Chapter 13

((EDITED 5/18/2016. Dialogue changes, and one scene has been slightly altered. Nothing significant.))

(Dedicated to xxscoobyxx because of the banner...check it out on the sidebar, it's awesome!

I really appreciate you taking the time to make it for me without me even asking :)

I recommend pressing 'play' on the video to the right as soon as the funeral starts. It's a really good song for such a scene, and there aren't any words so it isn't distracting. )

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I stood there, numb with shock, as I watched the last vestiges of life leave the small body on the ground in front of me. The seconds passed by, and part of me knew that my Wolf was howling at me, urging me to snap out of my trance, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from the grotesque sight. As a werewolf I had seen plenty of violence in my lifetime but never had I witnessed something like this; the brutal slaying of a boy that was but a child. Judging by the size of the hole in his chest, his heart had been ripped clean from his body; that was one of the only ways to kill a werewolf.

I registered all of this in mere seconds, and it was then that my instincts kicked in and I quickly sank into a defensive position, tearing my eyes away from the body as I slowly turned in a circle. The attack had been fast and silent, faster than even my werewolf vision could detect. My eyes bored into the trees as I sought the attacker. In the darkness of early night my Wolf senses aided me, but still I detected no movement other than the swaying of branches and the rustling of leaves.

As I was examining our surroundings, Bree's shrill scream had turned more into a gurgling wail before she quickly clapped her hands to her mouth, stifling the noise as she sank to her knees in front of Riley's corpse. Her sides heaved and she was seemingly unaware of the possible danger as she sobbed.

I narrowed my eyes, frustrated. My nose detected nothing but I didn't expect to smell the vampire. Gabriel had said they were almost impossible to track. Still, that did not stop me from forcing down my nausea and seeking the creature that did this to an innocent child. I wanted to tear it limb from limb.

Seeing nothing, no enemy to attack, my eyes inevitably wandered back to the scene in front of me. Bree was hunched over Riley's form as a high, keening noise escaped her throat. I dimly realized that warmth was still trickling down my face and front as Riley's blood stuck to my skin. I fought down the bile that threatened to rise.

"H-he...i-it..." Bree stammered, looking up at me with bloodshot eyes. It struck me how even a good fighter like her could look so broken and vulnerable. "-W-what?" She whispered, her voice breaking.

I shook my head. "It happened so fast..." I said softly, trying to reassure her, but I couldn't help the guilt that arose. If we wouldn't have taken so long to get back to camp.....then again, if we had hurried, we would never have met up with Riley in the first place. Had our presence even made a difference? What kind of vampire could get past two strong werewolves and kill another in an instant without being detected? It had to be far stronger than those I had previously encountered. Questions continued to assault my brain as I wondered why it had attacked us in a group and then left Bree and me alive.

In the distance I registered shouting and my Wolf hearing picked up rapid footsteps. They no doubt heard the screaming, or Bree had mentally contacted them. Tilting my head I inhaled deeply; I recognized Gabriel, Eli, another scent I faintly recognized, and then one I didn't.

I stood there, my body beginning to shake from suppressed emotion as I kept my gaze averted from the mangled body. The stench of blood hung heavily in the air and I couldn't keep Riley's lifeless eyes out of my mind, the vacancy in them that indicated that both he and his Wolf were gone forever. I felt sick.

Moments later the incoming group burst through the trees towards us, Gabriel ahead of the others. He took one look at the corpse before his expression hardened, a look of visible fury entering his dark eyes. A second later his gaze flicked to me, taking in my bloodied appearance. Immediately, he looked alarmed, and I realized that he probably thought I was injured. The instincts of a Wolf protecting his Mate must have kicked in, for he leapt over Riley and Bree in one smooth motion and landed in front of me. I felt my Wolf whining at his proximity and my nerves tingled but I could only stare up at him blankly, the images of Riley's face on repeat inside my head.

Gabriel's eyes were as dark as I had ever seen them and there was a multitude of emotions churning in them, but he was gentle as he raised his hand and gripped my chin. I felt my body sizzle at the contact as I distantly realized it was the first time he'd willingly touched me. He delicately turned my face to the side, examining the blood, before his gaze traveled down to my shirt.

