"I tore them apart," He said softly, his voice deep with suppressed emotion. I slowly looked up to see that his eyes were intense, burning with something unrecognizable. "I gave those vampires what they deserved for touching you."
I felt goosebumps rise along my arms and inside I felt a small thrill at his protective words, although I was still confused by his mood swings. I quickly averted my gaze, afraid of what I would do if I looked at him for too long. A few tense seconds passed by before he spoke again.
"I want you to come with me so I can keep an eye on you. The vampires won't give up on you."
"But my family is here." I replied softly, still looking away. I knew my argument was weak. It was normal for a wolf to leave their family behind when they found their Mate; I was just reaching for excuses now.
"I'm an Alpha. You can't honestly think my Wolf will just stand by and let you stay here." He retorted.
"Bullying my pack is not the way to go about it," I said, matching his tone. I thought I heard a faint growl in his chest.
"Like I said, they don't have a choice." His tone had become unapologetic again. I detected a trace of irritation.
"But I do and-"
"Dammit, Skylar!" Gabriel snapped, my name sounding wonderful in his husky voice. I felt a flutter of fear as he advanced and suddenly I was backed up against the wall as he leaned over me, his arms above my head on each side as he supported his weight. His scent washed over me and my nostrils flared as I took it in. Despite his daunting stance I couldn't help the butterflies that erupted in my stomach as he said my name, nor could I help the secret invigoration as I saw the frustration etched on his face, although my attraction was mingled with unease.
"Do you have any idea what it is like to feel your Mate's excruciating pain and not be able to do anything about it because she's hours away? She's suffering, and you weren't there to protect her?" Dimly I realized that my suspicions were confirmed, that he knew I was in danger when he felt the bite. He must have run incredibly fast to make it all the way to town and meet up with the others in half a day.
"I..." I began hesitantly.
"You could have died." He said, quieter now, his eyes boring into mine. His voice had taken on a rough edge. I thought I could detect true emotion in his expression and it bewildered me, as I'd never seen him look vulnerable, even for a split second. The moment passed but I could still feel the heat of his conviction. I was hyper-aware of just how close we were and I urged to reach a hand up and stroke his face, feel the muscles on his arms and chest. Instead I maintained a straight face and held my arms at my sides, trying not to let my body betray me.
"I am not risking that again. So whether you like it or not you are accompanying me back to my home."
He backed away then and I felt a rush of disappointment at the lack of contact, feeling as if air was being pulled out of my lungs. I wanted to be near him so badly it was like oxygen, and inhaling his scent was so compelling to me and my Wolf; the thought of that scared me. But I was even more frightened of the way my heart was beating erratically in my chest due to the brief glimmer of sincerity I had seen in his expression. He did care for me on some level and I was afraid of what he was doing to me.
And deep inside of me, I knew I would go with him. Not only because my Wolf was refusing to let me stay or because Gabriel might force my family into letting me go if I refused, but because part of me truly did want to go. He may have been a emotionless asshole at times but there was something else there, something deep down. Fate had given me Gabriel for a reason. Perhaps I was supposed to help him and balance him out. I knew it would be foolish to give away the only Mate I would ever get without trying to get to know him. I would miss my family but we shared pack territory, and I knew there was a way I'd be able to see them. As for the Black Mountains Pack, as much as they frightened me, I knew they couldn't hurt me. My Mate was their Alpha.
This is the right decision, my Wolf whispered softly in my mind. She sounded so sure of herself, although I knew she was incredibly biased in this situation.
I slowly raised my gaze, finally meeting Gabriel's. His emotionless mask was back in place but I wouldn't forget that brief emotion I had seen in his dark eyes.
"If you promise to leave my family and pack alone I will go with you." I said quietly. I was fully aware that he could be brutal and force me to come with no promises, but I hoped he wouldn't. Besides, if he gave his word not to harm my pack, it would help assuage some of my concerns.
Gabriel looked away, jaw clenched. "I have more significant problems at the moment," was his reply, and I took that as the best affirmative I was going to get.
I exhaled wearily. "At least let me say goodbye? Can we wait until the morning?" I didn't want to go very long before seeing my parents again but I figured it was not the best time to negotiate with Gabriel, he was wound tightly enough already.
