Gabriel's father called him into the study. It was a classically masculine room, with dark paneling and shelves of antiquarian books that no one in living history had ever read. Gabriel sat in the chair across from the imposing desk and waited while his father seated himself, and steepled his hands in front of him. "Son, I know you've waited a long time to find this girl," he said carefully. Gabriel could only nod in agreement, while watching his father warily."I'm happy for you. There is no greater joy than finding your mate. But Gabe... you have to know, this girl is not fit to be your Luna."Gabriel stiffened, and his fingers tightened over the wooden arms of the chair. "What do you mean?""She is weak, in every way. physically, mentally, and emotionally... she is completely ignorant of our ways and our culture. She doesn't shift, she may not even have the inner wolf. How can such a broken girl be the caretaker of our pack?"Gabriel suppressed the urge to growl. Had it
The tour moved on. There was a big meeting hall that the pack used for public events, a small private school for the pack children, a brightly painted playground, and a small medical clinic. Honorera was impressed. The pack was like a town all to itself. "How many are there of you?""We have about 200 adults, plus their children," he answered, and she was surprised. She had imagined a group of about 20 or so."And they are all able to shift?""Most of them."She would never have guessed there were so many supernatural beings in the world, let alone in one small town. She tried to imagine that her own mother had been a wolf, but she couldn't picture it. She'd seen old, faded, and creased photos of her mother in Tanner's room. Rachel Talbot looked like a small, mousey woman. Honorera’s mother didn't look capable of swatting a mosquito, let alone changing into a mythical creature.It was past lunchtime when the couple wandered back to the main house, but Elena had left them some s
Something was wrong. Honorera didn't know what it was, but Gabriel was different. He had a dark and stormy expression, and he was distracted all the time. She couldn’t help but ask herself, had she done something wrong? Or perhaps he had simply grown tired of her? Whatever the reason, she felt the change deeply and keenly, and it scared her. Whatever small progress she had made at being more confident shriveled away, and she felt herself shrinking back into her old shell. Gabriel still woke her early to train, and he trained her hard. She hated the weights, but she loved the kickboxing lessons. She thought she was getting stronger, but Gabriel gave her so little feedback, she couldn't tell if he approved. After breakfast, he often disappeared without much explanation. "Sorry love, I have some work to do," he would say, and he would take his laptop and phone and retreat into the study and close the door behind himself. Or he would kiss her forehead and pass her off to his
Gabriel climbed the stairs, his shoulders stiff and sore with tension. He'd been working for weeks, digging through all his contacts, trying to find anything he could on Honorera, her family, her past, and the price on her head. But he'd made almost no progress. He traced Tanner and Kayla Lee back to a small pack in Ohio. Kayla Lee had been an almost invisible member of the pack, an obedient omega. When her brother was exiled, she went with him. Possibly she was forced by her brother to accompany him into no man's land. But somewhere along the way, they had parted.Todd would not reveal the owner of the contract, and King’s denied all knowledge of the mark. "It's not one of mine, Rico. When are you coming back to work? We need you man, the boys are getting sloppy without you."When he reached the top of the bedroom, he was surprised to be met by his mother. She was wrapped in her favorite tattered terrycloth bathrobe, but she was no less intimidating as she propped her han
Gabriel scooped her up and carried Honorera to the bed. He laid her down as if she was as fragile as glass. Then he knelt on the bed next to her and continued the kiss where he had left off, fully unleashing his passion. His hands pulled up her shirt so he could touch her bare, heated skin. She moaned and writhed underneath his touch, wanting more, needing more. Her hands tugged impatiently at his t-shirt, yanking it up until he obliged her and pulled it off over his head... before doing the same for her. Honorera was naked before him, in only her panties, since his over-size t-shirt was all she wore to bed most nights. He’d never seen anything more beautiful.He worshiped her body, kissing her neck, biting lightly at the tender junction of her neck and shoulder, before he turned his attention to her breasts. Her breasts were full, the dusky nipples pearled in the cool air. He kissed the soft flesh before drawing the nipple into his mouth, sucking lightly until she groaned a
Washing the blood off from his hands in the sink, Gabriel watched the red-stained water swirl down the drain with his usual numb detachment. The body of his latest kill was still on the floor behind him, slowly bleeding out into the cheap, industrial carpeting. Lifeless eyes were staring up at the ceiling fan, the face frozen in an expression of surprise. To Gabriel the identity of the stiff was unimportant. It was a contract, and the job was done. Gabriel was a man with nothing to live for. Working for King was a distraction, and it gave him some semblance of purpose. He took on the most dangerous assignments with almost suicidal zeal, and he was very, very good at his job. His cell phone vibrated from the back pocket of his jeans. He carefully wiped his hands on a clean towel before he pulled it out and answered it. "Hello Mom... yes, I'm fine. I'm finished with my work... I'll be home sometime late tomorrow. How's Dad? Ryan? …. Great... See you then...Love you too." H