"Are you injured, or is this all his blood?" He asked, his keen sense of smell letting him know that the blood was not mine, but his Wolf probably wanting to make sure. I felt my shaking abate slightly.

"No. It's all his," I choked out.

"What happened?" He asked. His gaze was still dangerous, but his voice was soft. I saw Eli and Eva crouch down beside Bree, Eva's eyes shining with unshed tears as she looked at Riley.

"Vampire...." I managed to whisper, my voice feeling as if it was caught in my throat. Gabriel released my chin and I suddenly felt colder. He gritted his teeth, his fists clenching at his sides.

"Bree and I couldn't...." I tried to explain, although the revolting images made it difficult for me to think. "It moved faster than the others. By the time I felt movement...it was too late." I felt tears threatening in the back of my eyes but I pushed them away. It wasn't my own pack member, but it was a young child, and despite the tragedy, I had to be strong.

Gabriel turned over his shoulder and his eyes met Eli's. Both of them looked grim, but unsurprised. Bree was still crying softly as Eva tried to comfort her. A werewolf I hadn't seen before knelt next to Riley, his face shadowed.

"You were supposed to be back by sunset," Gabriel said, voice tight. I felt another wave of guilt, even though I knew it wasn't my fault. I lowered my head to stare at the ground.

"I told Vincent to have you back by then!" His voice was louder now, taut with anger.

"It isn't his fault," I said quietly. "The pace was too fast. Bree and I had to slow down. When we were almost back she smelled Riley, and we waited for him to join us. By the time we set off again it was dark. She didn't want him out here hunting alone." The words were rushing out now as I rambled.

"And then we were almost back and I felt movement and the next thing I knew his body was falling to the ground and-"

"Skylar." Gabriel said, cutting me off. I shivered, from a mix of fear and his use of my name.

"Eli is going to take you back to the house." He was back to his emotionless self, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"But-" I started to protest. I wasn't sure why I was arguing; I just felt partially responsible and I didn't want to walk away.

"No. No wolf should be out at night. It could come back any moment and since I have to take care of this, I can't be watching you every second to make sure you're safe."

I bristled, not liking his implication that I was a child that needed constant watching. Then again, every time I was away from him something seemed to happen. Despite his tone, I thought I saw a hint of something in his expression; guilt, maybe? I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up as I wondered, was it just coincidence that the vampire had attacked the group I was in? I shook away the disturbing thoughts.

"But I was here, I can help explain what happened...." The thought of recounting the tale horrified me and I faltered.

"Stop arguing," he replied, irritation evident in his voice now. "Eli," He barked, and the Beta stood up to make his way over to us. "Take her to my house. I'll send someone there to guard her. Then come straight back so we can take care of this." His eyes bored into Eli's and I got the impression that they were having a silent exchange of words.

Eli nodded, and I was annoyed at the concept of Gabriel sending a babysitter to watch me. I didn't argue, though. My stomach was churning and I was worried if I didn't get away from the smell of death soon I would faint. Never had I seen such a thing in almost twenty years. My Wolf, too, was sickened. It was all worsened by the fact that it had happened to someone so vulnerable and innocent.

I gritted my teeth as Eli set off, me trailing behind. I glanced back over my shoulder, my eyes skimming over the bloody scene. Bree was slowly being led away by Eva. My eyes found Gabriel, who was staring at me intensely.

"Don't wait for me tonight," He said. I knew he didn't mean to be cruel, in fact I knew he only meant that he'd be back quite late, but I couldn't help but wince inwardly at his harsh tone. Gabriel must have seen my slightly wounded expression and he quickly turned away, his face a cold mask as he strode over to the others.

The naïve part of me wanted him to follow us, to calm me until I fell asleep. I knew I was being childish, though. One of his pack members had just been brutally murdered. He would have a lot to take care of.

