Chapter 9

((EDITED 5/17/2016. Some dialogue changes.

I was going to, but ultimately didn't change the spelling of Skylar's mom's name, even though I know it should technically be "Renee," because it is my mom's middle name (that's where the inspiration came from!) and my mom actually spells it the incorrect way, Rene.))

(A/N At End)

Although some part of me dimly registered the various aches and pains assaulting my body, for some reason I felt secure. Safe. Warm. It was as if in the darkness of sleep I was holding onto something that was protecting and healing me. I didn't want to let go of this source of protection and warmth so I drew closer, holding it to me dearly. In this moment I thought that everything was right in the world. Tethered to my source of security and holding onto it tightly, I quickly fell deeper into the confines of a dreamless sleep.

Some time passed before I felt the coldness begin to seep into my bones. I was no longer clinging to the heat source and I felt oddly empty and alone without it, although I did not know what had been the source of my security in the first place. Without it my body felt isolated and weak and the dull ache from my injuries began to return. As my mind awakened, I began to pull away from the impenetrable blackness in which I had slept. Part of my brain wanted to stay asleep and not have to face the world yet but I fought against this notion. I could now hear my Wolf in the back of my mind and she was urging me to wake up.

My eyes snapped open and I blinked, disoriented. As I adjusted to the lighting in the room I glanced around, determining my location. I felt a small trickle of shock as I realized I was back in my bedroom. The blinds were open and I could see that the sun had just gone down and the moon was beginning to rise. My room was quite warm but oddly enough I still felt cold. Everything in my room was as I left it, but how had I gotten here?

I frowned in puzzlement, the seconds passing by as I tried to work out the mystery of how I had gotten back to my house when the last thing I remembered was....

Vampires! It all rushed back to me in an instant and I tried to sit up, wincing as my body protested. Everything came back in a flood of images as I arranged myself in a sitting position. Although I was sore, it did not hurt nearly as bad as it should've and I realized my father must have worked on me. Werewolves healed fast naturally but there was no way it should be this painless. I assumed I hadn't been asleep more than a day, fervently hoping my assumption was correct.

My mind quickly wandered to the last thing I had seen before I dozed off. My father, Will, Maria, and Gabriel had come to my rescue and I remembered hearing violent fighting behind me as my father crouched before me. The thought of Gabriel fighting the vampires that had hurt me made my Wolf growl in satisfaction. I felt a rush of emotion at the thought of my Mate and I had to force it down; I was still supposed to dislike him, and I was beginning to fail miserably, especially since he'd just shown an entirely different side by coming to rescue me. I needed to thank him for that, despite my misgivings about everything.

Just then I realized that I could detect a faint sound coming from downstairs. Utilizing my werewolf hearing, I honed in on the noises. Voices emanated upstairs towards my bedroom, and as I listened they began to grow louder until I did not have to strain to hear them. Clearly there was an argument breaking out downstairs. I detected my father's voice first, then Alpha Brett's, then Gabriel's.

My Mate's husky baritone set me on edge and made my stomach clench in a way that was not at all unpleasant.

"You don't have a choice," Gabriel was saying, an undertone of anger in his voice.

"She's our daughter, we damn well have a choice!" My father snapped back. I gasped quietly in surprise that he would have the gall to talk to Gabriel like that. Then again, they were clearly talking about me, and my father was extremely overprotective.

I slowly swung my legs towards the edge of the bed, only wincing slightly this time. I knew the soreness would abate soon. Right now I had more pressing matters to worry about.

"Lower your voice!" My mom said, her voice quieter than the others. "You'll wake her up!"

"Shouldn't she be waking up soon? She's been out for hours." That was Alpha Brett speaking.

The conversation resumed but their voices were lower and I decided I should just go downstairs. My skin prickled at the thought of seeing my Mate again and I didn't try to rationalize it this time. I was attracted to him and drawn to him and I couldn't do anything about it. My Wolf agreed smugly.

That doesn't mean I like him, I said wryly. She ignored me.

I stood up, unsteadily at first, but regaining my balance after a few seconds. I glanced down somewhat warily at my attire; I was in a loose T-shirt and pajama shorts that might be a bit small for present company.

"You will do NO such thing!" My father suddenly yelled and my sleepwear was forgotten as I hurried stiffly towards the door.

"Are you saying you can stop me?" Replied Gabriel coldly. The threat behind his words made me uneasy.

