don't think that fully explains your reaction to finding your own Mate." Gabriel's voice had hardened considerably.
I still could not look up at him. The word 'Mate' in association with him pleased my Wolf and made a warm feeling unfurl deep within me despite my misgivings. His tone, however, had me on edge.
"I was conflicted. My Wolf and I were in disagreement and I didn't trust myself around you." I replied back, trying hard to keep my voice even.
"Why?" He asked, although, once again, I had a suspicion he already knew and wanted me to say it aloud.
I paused, taking a deep breath. "Because you're the Alpha of the pack that is taking our land." I wanted to add that I had disliked him for years but was afraid of his reaction. Slowly, I raised my gaze to look into Gabriel's mesmerizing but haunting eyes. His expression had hardened yet again and I saw steely anger hovering on his face.
"So you're predisposed to despise me, as my pack is the enemy." He replied coolly, attempting to mask his irritation. I gritted my teeth and looked away, staring into the trees. I was unable to deny his claim. The silence stretched between us for a moment.
"So I take it you're rejecting me then." His voice was icy now, and my eyes snapped back to him in surprise as I felt my Wolf's horror within me.
"W-what?" I stuttered in shock, my heart racing. His furious gaze was fixated on me but I thought I could detect another emotion shimmering underneath. Was it...hurt? Pain? Or a mixture of both?
Don't you dare reject him! My Wolf hissed, her anger permeating my entire being. I knew that if I told Gabriel I didn't want him she would never forgive me. Could I do that to her? Part of me was screaming at me not to, and despite my distrust and dislike, I wasn't sure I could do that to myself. I knew the pain would be unbearable.
Plus, I tried to reason, what would happen if I rejected Gabriel? He would be furious and hurt; rejection was a rare thing but rejected wolves almost never recovered. There was a chance he would take it out on my family and pack. Even if I didn't want him at all, (which I knew wasn't true), I knew I couldn't risk that chance. Even though my human side disliked and distrusted him, my Wolf was still half of me, and she desperately wanted her Mate. I should've known from the beginning that rejecting him wasn't an option for her.
Realizing he was still staring at me with his body tense and fists clenched, I quickly shook my head. "No....no I am not rejecting you. If anything, I thought you wouldn't want me because of my pack affiliation." I blinked rapidly as that last sentence slipped out. I hadn't really thought about it until I said it and I now felt oddly vulnerable expressing such sentiment with this powerful wolf in front of me.
His expression changed then as shock and disbelief marred his features. "You thought I would reject you?" The thought seemed repulsive to him. Once again I was struck with surprise at his reaction.
"You're one of the most powerful Alphas in the country. I'm a completely ordinary she-wolf, from an enemy pack. It doesn't make sense that Fate put us together." I couldn't help the bitterness from leaking into my tone. It was surprisingly easy to express the truth in front of Gabriel even though I found him intimidating and barely knew him. Perhaps part of my subconscious realized the mating bond even more than I did.
In the blink of an eye Gabriel was standing in front of me. My heart jolted in my chest; even for a werewolf he had moved unusually fast. I felt goosebumps rise on my arms due to his proximity. We were only a foot apart and I had to crane my neck to peer into his eyes. This close, I could see the swirling depths of his dark gaze and every long, dark eyelash. I wanted to reach up and stroke his face. My Wolf wanted to do a lot more than that, and she was making it quite apparent.
Worried I would begin to furiously blush, I quickly looked away as I attempted to slow my racing heart. I furiously reprimanded myself, reminding my subconscious that I was supposed to dislike him. Unfortunately it was near impossible with him standing so close. I could feel electricity between us and I clasped my hands behind my back so I wouldn't do anything rash.
"You aren't completely ordinary. You can't be." He said softly, confusion evident in his voice. I felt his gaze burning into the side of my face as I avoided looking at him.
"I am." I replied coolly, inwardly fearing his disappointment and ultimate rejection when he realized I was nothing special. Then I reminded myself that I didn't care; everything would be much easier for my pack and I if he just left me alone. My Wolf whimpered at the thought of her Mate not wanting her.
"You're not supposed to exist, because it's supposed to be impossible for me to have a Mate." Gabriel continued. My gaze snapped to his face as my brows furrowed in confusion. Every wolf was supposed to have a Mate, what was he talking about?
Slowly, Gabriel lowered his head to the side until his face was a few inches from my neck. My awareness of his proximity spiked and I felt heat rush through my body. My Wolf wanted me to grab him and force him against the nearest tree. Such thoughts were causing warmth to blossom in the lowest regions of my body and I gritted my teeth to resist my more basic instincts.
Gabriel inhaled, slowly, taking in my scent. I heard a soft, low sound of approval deep in his chest as he did so. The husky noise only made my bodily sensations worse and I quickly took a couple of steps back. He raised his head to meet my gaze then, his eyes darker than usual.
He opened his mouth to speak but then froze, listening. I perked my ears as well. Was someone nearby? After hearing nothing, I determined that someone in Gabriel's pack must have been trying to get his attention. Judging by his facial expression, which shifted from mild irritation to furious anger, it was something important.
I waited, shifting from foot to foot and trying to get ahold of myself as Gabriel continued his telepathic conversation. I should be grateful for the distraction, I thought. Gabriel's proximity had been driving me crazy, causing me to temporarily forget my strong feelings of dislike. What the hell was wrong with me?
You are designed, we are designed to want him. Don't fight it, my Wolf cautioned.
And I have been led to despise him because of what he is doing to our pack.
How can you despise what Fate has demanded you to love? She replied softly.
I was saved from responding by Gabriel, who swiveled his head back to face me. "There is a pack emergency. I'm going back."