Chapter 10

Gabriel

I was taken aback by the sudden outburst from the usually quiet pup. I knew she’d test her limits eventually, but I didn’t expect it to happen so soon.

I couldn’t let this slide. If she acted out like this when she started school, she could get hurt.

Adults have a certain level of self-control, but pups don’t, and they’d all be bigger and stronger than her.

She resisted as I led her to the living room, where I made her assume the timeout position.

This was our go-to method for pups who misbehaved. We didn’t believe in physical punishment, but that didn’t mean there wouldn’t be repercussions for bad behavior.

I was surprised when she complied immediately. I thought she’d stand up right away. Most pups did the first time they were put in timeout.

What shocked me even more was her reaction.

I could hear her tiny heart pounding in her chest, and her breath coming in short, quick gasps. Then, almost inaudibly, she whispered, “sorry.”

Jasmine must have heard it too. She rushed out of the kitchen, glanced at me, then looked at Ellie.

“Gabriel!” Jasmine cried out, “I think...I think she’s having a panic attack!”

I stared at Ellie. How could I have missed that?

I started to move towards her, but Jasmine stopped me with a gentle touch on my arm.

Let me

She mind-linked me.

I watched as Jasmine approached Ellie, but just before she reached her, she stopped and froze.

She covered her mouth with her hand and looked at me, horrified.

She slowly walked over to Ellie, and lifted up the back of her tee shirt, revealing the scars on her back. As she did, I smelled it.

Just before the damp stain appeared on the shorts that the pup was wearing.

“Oh goddess!” Jasmine exclaimed, glancing at me.

I saw the tears welling up in her eyes.

“Look at the pattern, Gabriel! This is how they whipped her,” she blurted out, her voice breaking.

I rushed over to the pup, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

As I did, she leaned forward and vomited.

I immediately scooped her up, cradling her in my arms, rocking her gently.

She was completely out of it. All I could see was her silently mouthing the word, sorry.

I sat down on the sofa with her, not caring if she vomited all over me. I gently stroked her now short hair, and rubbed her back.

“Sshh Ellie, it’s ok,” I whispered, as I gently rocked her.

I shook my head, how could I have been so stupid.

Jasmine walked over and crouched down in front of me.

Her hand gently rested on my knee, almost like she knew what I was thinking.

“It’s not your fault, Gabriel,” she whispered, “you weren’t to know.”

I looked down at my little sister; she always knew when to say the right thing.

“What should we do? Should we call Erik?” Jasmine asked.

I shook my head. “No, he was clueless the last time she had a panic attack. Just get her some clean clothes and a cup of hot milk, would you.”

Jasmine nodded and stood up.

“Oh, and put some honey in the milk. She likes things sweet, I think,” I added.

Jasmine went to the trunk in the corner and pulled out another spare set of clothes.

I quickly removed the damp ones and replaced them with the clean.

The poor little pup was still shaking, but her breathing had evened out.

What am I going to do, Jasmine? She’s so broken. I don’t know if I can do this.

I mind-linked my sister.

Yes, you can, Gabriel. Just love her. She’s far better off with us than she was with her own kind.

Jasmine linked back.

I looked down at the little pup in my arms. Of course, my sister was right. I just needed to find a way to get her to open up. Tell me what had happened to her.

I gently stroked her face with the back of my fingers.

I was surprised when she opened her eyes and looked straight into mine.

Her eyes were the most beautiful blue.

“I... I’m sorry,” she whispered.

I shushed her.

“It’s okay, Ellie. I promise no one will hurt you, not like that, not ever again.”

She looked at me and blinked. A confused look on her face.

I gently kissed her forehead.

“Maybe one day you’ll tell me, but I won’t force you to. Only if you’re ready.”

Ellie didn’t say anything.

I looked up as Jasmine approached with a steaming mug.

I gently adjusted Ellie so she was sitting on my lap.

Jasmine held out the mug to her, and she grasped it with both hands.

They looked so small as they gripped the warm mug. Everything about her looked so small compared to us. Were all humans really so tiny?

I watched her as she peered curiously into the mug. She scrunched up her nose as she sniffed the contents.

“What is it?” she asked.

Of course, she would ask that. She didn’t even know what a strawberry or an orange was. I still couldn’t understand how the humans had let their world fall apart, while ours had thrived.

“It’s warm milk, with a little honey. Try it, I’m sure you’ll like it,” Jasmine urged.

Ellie carefully tilted the mug and took a sip.

“What do you think?” I asked her as I gently rubbed her back.

She nodded. “It’s good.”

I watched her as she drank the milk, wondering what other horrors this little pup had endured in her short life. Every time we did something, it seemed to remind her of a traumatic event in her life.

