RACHEL'S POV
“I said you’re under arrest,” I shouted as he tried to stand.
“Well, you’re not going to arrest me with your head on my arms, you know?” he replied, his voice tinged with amusement. I jolted upright, mortified. Why on earth had I curled up on him like that?
“Alright, stand up slowly,” I commanded, brandishing my badge as if it were a weapon. What was I thinking? Instinctively, I reached for my hip, but my gun wasn’t there. I’d left it at home. Of course, I hadn’t brought it while visiting my parents. They’d have my head if I did.
“Don’t mess with me. Keep your hands where I can see them!” I barked, as he began lowering them.
“What, you’re going to shoot me with that badge of yours?” he asked, standing straight.
“No,” I snapped, balling my hands into fists. “I’ll knock you out if you don’t cooperate.”
“Well, go ahead then—”
“Don’t push me,” I cut him off, my voice tight. I hadn’t expected a fight today, but if that’s what it took to get answers, so be it. He was a Gabriel, after all.
“Okay, okay,” he said, raising his hands but before I could react, he swept my legs out from under me as I felt a rush of air and the sharp approach of concrete against my head—only for his arms to catch me at the last second. What the hell?
“For what it’s worth, you’re beautiful,” he murmured, gently lowering me to the ground before taking off at an impossible speed. I scrambled to my feet and sprinted after him, but he was gone. Vanished. And I couldn’t believe I’d let him slip through my fingers. It felt unreal how fast he was. He was definitely a werewolf but not an ordinary one. I’d always managed to keep pace with, if not outmatch, any wolf I’d faced. There was a reason everyone at WPD wanted me on cases. But this wasn’t normal. Damn it!
My phone rang, snapping me from my thoughts. It was Dave. Great. Time for a scolding.
“Hello, Dave,” I answered, trying to keep my frustration in check.
“Rachel? Did you get him?” he asked, cheerful as always, his tone full of hope. I rarely messed up, so coming up with a good excuse for my failure wasn’t easy.
“I lost him, Dave." I admitted. "I’m sorry,”
“It’s okay. We’ll get him another day alright? The victim survived, so we can get answers from him and track those lunatics.”
“Like last time?” I muttered. We’d lost victims before, hoping for leads that never came. That’s why I shouldn’t have let that bastard get away. But I would catch him. One day.
“Losing is part of the job, Rachel,” Dave said, his voice calm. “We win some, we lose some. Just don’t let it get to you okay. We’ll get him eventually.”
“Thanks, Dave,” I whispered. Sometimes he just knew the right thing to say when I was ready to crumble.
“Alright, we’ll meet at the station tomorrow—”
“I need a ride, Dave. I wrecked my car.”
**********
“Damn! This is bad, Rachel,” Dave said as he arrived to pick me up.
“So what, you went Fast and Furious with that guy, huh?” Mateo, Dave’s partner, teased as I got into the backseat.
“I guess,” I muttered, forcing a smile to mask my disappointment. We both settled into the back while Mateo took the wheel.
“Hey,” Dave said, breaking the silence a few minutes into the ride. “I told you not to worry about it.”
“I’m not, Dave. Sometimes it’s just better not to say anything. Not that you’d understand.”
“Ouch,” Mateo muttered from the front seat.
“Okay, so how’s your family?” Dave continued, clearly trying to lighten the mood.
“Dave? I can’t. I just want to be alone right now.”
“Dave, deja a la mujer sola,” Mateo chimed in Spanish, clearly catching the shift in my mood.
We arrived at my family’s mansion not long after as I stepped out of the car, exhausted. The memory of how effortlessly he had swept me off my feet haunted me. That I wished I could pretend this had never happened. How could I have let that happen? I barely made it inside the compound when I noticed someone trailing me.
“Dave? What are you doing?” I called out, jogging back to stop him. “Go back. I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”
“No! I want to meet your family, Rachel. You’ve kept this place hidden from me for too long.”
“Not today, Dave. Please. They’re not— It’s just not time for that yet.”