"Make it quick. I've been away from my pack for long enough." His tone was clipped and I sighed internally. It seemed as if that slight glimpse of true emotion was all I would be getting for a while.
---
An hour or two later, I stood outside with my family and close friends around me in a semicircle. My father had not liked my decision to say the least. It had taken a considerable amount of arguing and pleading and reasoning to get him to fully understand where I was coming from, and I could tell he only conceded my point because he didn't want Gabriel resulting to more drastic measures to bring me back to his pack. Not that my father could have really stopped either one of us from the beginning; it was werewolf custom to live with one's Mate.
Despite his reluctance I knew my father really did understand. After Gabriel had come to help rescue me from the vampires he had earned the tiniest sliver of my father's trust, at least when it came to me. When I explained to him (and later my mother) that this is what I had decided, that I wanted to give my Mate a chance, they eventually caved. I knew they disliked Gabriel but, as my Mate and an Alpha, it was his right by law to bring me to his pack if I chose to go. It was going against Nature to keep a wolf from her Mate, after all.
Alpha Brett gave me a gruff hug before walking away, leaving me with my parents, Maria, and Will. My mom had tears in her bright blue eyes. We were currently standing in a clearing a couple of hours from my house. Gabriel was located near enough to hear our conversation but at a respectable distance, for which I was grateful. I didn't need his unnerving presence when I felt so vulnerable. He stood, poised and alert, gazing into the distance.
My mom wrapped me into what must have been my tenth hug, a blonde curl touching my cheek as she nuzzled me. I felt a pang of sadness at the thought of leaving her. My father was next, pulling me into a secure embrace.
"Don't forget to mind link with us every day," he said softly, attempting to make a wry joke. I smiled slightly and his face grew serious. "Skylar, let me know if you need anything." His look was significant and I caught the double meaning behind his words.
Next Maria came forward, wrapping a dark tress of hair around her finger like she always did when she was nervous. "Skylar..." she began softly. Her eyes contained so much worry that I hugged her tightly on reflex.
"I never got to thank you guys for everything," I said, noticing Will had come forward and was standing next to us. He tried to grin reassuringly but it came out more as a grimace.
"You would have done it for me," Maria replied, smiling slightly. "I'm just glad you're okay." She squeezed my hand tightly. "Come visit soon? We need to catch up on Law and Order." I laughed at that and was passed over to Will. I relaxed into the familiarity of his hug, inhaling his scent. He had consistently been there for me, and I'd always appreciated his companionship.
He released me, raising one of his hands to gently cup my cheek. An unusual, almost haunted look came into his blue eyes as he studied me intensely, eyes examining every inch of my face.
"Will?" I queried, confused by his expression.
He licked his lips, almost appearing nervous. His thumb stroked my cheek and I shifted slightly, aware of my Mate's presence nearby. I got the impression that Will was gathering the courage for something, and the only reason he was about to say it was because it might be his last chance for a while.
"Skylar...I..." Will began, voice cracking slightly as he spoke. I frowned, wondering what the hell was up with him. He hesitated, as if deciding if whatever he was about to say was really a good idea.
I got a strange sense of foreboding and quickly spoke.
"Don't worry Will. I'll be back soon."
"I know it's just...." He was interrupted by a low, threatening growl nearby. I quickly stepped away from Will to see that Gabriel had come over to us and was standing next to me, glaring daggers at Will. His hands were balled into fists and his expression looked murderous.
"Get away from her, pup," Gabriel snarled, and I was shocked by the venom in his tone. Will gave me a frustrated look as his face flushed a beet red. He quickly turned and strode away, my Mate glaring after him. I shot Maria a confused look but she just looked very uncomfortable, giving me a small wave before walking off as well.
"Calm down, you shouldn't talk to-" I began, turning towards my Mate, but Gabriel had picked up my bag of necessities in one hand and was already striding towards the trees. At least he was nice enough to carry it for me, I thought wryly, although it wasn't heavy to me.
"We need to get going," he snapped, anger still evident in his voice. Apparently he was not going to be in a good mood for this trip.
Sighing, I gave both of my parents one last hug before heading towards the green fringe of the forest. I gave a final wave over my shoulder before entering the forest, where I would be running in Wolf form in front of my Mate for the first time.
And within a day I would be living with him. Despite my reservations, I couldn't help but feel slightly hopeful as I thought about what the future held.