---

The walk back to Gabriel's house was completely silent. The atmosphere was thick with worry and tension, and I glanced over my shoulder in paranoia every few minutes. I couldn't help but feel as if I was being watched. Eli's shoulders were thick with tension and I knew he was on full-alert. I felt safer in his presence, and I knew Gabriel wouldn't trust just anyone to take me home, but I couldn't shake the feeling. I also couldn't help but wonder if Riley was killed deliberately in front of me. After all, the vampires had definitely taken notice of me for being Gabriel's Mate. It all just seemed too...coincidental.

What bothered me further was Eli's lack of surprise that Riley had been killed by a vampire. Had everyone else already known they existed? Had this happened before?

I felt goosebumps rise on my skin as the Beta led me to the front door. There were already two burly wolves there, one on each side. Muscular babysitters, basically. In another situation I would have laughed at the absurdity of it, and at Gabriel's paranoia, but for now I knew it wasn't completely unfounded.

I opened the door, the two guards there giving me curt nods. I turned to Eli. His dark eyes met mine and held them for a few heartbeats. I saw thinly masked worry and sadness buried in his gaze.

"I'm sorry..." I said softly, not knowing how else to convey my feelings. Eli's expression twisted and he turned his head.

"Take care of yourself, Skylar," was all Eli said before he strode off into the night. I knew he was hurting from the loss of a packmate. I couldn't even imagine the agonizing grief that Riley's family must be feeling.

I hurried inside and shut the door, feeling slightly odd as I saw the two guard wolves move to stand in front of the entrance.

Despite my exhausting day, food did not even sound remotely appetizing. I grabbed a water bottle and hurried upstairs to my bedroom. I had showered this morning, but I was sweaty, and one glance into the mirror almost made me throw up. I still had Riley's blood splattered all over me.

Starting up a bath with steaming hot water, I rubbed my tired eyes. Immediately upon closing them I saw a pair of wide, glassy orbs, blood trickling down a torn throat. I immediately opened my eyes again, feeling another wave of nausea. As I waited for the bathtub to fill up, I quickly stripped all of my clothes off and threw them to the side, vigorously scrubbing my face with cold water from the sink to get the crimson liquid off.

I shouldn't be alone right now, I knew that. I couldn't get the scene in the woods out of my head. All jubilation from my earlier fight with Bree was completely gone, and now all I could remember was her broken sobbing over her friend's body. She was a member of one of the deadliest packs on the continent, yet she had cried over a comrade's body like any other. Despite my wariness for the Black Mountains Pack I could respect a pack member's passing. Even after being around Riley for less than half an hour, I could feel their pain.

I didn't even want to know what Gabriel was going through. The vampires were after him, for some reason. Was he blaming himself? Was he in pain? My Wolf wanted me to comfort him, yet he had pushed me off to the side as usual.

I tried to shove all of my twisted thoughts away as I sank into the warm bathwater. Even so, I refused to shut my eyes, afraid of what I might see when they were closed.

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An hour later, I lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling. Sleep was refusing to come, and I was afraid of dreaming. Part of me wanted to lower my mental barriers and have a conversation with my parents to check up on them, but I was worried that they would see everything inside my head. I couldn't cause them unnecessary worry by telling them about Riley. I would wait until everything calmed down before I warned them about vampires in the area. I would do it as soon as I got my mind under control.

I tossed and turned for a while, the nightmares hanging in the fringes of my imagination. My Wolf felt agitated and her Mate was not around to soothe her. We needed his company, and I couldn't help but selfishly wish he would come check up on me. Surely his presence alone would help. But since he wasn't here...

I bolted up in bed and made my way to the door as the idea came to me. I did not care about the consequences. Enough had happened today that I knew I wouldn't get any sleep if I didn't follow my instinct. I slowly walked down the carpeted hallway, making my way up the staircase and towards the endlessly tempting double doors. As I strode bravely into Gabriel's room, his scent surrounded me and I inhaled deeply. I knew he hadn't been here since early in the morning but the smell alone was enough to help.

I stopped beside his neatly made bed, staring down with preoccupation. Would he mind? I wanted nothing more than to crawl in bed and surround myself with his unique scent, even though he likely wouldn't be there beside me all night. I knew if he came home he might be agitated that I had gone in without permission.