“So you’ll introduce me later? Is that a promise?” he teased.
“Yes, it’s a promise,” I replied, just to get rid of him for now. I shouldn’t have brought him here. It was only a matter of time before his curiosity led him to show up on his own, thinking my father was the same warm, charismatic man the world saw on TV. The man who claimed to love humans.
Dave finally left after some prodding, and I exhaled deeply, stepping inside. But just as I was about to close the door behind me, a woman’s voice rang out sharply, startling me.
“Where’s my car, Rachel?”
Oh shit. We just observed her vehicle earlier without actually fixing it.
“It’s at a workshop, Mrs. Grams,” I replied, sneaking inside as she called me back. I didn’t stop. Damn, that was close.
It was already very late, the crescent moon hanging low among the clouds above. I walked inside, spotting my dad and mom arguing in the large sitting room as usual. Seizing the moment, I crept quietly, climbing the stairs to my room.
“Rachel?” I heard my mom’s voice, though my dad dismissed her, saying I wasn’t back. He’d know if I was. I couldn’t spend the night here; I needed to be at the station tomorrow morning, see how badly the victim was injured, and try to get some answers.
Over the years, we’d only had one case involving a Gabriel, which turned out to be tied to gambling. While the rest mostly involved different Gabriels and petty crimes as if every Gabriel was destined to cause trouble. But this felt different—this felt like progress, like something bigger. No matter how fast he was, I knew I could have done better if he hadn’t tricked me and the next time we crossed paths, I’d make sure to get my revenge.
After gathering a few things from home and resting, showering, and so on, I headed downstairs, ready to leave only to be stopped by my mom’s voice. Damn it.
“Mom?” I turned around, trying to sound like her good ol’ daughter.
“Where are you headed?” she asked, stepping closer.
“Nowhere... just wanted to step out—”
“You’re taking more of your stuff this time, Rachel,” she said in a quiet, almost sad tone, stepping even closer. “We love you, you know. Your dad, Theodore, and I. You’re our only daughter, and you’re important, alright? Never forget that.” She rubbed my palms with her thumbs.
“Something came up, Mom—”
“The guy from before?” she interrupted.
“Yes,” I replied. “The murderer. I ran into him today. I know you don’t believe—”
“I do, Rachel and I hope you catch him this time so we can have you back okay." She added, touching my face.
“And so I can have a grandchild—”
“Mom?” I cut her off, a little embarrassed.
“I’ll visit more often this time. I promise.” I added as we shared a hug.
She was right to be worried. Everyone had moved on from that incident, and sometimes I think I have too, but I just didn’t want to come to terms with the fact that I’d wasted five years of my life chasing after ghosts, pushing everyone who cared for me aside. It was brutal to accept, and all I could hope for now was that this guy was the culprit. His moves, everything were extraordinary. It had to be him. Please. I needed closure.
