Chapter 2: State Your Business

Gabriel's POV

Not too far down the rural desert road were around thirty acres of land where a group of people lived together as a makeshift family of sorts. At least, that's what someone with human eyes would believe.

Officially, the land belonged to Gabriel Herman but Samson Strider had built the compound with his own two hands. Samson had brought them to the land years back after they had been disowned by the Moonlight Pack and had been sheltering other stray wolf shifters who needed a home ever since. Those who joined him also helped him build a place of peace and tranquility away from the shame of losing the pack they had known and thought was their home.

A loud clang of tools dropping on the paved ground and a gruff voice shouting obscenities came from the garage area.

"OW! Sh*t! Sam!"

Samson scurried over to the voice. There he saw two legs sticking out from under the unnaturally large, gilded-colored truck taking up two parking spaces as it was lifted into the air.

"Yes, Alpha?" he asked, bending down to check on the person whose voice was shouting before.

"Hey! What did I say about that? I don't want to be called that…" the gruff voice mumbled with contempt as the message of shame came loud and clear through the comment.

"Sorry, Gabriel. Anyways, sounds like you have some car trouble. I'm not a mechanic… I'm a builder. Where is Vance?" Samson asked, looking around the garage. Vance was one of Samson's own adopted sons who had opened his own mechanic business in his adult life and was doing well for himself.

"He isn't here, it's his day off. I'm just trying to add blue lights to my wheel wells, and I'm having a hard time running it through the hollow plastic panels on the sides of the truck to the back of the rear wheel well." Gabriel huffed and dejectedly pulled himself out from under the truck and stood.

Gabriel stood taller than Samson, who was definitely over six feet, and had a muscular build to his body. With training, Gabriel had added muscle to his body over the course of the years after he joined the "Stray compound". The Moonlight Pack named them "strays" as an insult but the residents had fondly adopted the name.

They had an identity separate from being ex-Moonlight Pack members? They would take it gratefully.

Gabriel brushed his dark brunette hair back out of his sky-blue eyes and scratched his goatee in frustration. He had wanted to independently add these wheel well lights to his truck, but it didn't seem like luck was on his side today.

Samson shook his head. Gabriel wondered if his adoptive father was not understanding why he wanted the wheel well lights in the first place. "Is this really necessary Gabriel? Who does this much extra doctoring to their truck?"

"It's my way of seeking attention and gratification Sam. Just allow me this weird love of my truck and I'm all set and content in life." Gabriel crossed his muscular arms over his chest in contemplation.

"What are we up to over here?" asked an arrogant voice behind them both. They spun toward the voice, taken by surprise. Gabriel noticed Samson clench his fists into balls after seeing the face of Alpha Fennick from the Moonlight Pack. He wasn't exactly welcome on the premises, but here he was crashing their turf once again.

"Uncle Fennick." Gabriel looked over at his uncle and remarked forlornly, "State your business."

"Hmm… cut right to the chase as always Gabe?" Uncle Fennick grinned confidently. Gabriel growled low to himself, eyeing his uncle cautiously. Samson walked off to the back of the garage to put away the tools Gabriel had left on the ground. Gabriel knew Samson welcomed the busy work to escape being near Fennick, and that he preferred to stay out of that Alpha's way.

Gabriel himself had also been banished by Uncle Fennick over twenty years ago for being a half-human, half-wolf shifter. After Gabriel had lost his parents in a mysterious fire, Uncle Fennick had taken over the Moonlight Pack since Gabriel was too young at the time. But Uncle Fennick had some old ideologies and beliefs. One of those being, humans and werewolves could not mix… especially as lovers or bonded mates.

Yet, Gabriel's own mother had been a human Luna who the pack had previously accepted and loved.

"Can't your uncle just stop in to see you? Maybe ask for some iced tea? A sweet treat?" Uncle Fennick pursed his lips, clearly amused that he was causing such a rise in both Samson and Gabriel. "Even though you aren't a part of the Moonlight Pack anymore, you are still family. And I am still your uncle. I care about you."