But this is the closest we will be to him, my Wolf whined softly. She too was mourning the passing of one of our kind and she sounded incredibly vulnerable.

An idea then came to me, that I thought was a compromise between soothing my frayed nerves and avoiding Gabriel's agitation; after all, I'd already snooped through his room enough. I strode over to his dresser, opening two drawers before I found his t-shirts. I grabbed the closest one and exited the room quickly. His scent should be enough.

Once back in my room, I crawled into bed, sinking into the downy comforter. I took a deep breath, clutching the t-shirt to me. Instantly I felt my frayed nerves relax as his welcoming and familiar scent washed over me.

Maybe one day he can soothe us in person, my Wolf whispered. I grabbed a fistful of the shirt and moved it to where it was mostly under my head, between my head and the pillow.

Maybe, I replied, unable to keep the wistfulness out of my own voice. I continued to breathe deeply as I sank deeper into the bed, significantly more relaxed now.

Within a few minutes I was fast asleep.

---

"Skylar."

I mumbled something incoherent in response to the voice, warm and comfortable and unwilling to move.

"Come on Skylar, wake up." The voice was more impatient now.

"Go away," I grumbled, feeling that my bubble of happiness would be popped if I woke up.

"Skylar!" He said, quite loudly, and my eyes snapped open. For a split second I hoped to see Gabriel, actually coming to check on me, but my hopes were dashed as I made eye contact with Eli. He was crouched next to me, his expression drawn and slightly irritated. Why was he in my room, anyways?

Realizing I was still clutching Gabriel's t-shirt in one hand and it was very obvious what I'd done, I felt the color rush to my cheeks along with all of the events of the previous night.

"Eli! What are you doing in here?" I asked, mortified, not caring that I was addressing the Beta. I felt incredibly disconcerted that he had come all the way up here to wake me up.

"I knocked on the door ten times but you didn't wake up." He didn't sound overly apologetic, and his eyes were hooded, barely concealing sadness. "The funeral is about to start....you didn't really know him but I thought you might want to be there."

I blinked up at him, surprised by his thoughtfulness. He was going to let me, an outsider, go? I swallowed the lump in my throat. My sleep had been mostly dreamless, and I knew why. I glanced down at the shirt. I didn't want to return to the cruel reality but some part of me felt obligated to go. I couldn't shake the concept that I was partially responsible for the young boy's death. I dreaded the look on the pack's faces when I showed up, but if Eli supported me then there was no reason not to go.

"Thank you," I said softly.

Eli nodded gruffly then stood up to his full height. "You're becoming a member of the pack, and you passed one of the tests. You have a right to be there." He averted his gaze, seemingly uncomfortable with the proximity of a pajama-clad female. "You've got ten minutes." He said, before striding out of the room.

---

The mood of the pack village was somber as Eli and I walked through. I felt many gazes on me, but thankfully nobody said anything loud enough for me to hear. Although today felt eerily similar to the day before, Eli's behavior alone was glaringly different.

It was customary to have a funeral at night, but I had absolutely no doubt as to the reason why this one was being held at midday. I had been to a human funeral once in high school to support one of my human friends and I had been struck at the similarities. The ritual after the ceremony, of course, was different as werewolves did not have cemeteries. The ceremonies, however, had much in common.

The trek today was nearly an hour long as we ventured through a different part of the woods. Several other wolves crowded in around us as we made our way to a common destination. The sun beamed high in the sky overhead but I barely noticed the heat. The path ahead of us was somewhat overgrown with ferns and weeds, likely because funerals were not exceedingly common for werewolves. We had extended lifespans and were hard to kill.

I swallowed, trying not to think about it. Finally we emerged into a large, grassy clearing. In the middle of the clearing was a long, flat rock that had room for several wolves to lie side by side. Currently the rock only had one occupant: a body swathed in clothes. Werewolf corpses were only covered if the death was brutal and I was forced to look away. It seemed that the setting for a Black Mountains Pack funeral was similar to the few I had been to at home.

Most of the funerals I had been to had occurred because of the actions of the pack I was staying with now. I tried not to think about it.