[Gabriel's POV]The weight of my new role as alpha pressed heavily on me, a mix of uncertainty and an odd sense of acceptance swirling within. My fingers involuntarily tangled in my hair as I muttered to myself, questioning my own actions. What had I done? I hadn't sought this title, yet there was an undeniable allure to it that I couldn't ignore.With a deep breath, I approached the gathered pack members, their hushed murmurs and whispered conversations dying down as I cleared my throat. Their expectant faces turned toward me, waiting for words that I wasn't entirely sure of myself. Gathering my thoughts, I began to speak."Today has been a long day," I started, my voice resonating with a mix of exhaustion and determination. "But with your support, we've taken down Jake, the one responsible for Marcus' disappearance and betrayal." I could feel their eyes on me, their attention unwavering. "However," I continued, "we can't let emotions dictate our actions."I paused, the weight of my
[Gabriel's POV]Amidst the gathering dusk, the tension crackled in the air as accusations flew. Jake's voice rang out, venom dripping from his words as he accused me of being a traitor. His words struck like daggers, and I knew I had to defend myself."I'm not a traitor," I retorted, my voice unwavering despite the chaos that was unraveling around us. The gathered pack members watched, divided between curiosity and apprehension.The argument escalated rapidly, the anger between us igniting like a wildfire. Jake's face contorted with rage as he lunged, his transformation into his wolf form both intimidating and terrifying. I braced myself as his powerful blow sent me hurtling into the air, my instincts kicking in to right myself before I landed.In an instant, my own wolf took over, and I met Jake's ferocity with equal force. Our bodies clashed, fur and muscle colliding as we fought tooth and nail. It was a battle of strength, strategy, and a desperate drive to prove my innocence.The
[Lowell's POV]Some of the pack members exchanged wary glances, unsure of what to make of the situation. Gabriel's ability to elude them raised doubts about Jake's leadership."You're a traitor!" Jake roared, pointing an accusing finger at Gabriel. "You betrayed us!"Gabriel's expression turned serious, and he spoke with conviction, "I'm not a traitor. I never did anything he must have told you," referring to the crowd who stood still in awe.Jake scoffed, refusing to believe Gabriel's words. "You're a cunning liar! You were the last one seen with him!"Gabriel's eyes flashed with frustration, but he maintained his composure. He turned towards the gathering, his voice charged with anticipation. "You're all itching to uncover the mystery of Marcus, aren't you?" He gestured dramatically, his finger pointing directly at Jake, whose anger had erupted like a tempest. "Then ask him." The clenching of his trembling hands, stark against his furious demeanor, gave insight into the turmoil he c
[Gabriel's POV]When Jake first mentioned that we might have to wait until nightfall if his spies failed to locate Gabriel, I didn't take it seriously until now. It had been more than three hours since we gathered in this hideout, and the sun's relentless rays were beating down on us. I occasionally glanced around at the tired and yawning members, including myself, who were growing more restless by the minute. Diana had been keeping me company, but even her presence couldn't distract me from the rumbling in my stomach.As the sun rose higher in the sky, the hunger became more pronounced, and I knew I couldn't wait until noon, my usual breakfast time. Nathan, one of our pack members, finally approached the group, with a pen and a book, asking if anyone was hungry and collecting money to buy lunch. I considered giving him my last five dollars, but then I realized it was my only transport fare, and I couldn't risk being stranded after the meeting. I tried to play it cool, hoping Nathan w
The pressure in the meeting room was suffocating as Nathan and his group collected everyone's cellphones, searching for any hidden devices and dealing harshly with those who attempted to conceal theirs. The fear and tension were palpable as we all knew Jake could be ruthless. They were thorough, even breaking the noses of those who tried to hide their phones. I felt a pang of fear and anxiety as they came closer to me, but I had to remain calm and collected.Once all the cellphones were confiscated, Jake addressed the pack again, his voice filled with authority and threat. He mocked those who had tried to hide their phones, questioning their next move. "Was it to call the human police as if they stood a chance against werewolves? Or was it to call Gabriel, the traitor they were all after?"My heart pounded in my chest as Jake mentioned the consequences of Gabriel fleeing before being caught. If that happened, he would assume there was a spy amongst us and go through every member's cel
[Lowell's POV]Waking up early the next day, I began going about my chores, trying to clear my mind from the anxiety that lingered. Gabriel had returned to the city, and I couldn't help but wonder what changes he might have made to the plan. As I was lost in my thoughts, my phone beeped, and I saw a message from Alpha Jake. It sent shivers down my spine as it mentioned an urgent meeting at 10. The coincidence was too unsettling.Without wasting any time, I dialed Gabriel's number and called him, my heart pounding in my chest. I quickly relayed the message about the meeting and my apprehension about the timing. Gabriel's calm voice came through the phone, and he informed me that Lewis had already informed him about it. He asked me to head to the meeting and give him feedback on whatever announcement Jake made.Arriving at the Silver Crescent Inn, I found myself there ten minutes ahead of schedule, just like before. However, this time, neither Jake nor Marcus's mate had arrived yet. The