"Are you threatening us while in our territory?" Alpha Brett bit out. I had opened the door and started down the stairs. My eyes fell upon the scene occurring in our living room and my agitation only increased. Gabriel had his back towards me but judging by the stiff way he stood and the tautness of his muscles, he was ready for a fight. Alpha Brett was glaring at him furiously and I was nervous, but for some reason I was more nervous for Alpha Brett than I was for Gabriel. While my Alpha was a strong wolf, I instinctively knew somehow that Gabriel would win in a fight. Surely Alpha Brett would not be foolish enough to take him on one on one. That was the lawful setting for an Alpha fight to occur, but I hoped he wasn't considering it.

Absentmindedly I wondered, as I had before I'd passed out, how Gabriel had found out I was in trouble. I resolved to ask later; we had not completed the Mating process so I wasn't sure how he could've known. Was my pain so intense when the vampire bit me that Gabriel felt an echo of it from that far away? I suspected that was the case. For now though, I had to figure out how to diffuse the situation.

My parents were off to the side, my mom nervously biting one of her nails as she sat on the couch, my father standing behind her as he gripped the back of the couch. His knuckles were turning white. My father's eyes snapped to my face as Gabriel spoke.

"You do know I can just Command you to make her go with me, right?" I froze with dismay as I remembered Gabriel's uncanny ability to Command other Alphas, an ability that had yet to be explained. Judging by the dark look on Alpha Brett's face he remembered quite well.

And what did he mean, go with him?

"What is going on?" I cut in before I could stop myself, horrified at the thought that he would Command my family or Alpha like that.

Gabriel spun around in an instant and all eyes focused on me. I blushed, not liking the sudden attention. Gabriel's dark eyes became unfathomable before slowly roving up and down my exposed legs. My blush deepened and I felt my heart rate skyrocket because of his close scrutiny.

"You're awake!" My mother's voice broke the tension and she bounded over to me before pulling me into a tender hug, minding my injuries. Still feeling embarrassed I tried to smile at her as she pulled back, blue eyes meeting mine. "Oh Skylar I was so worried....we never should have let you go..." She began, features contorting with sadness.

"Rene, we have more important things to worry about right now," My father said tiredly, indicating Gabriel with a jerk of his head. "Although we will talk about her decision to go...later." His look became stern but I detected relief as he gazed at me.

"What's going on?" I asked cautiously. I could still feel Gabriel's penetrating gaze trained on me. I shifted uncomfortably.

Alpha Brett began to speak but Gabriel cut him off. "You're coming to live with me," he said tonelessly.

I couldn't resist looking at him then, and I was sure my surprise and uncertainty were evident on my face as my mouth fell open slightly with shock. His eyes caught and held mine and my Wolf began to pace restlessly as my body heated up yet again. How could he look so sexy just standing there? His dark hair was tousled and his shirt did nothing to hide his physique. I definitely wanted to....

Damn it Skylar, stop! I scolded my body's reactions. I had to get myself under control.

"No you aren't," My father bit out, distracting me from my traitorous lust.

Gabriel's inscrutable expression became angry and he wrenched his gaze from mine. "Yes she is. I don't care if you're her father I WILL Command you. Do not forget who you are talking to. I am being courteous by telling you instead of Commanding you but I won't hesitate to make this an order."

My father shook with anger but did not move. I could tell he was weighing the options in his head. As for me, I wasn't quite sure what to think. Of course my Wolf was howling at me to go and a large part of me did not want to leave his side, but the logical side of me was afraid. Live with him, with the Black Mountains Pack that I hated. I would be away from my family when I barely knew him. How could I do that? Did I even have a choice? I knew realistically, if I wanted to get to know him better, I needed to live with him. That was how it traditionally worked when Mates were from different packs, anyways.

Getting to know him was both a terrifying and alluring concept.

Alpha Brett looked like he wanted to snarl but was very much trying to reign himself in. I was worried that either he or my father would make a stupid move and I couldn't let that happen. It was my Mate, so my problem to deal with. I gathered every ounce of courage that I had.

"Umm guys, could I talk to Gabriel?" The name felt so perfect coming out of my mouth and out of the corner of my eye I saw my Mate stiffen. "Alone please?" I was almost quaking with nervousness at the thought of being alone with him but the tension in here could be cut with a knife and I had to do something.

My father looked like he very much did not want to leave me alone with Gabriel but my mother saw the look in my eye and gently put a hand on his arm. "Alexander, it's what she wants," she said hesitantly, looking between me and Gabriel. Alpha Brett had shoved his hands in his pockets and was staring at Gabriel mistrustfully.