Werewolves stood in a gigantic semicircle around the clearing; despite the size of the area, each wolf was almost elbow to elbow as there were so many of us. There was a wide space left between the group and the flat boulder, and only a small group stood on the far side of the rock nearest the body. The wolves parted to let Eli and I through, and I felt many gazes burning into the side of my face. Most of the whispers were not friendly, not that I could blame them. I was still an outsider to them, as Gabriel and I had not completed the Mating process and had not participated in a Mating ceremony. I was no Luna yet.

Yet, my Wolf emphasized.

I tried to focus only on the ground in front of me as we approached the far side of the rock. There, Eli told me to stay. I shifted uncomfortably as I was forced to nearly touch elbows with a couple of wolves I didn't know. However, I didn't complain. I wasn't the Alpha, Beta, or part of the family so I had to stand a distance away from the rock.

I looked up tentatively to see Gabriel standing stiffly next to the body. My eyes took him in, reassuring myself of his presence.

There were three wolves huddled near him that I assumed must be Riley's family, the younger male had been next to his body the night before; I couldn't bear to look at them and see their grief-stricken faces. Gabriel's dark eyes flickered across me briefly before Eli stood next to him and he turned to the group, beckoning us to be quiet.

Then the funeral began.

I kept my gaze downward but drank in Gabriel's words as he told Riley's life story, talking about his positive traits and his appetite for adventure. Then each of Riley's family members had a chance to speak. Hearing about Riley from his parents' perspective was difficult; I couldn't imagine how it would feel if I'd known him as a pack mate. I tried to keep the tears away as his mother broke down mid-speech, hiccupping into silence as her Mate began to comfort her. It was unbearable to witness, and even worsened by the fact that Riley was too mauled to be exposed at his own ceremony. I heard and sensed the silent tears of the majority of the pack. I had never been to a funeral for one so young, and I hoped never to repeat the experience. I squeezed my eyes shut as the minutes wore on, trying to keep the gruesome memory of his death from popping unbidden into my brain.

Then Gabriel began the blessing. The words were different than in my pack so I remained silent, thinking my pack's customary words as the Black Mountains Pack joined in with Gabriel's voice. After the blessing was finished, an unfamiliar blonde walked forward, hair shimmering in the sunlight. She stood in front of the gathered wolves and began to sing in a clear, strong voice that I was envious of. The song weaved in and out, a beautiful haunting melody that spoke of a young life lost too early. I had never heard it before but it gave me chills, the lonely chords hanging in the air long after she stopped singing them.

A few last words were said, and there were several moments of quiet reflection before the pack began to retreat from the clearing. In the wild, roaming wolves would leave their lost ones where they died, allowing nature to take over. Werewolves also let nature take her toll but we allowed the family to take their loved ones to their final resting place. The rest of the pack would return to the village and give Riley's family time to go choose a place to put Riley before allowing the elements to do as they may. They would usually travel for several hours before leaving the body, so that it was less likely for others to come across it later.

It was only fair to maintain the balance of life by giving our bodies to nature after we died.

As the pack members began to quickly file out, my eyes inevitably found Gabriel. He was speaking quietly with Riley's family while Eli stood by. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to head back to his house or wait for him to join me. I was sure he had a million things to do but part of me felt that he could use some company, not that he ever seemed to want it. I sighed internally.

When I was one of the few left in the clearing, Riley's father came forward and gingerly lifted the small body. I was almost glad it was covered so his family wouldn't have to gaze at the wounds while they carried their son. Riley's mother had tears silently streaming down her face and another werewolf that was likely Riley's brother was comforting her. Slowly, the three exited the clearing. After another moment, the only three left were Gabriel, Eli, and I.

The two slowly walked over, deep in conversation. After a moment my Mate's eyes found mine. He looked more tired than I had ever seen him, exhaustion evident in the manner in which he moved.

"There's something I need to do," he said to us, although there was an odd hitch in his voice that made my suspicious of his words. "Eli, take her back."

"Yes, Alpha," Eli replied obediently. I stared at Gabriel incredulously. He was just going to walk off again without even talking to me? I felt my frustration building.