Gabriel couldn't help but wonder if Uncle Fennick ever really meant it when he said things such as this. On one hand, his uncle did seem to care and had even provided supplies and gifts to them during the holidays as he grew up on the stray compound. Or did he do it to keep the peace with the shifters he deemed didn't quite fit the Moonlight Pack 'mold?'

On the Stray Compound, washed-up and disregarded wolf shifters had joined throughout the years… either shifters who had a scandalous pregnancy, an abusive partner in the Moonlight Pack, members who had been banished for one reason or another, or even just those who ran away and no longer wanted to follow the Moonlight Pack's mentality, showed up at the Stray Compound.

Whenever Uncle Fennick visited the compound, he had eyes on him anywhere he went. Yes, he was technically Alpha… but he was someone they preferred to stay away from.

Gabriel motioned for Uncle Fennick to follow him to his portion house of the compound. He surmised he could offer him some iced tea since it was a hot day. He strongly disliked how closely he resembled his uncle. Uncle Fennick also had brown hair - though it was streaked with gray now - piercing blue eyes that seemed to judge your every move and a sharp jawline with a trimmed beard.

Gabriel had noticed over the years he had surpassed Uncle Fennick's six-foot-tall frame and had more muscle mass the more he trained.

"So, Gabriel…" Uncle Fennick started as Gabriel opened his front door and ushered him into the kitchen. "I possibly have another pack member for you. She's been a thorn in my side lately and I think she'd fit in better with your people."

Gabriel mentally groaned, pondering what this poor she-wolf must have done to bring Fennick's watchful eye her way. He always felt lower in status and weak compared to his uncle and felt like Uncle Fennick expected him to still follow his orders even though he was technically no longer a member of the Moonlight Pack. As Gabriel grew up, Uncle Fennick reminded him often of the difference in their statuses and as Alpha, he would be obeyed.

Gabriel had unwillingly followed his uncle's wishes and demands into adulthood and usually with only a small amount of bitterness.

"Yeah, sounds like a plan. What's her name and when can we expect her?" Gabriel mumbled half-heartedly and passed him a glass of iced tea he poured from a pitcher that had been in his fridge.

"Sara Byron. I just have to check with the rest of my council, but perhaps by the end of this week. Thanks, Gabriel, you are such a trooper." Uncle Fennick smacked Gabriel's upper arm as if he didn't just pressure him into accepting his terms.

Gabriel never had a choice when it came to his uncle. Uncle Fennick always claimed he did things for Gabriel's better good. Did he though? As Gabriel got older, it was getting harder to believe that.

"Your place is looking nice. Did you remodel the kitchen?" Uncle Fennick asked, sipping his iced tea and nodding in contentment at the sweetness and freshness of the drink. Gabriel smirked at his uncle's attempt at small talk; he was acting like he wasn't just requesting a favor and actually cared about where Gabriel lived.

Gabriel in fact did ask Samson to help him remodel his kitchen over a year ago. "Yeah, I did," Gabriel answered curtly and made direct eye contact with Uncle Fennick hoping he'd leave soon.

"Well as always Gabriel, it's good to see you are doing well," Uncle Fennick finished his drink, set the glass down on the counter, and walked to the front door. "I'll send you a text when to expect Sara later this week."

"Sure thing," Gabriel answered waiting for the familiar slam of the screen door shutting behind his uncle as he left. He breathed a sigh of relief. He always felt like he had to walk on eggshells around his uncle.

Gabriel poured himself his own glass of iced tea and walked out the front door to watch Uncle Fennick drive off in his sleek black BMW. He looked at the sky and realized how late into the afternoon the day was getting.

A welcome breeze whipped through the compound sending sand flying and desert plants swaying. Instantaneously, the breeze brought along an intoxicating scent of roses and cinnamon… his eyes flashed as they grew wide.

What was this smell? It felt like a tease of something good to come as the smell went as quickly as it came.

Could it have been his mate?

Frustrated, he kicked a rock out into the wilderness and made his way back into his kitchen. Maybe she wasn't as far away as he thought.