I couldn’t walk on eggshells though, in hopes that nothing would occur which might bring back a memory. I would just have to help her through it the best way I could.

I was sure that bottling up what had happened to her wasn’t helping, but I couldn’t force her to tell me.

She had only drunk about half of the milk when she looked up.

“D...Do I have to drink it all?” she asked, a nervousness in her voice.

I ran my fingers through her hair, now soft and clean.

“Ellie, drink as much as you want,” I told her gently.

She offered the half-drunk mug to Jasmine.

“I...I think I’m done,” Ellie murmured.

Jasmine accepted the mug with a smile.

“You might need a nap, sweetheart. You seem tired,” Jasmine suggested.

Ellie looked anxious, her gaze darting between Jasmine and me.

“I...I can’t sleep, N...Not alone,” she stammered.

I remembered what Jason had mentioned about her brother.

“Don’t worry, Ellie. I’ll stay with you until you fall asleep,” I assured her.

I stood up, cradling her on my hip.

“C...Can I walk...Please,” she pleaded.

I looked into her blue eyes, my expression serious.

“You’ll hold my hand?”

She nodded.

I gently set Ellie down. As soon as her feet touched the floor, she extended her hand.

Despite the pain of seeing her break down again, I realized the timeout had worked. I figured even the threat of a timeout would be effective with this little one.

I smiled and took her hand.

The reality of her smallness and fragility hit me again; my hand completely enveloped her tiny one, and I was careful not to grip too tightly, afraid I might hurt her.

I guided her into Ethan’s room. Once inside, I let her climb onto the bed herself. She quickly laid down. I gently tucked her in and sat on the edge of the bed.

I watched as she closed her eyes. I softly rested my hand on her head and stroked her forehead with my thumb.

“Sweet dreams, little one,” I whispered.

She must have been tired, completely worn out. Probably from the stress. I hadn’t intended it to be this way. Her breathing quickly became steady. I knew she was asleep.

I carefully stood up, not wanting to disturb her. Even though Ethan’s bed was smaller than a regular bed, it still seemed too big for her.

I grappled with the fact that she was already twelve years old. She didn’t even have the knowledge of a five-year-old, although I was sure it wasn’t due to her mental capacity.

She just hadn’t been given the opportunity.

Physically, she was about the size of one of our seven-year-old pups. With proper nutrition, she would likely grow, but she would always be small, even as an adult.

There was little I could do about that.

I just had to try and give her the tools to fit in here.

I quietly closed the door as I left the room, letting her sleep.

Jasmine was sitting on the sofa. She looked at me and smiled.

“Is she okay?”

I nodded, “Yes, she fell asleep quickly. I think she’s exhausted.”

I didn’t need to elaborate. After everything the little one had been through, neither of us were surprised.

“We should probably prepare the guest room for her,” Jasmine suggested.

I shook my head, “No, that won’t be necessary.”

I hesitated, wondering how Jasmine would react to my decision.

“I’m moving into the house,” I announced.

Jasmine's eyes widened in surprise.

“The house you built for your mate?” she exclaimed.

I smiled. It was true I had built the house myself. I had hoped to find my mate, but it hadn’t happened.

“No, Jasmine. The house I built for my family. I doubt I’ll ever find my mate,” I clarified.

Jasmine frowned. I knew what she was going to say before she even opened her mouth.

“She’s out there somewhere, Gabriel. I know it.”

I sighed.

“As are the mates of all the other unmated wolves, probably on the other side of the border.”

That was the harsh reality. One of the reasons for the war in the first place.

Or should I say one of the reasons why the humans tried to wipe out the werewolf population, which ultimately led to the war.

Maybe it was our own fault. When we found our mates we had to be with them, protect them. This didn’t always sit well when our mates were human.

Some werewolves resorted to abduction to claim their mates. The Were Council didn’t object, but the human government…

Jasmine's voice pulled me from my thoughts.

“Maybe one day, this border nonsense will end,” she said.

“I hope so,” I replied, “because I doubt that little Ellie is the only human pup that has suffered at the hands of her own kind.”

Suddenly Jason burst into the living room, his eyes wide with alarm.

My wolf immediately started growling, sensing the tension radiating from him.

“What is it?” I demanded, my alpha instincts kicking in.

“There are humans at the border,” Jason reported, his voice grave. “They have weapons.”

Jasmine sprang to her feet. “Are they attacking?” she asked urgently.

Jason shook his head. “None of them have crossed over yet...but…”

I could tell Jason was holding something back.

“But what?” I pressed.

“We think they’re searching for something.”

He looked me straight in the eyes, and my worst fears were confirmed.

“We think they’re looking for Ellie.”