"But-" I began, feeling as if I was constantly arguing with everything Gabriel said.

"I need to be alone for this," Gabriel cut me off, and I felt my stomach drop. He was pushing me off to the side, again. What had I ever done wrong? He seemed incredibly worn out, and my Wolf was snapping at me to comfort him. My instincts were telling me he needed my help. Yet, there he was, giving me the brush off.

I stumbled slightly, still staring in disbelief as Eli gently took my arm and began to lead me away. I felt as if I was going to cry all over again as Gabriel turned and vanished into the trees. After a few more seconds I gritted my teeth, stopping mid-step. Eli turned to me in confusion.

"No." I said stubbornly, feeling a bit childish but I was refusing to do this again. The Beta raised his eyebrows.

"He keeps pushing me away," I muttered, feeling a surge of anger that I tried desperately to control. "My Wolf senses that he needs me but he keeps ignoring me. He drags me here with him then pushes me away like I'm nothing."

Eli shook his head slowly. "He just....he doesn't know how to let others in." I stared at him, surprised by his honesty.

"I'm his Mate. He can't keep treating me like I'm just another wolf."

"There's a lot about him you don't know." Eli's expression was deathly serious.

"Well he could just tell me!" I argued, feeling worn out from the heavy emotions I'd been experiencing all day.

"It isn't that easy."

"Are you trying to be vague?" I asked, frustrated. I couldn't prevent my irritation from bubbling to the surface.

Eli sighed. "He's just..."

"I'm going after him." I stated determinedly. Eli's look grew perturbed. "Skylar, I don't think that's necessarily..." He began cautiously.

"He didn't order you in the Alpha tone to take me home this time. You can't get in trouble." I was stubbornly refusing to give in. Eli turned completely to face me.

"He can be volatile. You might..."

"I can't do this, Eli! I can't live with a pack that doesn't even know me and a Mate that doesn't even like me! If he doesn't want me, he can just tell me himself!" My voice rose with each word as my frustration grew.

Eli looked taken aback at my outburst, but before he could reply I was already spinning on my heel and dashing towards the trees. He called after me but made no move to follow. I ignored him, knowing I'd have to apologize later but not caring. I had let Gabriel maintain his distance for days now, and my emotions were stretched thin. I was trusting my Wolf and not letting him get away this time. How was I supposed to stay here and take a chance on Gabriel if he wouldn't even let me in? I was trying to get over my previous hatred of him and not think of him as the tyrant that had abused my pack, but he was not showing me a good side. I couldn't resist developing feelings because of our Mating bond, but he was making it damn near impossible to like him.

I followed his heady scent, dashing somewhat recklessly through the undergrowth as I fought to catch up with him. He must not have been moving too fast for it didn't take long. I burst out of the copse of trees, coming to an abrupt halt when I saw him.

Gabriel was standing at the edge of a small creek, staring down into the water, facing away from me. His posture was stiff, shoulders hunched. He wasn't moving. Every line of his body was tense. I could sense his great agitation, even though we hadn't completed the Mating process. I didn't know him on the intimate level but the Mating bond was growing and I could discern enough to feel a rush of sympathy.

He must have heard me and sensed me standing there, but still Gabriel did not move. I took a few tentative steps towards him. I hadn't been sure if I was going to try to talk to him or yell at him, but seeing him this way unnerved me. He had said he wanted to be alone, and I was struck with surprise as I wondered if this was his way of dealing with his grief. I might be intruding but right now I was probably the only person that could help.

Swallowing my misgivings, I approached him until I stood directly behind him. Still, Gabriel remained frozen in place. A few heartbeats passed in silence.

"Gabriel?" I whispered. My hand itched to reach up and touch his broad shoulder, but I resisted the impulse. I didn't want to make it worse.

Broken from his trance, my Mate slowly turned around to face me. His expression was hooded, but exhaustion clearly lined his face. His mouth was set in painful resignation.

