Chapter Thirty-One

Ellie

I found myself staring at Clayton.

“What...What are you saying?” I stammered.

I was annoyed at myself for stammering. I thought I’d moved past that, but the mere idea that he was still alive...

When they told me he was dead, it hurt. But I’d convinced myself that his death meant he hadn’t stopped searching. He hadn’t left me. If he was alive, it meant he had.

It meant that my belief that he cared was just a lie I’d told myself.

I didn’t understand why it mattered so much. I had a family now. Clayton, my cousin, and my grandfather. But it wasn’t the same.

It wasn’t the same as the feeling I had when I was with Gabriel, and I despised myself for that.

I shot a glare at Murdoch and Emma.

“Why are you here? Why now? For seven years you didn’t care about me, now suddenly you expect me to be happy to see you,” I spat.

“Ellie...” Clayton began, his voice sharp.

I shrugged his hand off my shoulder.

“No,” I snapped, “I don’t want to hear it. They abandoned me. They left me with that monster. They have no idea...”

I turned on my heel and stormed out of Clayton’s study, tears welling up in my eyes.

What did they expect? That I would welcome them with open arms?

I rushed down the hallway. I needed to get out. I needed some fresh air.

I hadn’t gotten far when I heard someone call my name.

“Ellie...wait...what happened?”

I spun around to face him. Seth.

“He’s not dead,” I whimpered, tears streaming down my face, “Zagan was right. He left me, forgot about me. Now they’re in there expecting some grand fucking reunion.

“Well it’s not gonna happen!” I screamed, as the sob I was trying to suppress broke free.

Seth walked over to me and wrapped his arms around me.

“Sshh Ellie, it’s not like that. It’s not what you think.”

I pulled away from him.

“You’re on their side, aren’t you? I thought you were my friend. I thought you’d understand,” I sobbed.

Seth cupped my face in his large hands.

Before I went up into the mountains, he always seemed like a giant to me. Now, five years later, he still did. My face felt tiny in his hands.

He could probably crush a person’s skull with his hands, but with me he was gentle. He’d always been gentle.

He wiped my tears away with his thumbs.

“Listen to me Ellie. It’s not what you think. Do you trust me?” He asked softly.

I nodded.

Seth pressed his lips to my forehead.

“Then come with me,” he whispered.

Seth wrapped his arm around my shoulder and we started to walk. Every so often his hand would gently stroke my cheek. I didn’t really pay attention to where we were going, until we reached the hospital.

I frowned. Why were we here?

Seth pushed the door open and Veronica was standing there. She didn’t smile at me, she just stared at Seth.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” she asked, glancing at me.

Seth didn’t answer, he just guided me to one of the side rooms and opened the door.

I froze instantly.

I stared at the figure in the bed, and then at the beeping machine.

Gabriel. He was barely recognizable.

His cheekbones were prominent, and his eyes were sunken. He was thin. He was wearing one of those awful hospital gowns, and even through that you could tell he was emaciated.

“What happened to him,” I asked, my voice breaking.

I felt Seth grip my shoulders, as he moved to stand behind me.

“His father and the council. He’s been in the council’s dungeon for the past five years. He’d planned to cross to the human side of the border with your brother, to find you.

“He knew you were here, he just couldn’t get to you,” he whispered.

I pulled away from Seth and walked slowly towards the bed.

“Is he...” I hesitated, struggling to find the words, “is he going to be okay?”

I heard Seth sigh behind me.

“We don’t know, Ellie. He’s in a coma. He’s been through a lot. You might want to… Make your peace with him...Say your goodbyes.”

I heard the door open and close, as Seth left me alone in the room with Gabriel.

I sat on the edge of the bed and put my hand on his. It was cooler than I’d remembered. I knew it shouldn’t be. Werewolves' body temperature was higher than humans normally.

I held his large hand in my two small ones.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, “I’m sorry I thought badly of you. He told me you didn’t care about me. I shouldn’t have believed him.”

A tear dripped down my face.

“They killed Sammy, and they killed Jackson...”

I rested my head on his chest, just like I used to when I was small.

“Please daddy...don’t die. I don’t think I could bear it,” I sobbed, the tears flowing freely down my cheeks.

The machine began to beep a little faster, but I ignored it.

“I’m sorry, this is all my fault,” I cried.

I closed my eyes, trying to stem the flow of tears. Trying to pretend we were back at the little house, with Millie making pancakes where we had been so happy, even if only for a short time.

Then I felt it. A hand on my head, gently stroking my hair.

“Sshh,” he whispered, his voice barely audible, “I’m here now, pickle. I’m not going anywhere.”

I let out a small gasp. I wanted to move my head and look at his face, but I also didn’t want to move. I wanted to stay where I was, just feeling the warmth of his hand on my head.

“I’m sorry, Daddy,” I whispered.

He hushed me again.

“You did what you had to do to survive. We both did.”

The door creaked open, but I didn’t bother to turn my head or acknowledge it.

“Ellie, I think Gabriel needs some rest now.”

It was Clayton’s voice.

“No,” I murmured, “I’m not leaving him.”

I felt Clayton’s hand on my shoulder, trying to coax me away. But I wasn’t going anywhere. We’d just found each other again.

I swiveled my head to face him.

“I said NO!” I barked.

The Alpha command surged from within me, and Clayton recoiled, his face a mask of surprise.

Then, Nix’s voice echoed in my mind.

You used the command without me. We are truly one.

I wasn’t sure if it was the raw emotion of the moment or the anger at someone trying to separate me from my daddy. I didn’t give a damn about whose blood I carried.

In that moment, I knew Gabriel was the closest thing I’d ever had to a father. The fact that we didn’t share the same blood was irrelevant to me. Not now. Not in that moment.

I felt Gabriel’s hand gently combing through my hair.

“I always knew you were strong, that you were destined for great things, but your Alpha is right, I need to rest, and so do you,” he murmured.

I wondered if Clayton felt the same. The fact that I could use my Alpha command on another Alpha. Would he see me as a threat, to him and his pack? No Alpha liked to be challenged.

I lifted my gaze to meet Gabriel’s: my daddy, my father.

“I want to protect you, Daddy. There are assassins. People from the council. I won’t let them hurt you, not anymore.”

He caressed my cheek with his hand.

“My little warrior,” he whispered.

Clayton stepped forward.

“I promise you, Ellie, I won’t let anything happen to him, or you.”

I flicked my gaze between Clayton and my daddy.

Daddy gave me a nod, as if to say it was okay.

“You’ll put a guard on the door?” I asked Clayton.

He smiled and nodded.

“Let Alpha Gabriel regain his strength, then you can spend as much time with him as you want. Right now, you need to rest as well.”

I nodded slowly, and gave my daddy another hug.

“I love you, daddy,” I whispered.

“I love you too, pickle,” he replied.