"Okay, Skylar. Let me know if you need anything." He ground out after several seconds before tossing my parents a look and striding out of the room. My father opened his mouth to protest but I spoke before he could.

"Please, Dad. Let me handle this. Just for a minute." I silently pled with my eyes, even though part of me was freaking out at being here alone with Gabriel. Hopefully I could control my Wolf before she tried to make me jump him.

With an angry huff my father finally nodded. "But if you decide to go, it better be your choice and only your choice. If not, we'll have an entirely different discussion," he snarled. If he had been speaking in that manner to any other wolf, it would have been incredibly intimidating. In this situation, though, Gabriel merely turned to face him, a threatening growl rumbling in his chest in response. I shivered at the sound, trying to hold myself together while giving my father half-hearted smile.

Then my parents left and I was alone with my Mate.

Gabriel slowly turned back towards me. I couldn't help but admire the way the dim lighting in the room created shadows that fell across his face, accentuating his handsome features. I could now understand why everyone said that when you found your Mate, it was as if they were made just for you, created just to be with you. Gabriel was the most physically perfect specimen I could ever imagine. I felt frail and underwhelming in comparison.

For a split second Gabriel looked uncertain before he resumed his unfathomable expression. His posture had relaxed slightly although he still looked somewhat uneasy. I couldn't blame him. It was especially difficult to focus with my Wolf conjuring up inappropriate images in the back of my mind. Although Gabriel stood a good ten feet from me, I could feel the tension crackling in the air; it was nearly unbearable.

"You could have asked me first," I finally said, breaking the taut silence.

"You were unconscious when I made the decision." He replied unapologetically.

"It would have been easier to wake me up than to threaten my family." I stated, unable to keep the accusatory tone out of my voice. I didn't like the idea of them being bullied by my Mate just because he always got what he wanted.

"Threaten?" He asked, slightly incredulous. "If you thought that was me truly threatening them, you're more naïve than I thought."

I blinked, feeling a surge of irritation at his condescending tone. I had a pride streak a mile wide and did not like being spoken to like that. "Well you were talking about Commanding them-" I began but he cut me off.

"I will Command them if they try to argue," He replied dismissively.

"Do I get no choice in the matter?" I demanded, feeling a surge of bravery despite Gabriel's intimidating presence.

His gaze hardened. "Not when you do reckless things, like go to a town infested with vampires."

I clenched my fists, feeling my anger rise. "How was I supposed to know there were vampires there? I didn't even know vampires existed! Unlike you, apparently, because they knew all about you!"

Gabriel actually looked slightly guilty for a split second, taking a step forward. "I've heard about them." That answer seemed oddly vague to me, but I didn't have time to argue before he continued, "I didn't know they would come after you."

I did not feel any less angry. "Well, they did. I don't understand how I'm so "reckless" when they only came after me to ask where YOU were!" The last few days had made me short tempered and braver than usual, or perhaps I was getting using to his presence. I was learning how to speak my mind in front of him.

"I didn't think you'd leave your pack and go looking for trouble or I would have warned you." He said, and the slightly condescending tone was back. I gritted my teeth as I felt another rush of anger.

"I wasn't "looking for trouble," I was trying to stop thinking about YOU!" I replied heatedly, my cheeks feeling exceptionally warm as I admitted that. He seemed taken aback, staring at me with his inscrutable expression back in place.

"I went to town to clear my mind. I had no idea I'd be captured by beings that I thought were mythical and then physically abused while they tried to get me to tell them your location." I continued, my tone darkening as I remembered my painful experience. That, combined with Gabriel's cold and antagonistic attitude right now, was incredibly aggravating and I had no idea why he was acting like this was entirely my fault. Sure, I'd gone to the town, and I'd followed the scent of blood thinking someone was in trouble. Who would have guessed that I would be captured by vampires?

But he had come after me to save me, right? Surely that meant something, despite his inexplicable attitude at the moment.

I blinked and took a shocked step backwards as Gabriel suddenly appeared in front of me, only a foot away. The electricity between us intensified and I felt my Wolf stirring with lust now that her Mate was within arm's reach. I looked down at the ground, afraid to look in his eyes. I wasn't sure why he was acting the way he was but I was beginning to realize that I felt...hurt. Hurt that he seemed to blame me for the whole vampire incident.

"I tore them apart," He said softly, his voice deep with suppressed emotion. I slowly looked up to see that his eyes were intense, burning with something unrecognizable. "I gave those vampires what they deserved for touching you."