"You should not have followed me," he said, his voice quiet, but there was no anger in it. He seemed more subdued than I'd ever seen him. A muscle in his jaw twitched. I gazed into the depths of his dark eyes, trying to figure out what he was thinking. He tried to mask it, but I saw some emotion deep down.

Underneath Gabriel's emotionless mask, he was in pain. He was grieving for his pack member, but he couldn't show it in front of everyone else. He was always alone. That thought caused a sharp pain to lance through my chest. My Wolf whimpered loudly in the back of my mind.

I reacted on impulse and my Wolf's instinct. I had ignored her urges for a long time now but for once, I trusted my more animalistic side. He needed me, my Mate needed me.

I put my arms around Gabriel's waist, wrapping them securely around him.

He immediately tensed, whether in shock or distaste I didn't know, but I ignored his discomfort. I turned my head to the side and rested my cheek against his chest, the warmth of his body touching me through the thin cotton of his shirt. I could feel every muscle as I pressed my body against his but for once the lustful impulses remained at bay. I closed my eyes, unsure how exactly it worked, but I attempted to send a warm, soothing feeling from my body into his. I imagined a sensation of complete relaxation, trying to force it through the physical connection of our bodies.

I could hear his heart beating, loud and strong. Despite the unfamiliarity of the sensation, it felt...right. It was as if a tiny piece of me had fallen into place. I knew in that moment I was completely safe and secure, and I didn't want to move. The feeling of our bodies touching was completely perfect and I now understood why Mates always knew they were destined to be together.

Gabriel's arms moved. For a second, I thought he was going to push me away, so I was left reeling with shock when I felt them wrap around me. One of his large hands climbed to the back of my head, fisting in my hair, while the other wrapped securely around my lower back. He lowered his head, resting his chin on top of my head.

I actually felt his muscles loosen slightly, the swell of his chest indicating he had taken a deep breath. Through my dreamy haze I still felt shocked that he was responding, and my Wolf was completely elated. My heart fluttered rapidly against my ribcage; I was sure he could hear it.

We remained in that position for a few more seconds, wrapped around each other in silent comfort, before I felt him begin to stiffen again. Just like that I knew the moment was over. Gabriel let go of me and began to pull away so I was forced to release him. He took a few steps backwards, and I felt a pang as I saw that his guarded expression was back.

He watched me for a few seconds as if he was unsure what to say. Surprise still faintly lingered on his features. I knew my cheeks were tinged pink from our brief interaction.

"It's my fault." He finally said, breaking the silence. His tone was monotonous.

"How is it your fault?" I asked, puzzled, my voice coming out raspier than intended. I still couldn't shake the feeling of his arms wrapped around me. I wondered if we'd really made a huge breakthrough or if he thought it was a moment of bad judgment.

"It's me they want."

"Why do they want you?"

He averted his gaze, not responding. I felt a twinge of frustration.

"You can tell me," I said softly.

Gabriel shook his head. "It would be better not to."

I frowned. "Why do you always do that?"

He looked at me blankly, so I continued. "As soon as I ask something personal you push me away."

"Because I don't want to talk about it."

"Why? Because it's personal? I'm your Mate. I can't help you if you don't tell me things. I can't help if you're constantly ignoring me or pushing me away."

His expression hardened slightly. "I don't ignore you-"

"Yes you do!" My frustration was building all over again. "You drag me all the way out here, to a pack that hates me, and then make virtually no effort to try to make me feel welcome or at least get to know me!" I sounded petulant but didn't care at this point.

"I have pack duties to attend to. I can't be with you constantly." His tone was too cold for my liking.

"Constantly? You're hardly with me at all! And now you're trying to contain me in my own wing of the house and not let me leave-"

"You're complaining about my house now?" He snapped.

How could be misconstrue my words like that? "That's not it!" I replied, matching his tone.

"Someone has to try to keep you safe, as twice now your recklessness has almost gotten you killed," Gabriel said coolly. I bristled.

I knew I was only making everything worse by arguing but I couldn't help it. Everything from the last couple days was getting to me. "That's not the point!"

"Then what is your problem?" That only made me angrier.

"I'm angry because come all the way out here and then you barely acknowledge me. You act like you don't even want me, like you don't care." I tried to force myself to calm down.