The Three Oaks pack was located in the woods of North Carolina, on the historic Three Oaks Plantation. The old brick plantation house stood like an old southern belle with stately white columns across the front, which supported the second story veranda. The red brick was classically accented with white trim and black shutters at the tall windows. At each end of the great house two chimneys pointed toward the sky. The ancient and iconic three oaks on the front lawn had been reduced to two oaks in a hurricane several decades ago, when the third oak had blown over. On the inside, the entire structure had been remodeled into a modern and comfortable pack house. Although most of the pack lived in private homes scattered across the five-hundred-acre estate and in the town beyond, there were plenty of extra bedrooms in the mansion, a conference room, the Alpha’s office, a huge kitchen and a formal dining room that could seat fifty. The only permanent residents of the great house were t
Gabriel packed his black full-size pickup truck carefully. He did not know if he was going for a few days, or a few weeks, or even for months. He only knew he had no intention of returning until he had found her. He grabbed an old paper map of the United States, and a marker. In his hometown of Puller, he put an X. His finger traced a line vaguely northward toward the next town. It was going to be like a game of Hot and Cold. He would just have to keep moving where the inexplicable sensation in his chest felt stronger. His mother and father came out to the driveway to see him off. His mother was encouraging as always, her blue eyes warm and hopeful, her lips curving in a smile. She was happy for him, happy that at least he had some shred of hope. His father, on the other hand, looked grim. Thomas Shephard had already called this a "fool's journey". He also knew his son well enough to know that nothing the older man said could dissuade Gabriel to stay once he had made up h
Gabriel scooped her up and carried Honorera to the bed. He laid her down as if she was as fragile as glass. Then he knelt on the bed next to her and continued the kiss where he had left off, fully unleashing his passion. His hands pulled up her shirt so he could touch her bare, heated skin. She moaned and writhed underneath his touch, wanting more, needing more. Her hands tugged impatiently at his t-shirt, yanking it up until he obliged her and pulled it off over his head... before doing the same for her. Honorera was naked before him, in only her panties, since his over-size t-shirt was all she wore to bed most nights. He’d never seen anything more beautiful.He worshiped her body, kissing her neck, biting lightly at the tender junction of her neck and shoulder, before he turned his attention to her breasts. Her breasts were full, the dusky nipples pearled in the cool air. He kissed the soft flesh before drawing the nipple into his mouth, sucking lightly until she groaned a
Gabriel climbed the stairs, his shoulders stiff and sore with tension. He'd been working for weeks, digging through all his contacts, trying to find anything he could on Honorera, her family, her past, and the price on her head. But he'd made almost no progress. He traced Tanner and Kayla Lee back to a small pack in Ohio. Kayla Lee had been an almost invisible member of the pack, an obedient omega. When her brother was exiled, she went with him. Possibly she was forced by her brother to accompany him into no man's land. But somewhere along the way, they had parted.Todd would not reveal the owner of the contract, and King’s denied all knowledge of the mark. "It's not one of mine, Rico. When are you coming back to work? We need you man, the boys are getting sloppy without you."When he reached the top of the bedroom, he was surprised to be met by his mother. She was wrapped in her favorite tattered terrycloth bathrobe, but she was no less intimidating as she propped her han
Something was wrong. Honorera didn't know what it was, but Gabriel was different. He had a dark and stormy expression, and he was distracted all the time. She couldn’t help but ask herself, had she done something wrong? Or perhaps he had simply grown tired of her? Whatever the reason, she felt the change deeply and keenly, and it scared her. Whatever small progress she had made at being more confident shriveled away, and she felt herself shrinking back into her old shell. Gabriel still woke her early to train, and he trained her hard. She hated the weights, but she loved the kickboxing lessons. She thought she was getting stronger, but Gabriel gave her so little feedback, she couldn't tell if he approved. After breakfast, he often disappeared without much explanation. "Sorry love, I have some work to do," he would say, and he would take his laptop and phone and retreat into the study and close the door behind himself. Or he would kiss her forehead and pass her off to his