I felt goosebumps rise along my arms and inside I felt a small thrill at his protective words, although I was still confused by his mood swings. I quickly averted my gaze, afraid of what I would do if I looked at him for too long. A few tense seconds passed by before he spoke again.

"I want you to come with me so I can keep an eye on you. The vampires won't give up on you."

"But my family is here." I replied softly, still looking away. I knew my argument was weak. It was normal for a wolf to leave their family behind when they found their Mate; I was just reaching for excuses now.

"I'm an Alpha. You can't honestly think my Wolf will just stand by and let you stay here." He retorted.

"Bullying my pack is not the way to go about it," I said, matching his tone. I thought I heard a faint growl in his chest.

"Like I said, they don't have a choice." His tone had become unapologetic again. I detected a trace of irritation.

"But I do and-"

"Dammit, Skylar!" Gabriel snapped, my name sounding wonderful in his husky voice. I felt a flutter of fear as he advanced and suddenly I was backed up against the wall as he leaned over me, his arms above my head on each side as he supported his weight. His scent washed over me and my nostrils flared as I took it in. Despite his daunting stance I couldn't help the butterflies that erupted in my stomach as he said my name, nor could I help the secret invigoration as I saw the frustration etched on his face, although my attraction was mingled with unease.

"Do you have any idea what it is like to feel your Mate's excruciating pain and not be able to do anything about it because she's hours away? She's suffering, and you weren't there to protect her?" Dimly I realized that my suspicions were confirmed, that he knew I was in danger when he felt the bite. He must have run incredibly fast to make it all the way to town and meet up with the others in half a day.

"I..." I began hesitantly.

"You could have died." He said, quieter now, his eyes boring into mine. His voice had taken on a rough edge. I thought I could detect true emotion in his expression and it bewildered me, as I'd never seen him look vulnerable, even for a split second. The moment passed but I could still feel the heat of his conviction. I was hyper-aware of just how close we were and I urged to reach a hand up and stroke his face, feel the muscles on his arms and chest. Instead I maintained a straight face and held my arms at my sides, trying not to let my body betray me.

"I am not risking that again. So whether you like it or not you are accompanying me back to my home."

He backed away then and I felt a rush of disappointment at the lack of contact, feeling as if air was being pulled out of my lungs. I wanted to be near him so badly it was like oxygen, and inhaling his scent was so compelling to me and my Wolf; the thought of that scared me. But I was even more frightened of the way my heart was beating erratically in my chest due to the brief glimmer of sincerity I had seen in his expression. He did care for me on some level and I was afraid of what he was doing to me.

And deep inside of me, I knew I would go with him. Not only because my Wolf was refusing to let me stay or because Gabriel might force my family into letting me go if I refused, but because part of me truly did want to go. He may have been a emotionless asshole at times but there was something else there, something deep down. Fate had given me Gabriel for a reason. Perhaps I was supposed to help him and balance him out. I knew it would be foolish to give away the only Mate I would ever get without trying to get to know him. I would miss my family but we shared pack territory, and I knew there was a way I'd be able to see them. As for the Black Mountains Pack, as much as they frightened me, I knew they couldn't hurt me. My Mate was their Alpha.

This is the right decision, my Wolf whispered softly in my mind. She sounded so sure of herself, although I knew she was incredibly biased in this situation.

I slowly raised my gaze, finally meeting Gabriel's. His emotionless mask was back in place but I wouldn't forget that brief emotion I had seen in his dark eyes.

"If you promise to leave my family and pack alone I will go with you." I said quietly. I was fully aware that he could be brutal and force me to come with no promises, but I hoped he wouldn't. Besides, if he gave his word not to harm my pack, it would help assuage some of my concerns.

Gabriel looked away, jaw clenched. "I have more significant problems at the moment," was his reply, and I took that as the best affirmative I was going to get.

I exhaled wearily. "At least let me say goodbye? Can we wait until the morning?" I didn't want to go very long before seeing my parents again but I figured it was not the best time to negotiate with Gabriel, he was wound tightly enough already.

"Make it quick. I've been away from my pack for long enough." His tone was clipped and I sighed internally. It seemed as if that slight glimpse of true emotion was all I would be getting for a while.

---

An hour or two later, I stood outside with my family and close friends around me in a semicircle. My father had not liked my decision to say the least. It had taken a considerable amount of arguing and pleading and reasoning to get him to fully understand where I was coming from, and I could tell he only conceded my point because he didn't want Gabriel resulting to more drastic measures to bring me back to his pack. Not that my father could have really stopped either one of us from the beginning; it was werewolf custom to live with one's Mate.