"Is that what you think?" He said, his tone condescending. I felt another surge of anger at the way he was speaking to me.

"It's pretty obvious," I snapped.

Gabriel stared at me, remaining silent.

I took that as a confirmation. I felt all of the hurt bubble to the surface. "If you don't want me or if I'm not good enough you should have just rejected me from the beginning. At least I would be able to move along and, maybe sometime in the future, try to find someone else instead of being strung along like-"

Gabriel snarled loudly, effectively cutting me off. "There will be nobody else!" He growled furiously. "I thought I made that abundantly clear!"

"What the hell is wrong with you!?" I exclaimed, my voice growing shrill. "One second you're ignoring me and the next you're trying to be all protective and jealous? You can't be both at once!"

Gabriel's eyes were flashing and his fists were clenched. I couldn't believe this was our second big argument in just a couple of days. I also felt a small pang of guilt that I was causing him distress on the day of Riley's funeral. The thought caused pain to lance through me and I weakened slightly.

"This isn't how Mates are supposed to be," I said thickly around the lump that was growing in my throat. My voice was lower in my attempt to control myself. "You're supposed to want each other, love each other unconditionally."

"Wanting you was never the problem," Gabriel said, his voice deep with suppressed agitation. I blinked, momentarily taken aback.

"Then what's-"

"I'm doing it for your own good!" He snapped. "It's better this way."

I stared at him incredulously. "Hurting me like this is for my own good?" I demanded.

"Better now than later," He replied stonily. I froze, gaping at him. What the hell did he mean by that? So he did deliberately push me away, but he was trying to avoid causing worse pain in the future? I was beyond confused and I could only stare at him blankly.

Gabriel sighed, running a hand through his hair in agitation. "It's never going to be anything you did," he said, quieter now. He was clearly trying to control his anger. "It's me. Because of my bloodline. I'm destined to hurt you one day worse than I am hurting you now." He was revealing more than ever before, and I was bewildered.

"Bloodline? Because of your father?"

Gabriel stared at me for a long moment, not responding. I held my breath. Speaking about his bloodline reminded me of the pictures I had found in his room and closet. I tried to put the pieces of the puzzle together, with little success. Gabriel's expression was preoccupied, eyes flickering with some unknown emotion. For a moment, I actually thought he would tell me. However, this small burst of hope was quickly squashed as he turned away with resignation.

"We need to get back to the others." He said quietly, all vestiges of emotion gone. His unfathomable mask had returned. I almost wanted to childishly stamp my foot in frustration; I had come so close to learning more about him! His stiff posture had returned and I could see the tight set of his jaw. I bit my lip, wondering if I had pushed too far.

Without waiting for my response Gabriel began to walk away. I was left with an empty frustration that never seemed to go away when I was in his presence.

"Come on," he said tiredly, glancing briefly over his shoulder to assure that I did as asked.

I stared for a moment longer before forcing my feet to move. I trailed after him, deep in thought, my mind a jumble of confused thoughts. New determination burned deep inside of me as I stared at his towering form in front of me. Gabriel may think he avoided the difficult questions, but he had only aroused my curiosity even more. After his brief display of affection I was even more set on figuring him out. My Wolf wouldn't have it any other way.

I narrowed my eyes and tilted my chin defiantly as we began to make our way back to the rest of the pack. I would get my answers, and I would get them soon.

---

A/N:

I hit 1,000,000 views so I decided to post this a day early. You're welcome. :)

I know some of you may think this is more of a 'filler' , and I'm sorry the chapter is pretty long, but I felt like it was a good bit of progression for the romantic side of the story. As you can probably guess, many of your questions will be answered within the next couple chapters. I have plenty of twists in mind and I hope you like the direction in which I'm taking this story.

Please vote and comment. I read every single comment and they mean a lot.

MULTIMEDIA:

A cover that a fan made for me (without me even having to ask!) :)

Also, yet another song from True Blood (I <3 Nathan Barr). It goes perfectly with the funeral if you didn't catch that earlier.

Thanks for reading!