The tour moved on. There was a big meeting hall that the pack used for public events, a small private school for the pack children, a brightly painted playground, and a small medical clinic. Honorera was impressed. The pack was like a town all to itself. "How many are there of you?""We have about 200 adults, plus their children," he answered, and she was surprised. She had imagined a group of about 20 or so."And they are all able to shift?""Most of them."She would never have guessed there were so many supernatural beings in the world, let alone in one small town. She tried to imagine that her own mother had been a wolf, but she couldn't picture it. She'd seen old, faded, and creased photos of her mother in Tanner's room. Rachel Talbot looked like a small, mousey woman. Honorera’s mother didn't look capable of swatting a mosquito, let alone changing into a mythical creature.It was past lunchtime when the couple wandered back to the main house, but Elena had left them some s
Gabriel's father called him into the study. It was a classically masculine room, with dark paneling and shelves of antiquarian books that no one in living history had ever read. Gabriel sat in the chair across from the imposing desk and waited while his father seated himself, and steepled his hands in front of him. "Son, I know you've waited a long time to find this girl," he said carefully. Gabriel could only nod in agreement, while watching his father warily."I'm happy for you. There is no greater joy than finding your mate. But Gabe... you have to know, this girl is not fit to be your Luna."Gabriel stiffened, and his fingers tightened over the wooden arms of the chair. "What do you mean?""She is weak, in every way. physically, mentally, and emotionally... she is completely ignorant of our ways and our culture. She doesn't shift, she may not even have the inner wolf. How can such a broken girl be the caretaker of our pack?"Gabriel suppressed the urge to growl. Had it
Before she was quite ready to face Gabriel’s family, they had left the highway and driven deep into the hills. The forest closed around them, and the landscape became more and more rural until, at last, they pulled up in front of an ancient-looking brick house. It stood two stories and sprawled into two wings from the main building. Black shutters framed the windows, and Ivy was growing up the sides. Gabriel parked the truck and went around to help Honorera down from the passenger seat. Before her feet hit the ground, the front door of the house flew open, and people tumbled out. Honorera shivered in fear and hid behind Gabriel’s broad back. "Hello Mum," Gabriel held his arms out to his mother, but Elena simply brushed him aside. "I don't want you right now. Where is she?" Gabriel pulled Honorera out from behind him. "Honorera, this is my mom. Elena Shepherd." "Oooh!" Elena clasped her plump hands in front of her breast, "Aren't you just adorable! Gabriel, she's preciou
Honorera shivered, half in fear, and half in excitement. She didn't even know what that meant, but it sounded intense. She wrapped a towel around herself, tucking the loose ends between her breasts before grabbing another to towel-dry her hair. She wrapped it around her head like a turban and escaped from the steamy bathroom and the impossibly tempting vision of Gabriel covered by only a scant length of terrycloth.She pawed through her newly purchased clothes but she had only the maroon baby doll nightgown to wear to sleep. She hadn't really had time to think about practical pajamas during their shopping spree. What would he think of her provocative night clothes? Would Gabriel think she was deliberately teasing him?Did she want to deliberately tease him?She put it on the skimpy negligee, and then looked at herself in the mirror that was mounted beside the closet door.Good lord, she thought, I look like a call-girl."Uh... Gabriel? Can I borrow a t-shirt to sleep in?" Her high and
Honorera came out of the bathroom, braced for the worst. Gabriel held up a black Speedo bathing suit, with the tags still attached. She stared at the suit, not understanding. "Wha...What?" "They sell some suits in the gift shop, but there isn't much selection. I hope it fits." She took the simple black suit and raised her eyebrows at him. "Really?" "Yeah really." He smiled and held up his own pair of brand new, wildly colored, Hawaiian print swim shorts that he had procured for himself. "Let's go swimming." Gabriel had thought he was too tired for a swim. He'd been driving all day, and his muscles were tired and stiff. All he wanted to do was crawl into bed, cuddle up to Honorera, and sleep. But he’d seen the way she had lit up at the idea of a swim in the indoor pool, and he couldn’t bear to disappoint her. Suddenly it seemed like his whole purpose in life was just to make this young woman happy. When she stepped out of the bathroom dressed in the black swimsuit, all t
"Hey sleeping beauty, wake up." Gabriel nudged her awake. "Mmm?" Honorera sat up in the bucket seat and rubbed her eyes. It was dark already, and they were in the parking lot of a restaurant. "Where are we?" "Pennsylvania. We will stop here for the night. I thought we'd get a bite to eat, and then head to the hotel." "Oh." Honorera bit her lip and couldn’t help but wonder if they would share a hotel room again. Would they sleep in the same bed? She didn’t know if the idea made her feel nervous, or excited. She had already shared the cottage with him in Pete's Peak, she had already passed several nights sleeping with Gabriel’s huge arm curled around her, and he’d always been a perfect gentleman. He came around to her side of the truck and opened the door. "Do you like Chinese food?" Her eyes widened. "I've never had Chinese food." "Never? Well, tonight you will try it. Hopefully, we can find something you like." He helped her out of the truck and kept his hand on th