Despite his reluctance I knew my father really did understand. After Gabriel had come to help rescue me from the vampires he had earned the tiniest sliver of my father's trust, at least when it came to me. When I explained to him (and later my mother) that this is what I had decided, that I wanted to give my Mate a chance, they eventually caved. I knew they disliked Gabriel but, as my Mate and an Alpha, it was his right by law to bring me to his pack if I chose to go. It was going against Nature to keep a wolf from her Mate, after all.

Alpha Brett gave me a gruff hug before walking away, leaving me with my parents, Maria, and Will. My mom had tears in her bright blue eyes. We were currently standing in a clearing a couple of hours from my house. Gabriel was located near enough to hear our conversation but at a respectable distance, for which I was grateful. I didn't need his unnerving presence when I felt so vulnerable. He stood, poised and alert, gazing into the distance.

My mom wrapped me into what must have been my tenth hug, a blonde curl touching my cheek as she nuzzled me. I felt a pang of sadness at the thought of leaving her. My father was next, pulling me into a secure embrace.

"Don't forget to mind link with us every day," he said softly, attempting to make a wry joke. I smiled slightly and his face grew serious. "Skylar, let me know if you need anything." His look was significant and I caught the double meaning behind his words.

Next Maria came forward, wrapping a dark tress of hair around her finger like she always did when she was nervous. "Skylar..." she began softly. Her eyes contained so much worry that I hugged her tightly on reflex.

"I never got to thank you guys for everything," I said, noticing Will had come forward and was standing next to us. He tried to grin reassuringly but it came out more as a grimace.

"You would have done it for me," Maria replied, smiling slightly. "I'm just glad you're okay." She squeezed my hand tightly. "Come visit soon? We need to catch up on Law and Order." I laughed at that and was passed over to Will. I relaxed into the familiarity of his hug, inhaling his scent. He had consistently been there for me, and I'd always appreciated his companionship.

He released me, raising one of his hands to gently cup my cheek. An unusual, almost haunted look came into his blue eyes as he studied me intensely, eyes examining every inch of my face.

"Will?" I queried, confused by his expression.

He licked his lips, almost appearing nervous. His thumb stroked my cheek and I shifted slightly, aware of my Mate's presence nearby. I got the impression that Will was gathering the courage for something, and the only reason he was about to say it was because it might be his last chance for a while.

"Skylar...I..." Will began, voice cracking slightly as he spoke. I frowned, wondering what the hell was up with him. He hesitated, as if deciding if whatever he was about to say was really a good idea.

I got a strange sense of foreboding and quickly spoke.

"Don't worry Will. I'll be back soon."

"I know it's just...." He was interrupted by a low, threatening growl nearby. I quickly stepped away from Will to see that Gabriel had come over to us and was standing next to me, glaring daggers at Will. His hands were balled into fists and his expression looked murderous.

"Get away from her, pup," Gabriel snarled, and I was shocked by the venom in his tone. Will gave me a frustrated look as his face flushed a beet red. He quickly turned and strode away, my Mate glaring after him. I shot Maria a confused look but she just looked very uncomfortable, giving me a small wave before walking off as well.

"Calm down, you shouldn't talk to-" I began, turning towards my Mate, but Gabriel had picked up my bag of necessities in one hand and was already striding towards the trees. At least he was nice enough to carry it for me, I thought wryly, although it wasn't heavy to me.

"We need to get going," he snapped, anger still evident in his voice. Apparently he was not going to be in a good mood for this trip.

Sighing, I gave both of my parents one last hug before heading towards the green fringe of the forest. I gave a final wave over my shoulder before entering the forest, where I would be running in Wolf form in front of my Mate for the first time.

And within a day I would be living with him. Despite my reservations, I couldn't help but feel slightly hopeful as I thought about what the future held.

--------

A/N: This story reached #8 on What's Hot so I just want to give a big THANK YOU to everyone! Please keep voting/commenting!

So I know this chapter has less action than the others. I feel as if the logical story arc will be to build up Skylar and Gabriel's relationship for the next couple of chapters before the main plot resumes. They still have a long way to go. So sorry if you're bored without the vampires but I tried to put in some good sexual tension.

Let me know how I did with the interaction what what you all think about the pace. Thanks!

Oh and sorry for any errors, as usual. ;)

MULTIMEDIA:

Picture of Skylar's mom >>>>>

Love theme from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I listened to it as I wrote this story.

Do you guys like the love songs I post on the side or do you think they're unnecessary?