Sundae was viewing her reflection in the small space, too. She wore a frosty pink dress made of the same sheer material that covered the bottom of Rebecca’s dress. It seemed fitting for her; almost surreal.
"Sundae and Natalia, you both look amazing!" Savvy gushed, causing both the girls to blush. Savvy grabbed Rebecca’s dress and took their items to the cashier.
"You’ve changed." Natalia told Rebecca quietly.
"I don't know what..."
Natalia smiled; it was all that was required to quiet Rebecca’s protest. "The wolf in you has made you a stronger witch." She flipped her auburn hair behind her shoulders and tossed a look in Savvy’s direction, making sure she was still preoccupied at the cash register.
Rebecca gave her a confused look, "I thought I couldn’t be both a witch and a wolf?"
"That’s the belief, but you’ve shown an affinity to air elements which means you must carry some of the witch within you." Natalia answered simply.
Rebecca nodded again. It made sense.
"If you’re ever in need of a guardian for your pack, I’m here for you." Natalia slipped Rebecca a business card which she quickly stuck in her back pocket since Savvy was already heading back towards them. "All powerful alphas need a good guardian from time to time." Natalia slipped into the dressing room without another word.
"You do look beautiful, Sundae." Rebecca smiled at the girl who still scared her a little.
Sundae smiled through her reflection back at Rebecca. "Thank you." She tossed her long silver hair with black streaks over her shoulder, "How have your dreams been lately?"
Rebecca turned and tilted her head in an attempt to examine Sundae, in that moment she was terribly frightening. Her dreams hadn’t been great. Surely, Sundae wasn’t responsible for them? Rebecca tried not to allow the frown on her face but Sundae’s look of satisfaction told Rebecca she failed. "My dreams are fine as far as I know. Why?"
Sundae moved closer, the silence stretched painfully between them. Sundae touched Rebecca’s face, gently. "Your advice was very inspiring and helpful." She smiled. "As a thank you, I’m in your debt. Let me know, little wolf, when you’re in need of a dream weaver and I’ll be there to help you." Relief flooded Rebecca, up to that moment she had no idea how much Sundae worried her.
"Hey, Sundae, how’ve you been?" Savvy's voice broke the spell between them.
Rebecca nodded her thanks and acknowledged Sundae’s offer. "Sundae was just telling me how excited she is about the dance Friday." Rebecca lied; it was becoming a painful habit. And each time she did it the lies got easier and easier and the guilt got deeper and deeper.
"Perfect timing." Rebecca told Lucky and Hunter when they walked into the store. All three of the girls had their bags in their hands and were ready to go.
Lucky grinned mischievously and kissed Rebecca softly on the lips. "I can't wait to see you in your dress."
The way he was acting one would think he’d never been to a homecoming dance before. It made Rebecca wonder briefly if he had missed out on this event in his own school experiences. Rebecca shook it off and told him. “You may be pleasantly surprised."
"She looks like a princess." Savannah offered. "And how does our little brother look in a tuxedo?"
"I’m only a year younger than you, and I’m hardly little." He pushed her playfully away from him and took Natalia's hand in his. "I’m sure you’re going to look exquisite, too, Nat."
"Count on it." Natalia grinned at him as everyone walked towards the mall exit. In that moment, Rebecca felt a level of satisfaction and contentment. She had Savvy, Hunter and a supernatural boyfriend at her side. There was nothing in this, or the hidden world she now lived in, that could destroy this moment or this feeling.
Chapter Twenty One
~"In every conceivable manner, the family is our link to the past, bridge to our future."
~Alex Haley
Rebecca
Monday night Gabriel, Lucky, and Rebecca worked out a schedule. Tuesday and Thursday she would work with Gabe to rebuild the pack, and Monday and Wednesday she would train with Lucky. In order to maintain the cover story with Lucky, Rebecca decided to meet Gabriel at South Mountain instead of letting him pick her up. It was also a good way of keeping Gabriel safe from Savvy; she was still not completely over the kiss she witnessed.
The drive to South Mountain was fairly easy because they decided to meet around eight to avoid rush hour traffic. When she arrived, she was surprised at how worn down Gabriel looked. He was generally rugged with his long hair, high cheek bones, angular face, and full lips, but today he looked much worse for the wear. The usual ponytail he wore was gone and his dark hair fell in soft waves around his shoulders. In this light it looked jet black but in daylight it was a dark brown. His face had at least a day's growth of facial hair which was also different from his usually clean shaven look. The easy smile on his face never met his eyes; which displayed purple half moon circles under them. It was pretty obvious to her that he hadn't been sleeping much lately. A hint of guilt filled her at that thought because she felt his lack of sleep was because he was keeping an eye on her and the family at night. He’d been extremely protective since he made it clear he thought they were mates.
One thing she had in common with Gabriel was fashion sense. They both wore ripped jeans and t-shirts. Hers was off the shoulder and purple and his was tight across his chest and black.
He opened her door before she could reach the handle and offered his hand to help her out of the car. Rebecca slapped it away and got out herself, one of these days Gabe and Lucky would realize she didn’t need help out of a vehicle. These men had some sort of idea in their heads that she was incapable of performing the easiest tasks. It needed to stop. He didn't move when she refused his help so when she stood up they found themselves inches away from each other. Rebecca’s body betrayed her once again as her heart sped up and her breath became shallow. If he kissed her again she knew she would lose control.
"I’m not going to kiss you again, not until you ask me to. No matter how much I desire it." It was as if he read her mind which made her uneasy. She knew she could call him telepathically, but wondered if it went both ways. Could he hear her thoughts?
‘The connection gets stronger throughout the mating process.’ The wolf answered her.
Gabriel continued, after running a nervous hand through his hair and taking a step back, giving her space. "Lucky and I agreed to give you some space to help you choose which one of us you want. Tonight is just business, I promise." He held up his hand in the Boy Scout’s oath position and Rebecca couldn’t help but laugh at the idea that he was once a scout.
"Were you really a boy scout?"
"Yes, ma'am. I sure was." He took her hand and led her over to the picnic table that was only a few yards away from the car. "I figured we could start by setting up meetings with the rogues. There are some I would endorse and others I can’t, but ultimately it’s your decision who can rejoin and who will be left out in the cold. I can have interviews set up as soon as Thursday night."
"That sounds like a good place to start. I can interview them all and then sort them out." Rebecca pulled her notebook out of her backpack and began taking notes. "So how many rogues are there?"
"About one hundred and twenty."
Rebecca narrowed her eyes on him, "Seriously? That’s almost half a pack charter."
He nodded his head, "there’s something you should know. Tomas exiled most of the rogues and left them with the understanding that they were still part of the pack even though they were not chartered or recognized."
"So they expect to be automatically made members of the pack." It wasn't a question. It was a statement of understanding. One that made her nervous. He wasn’t the first one to warn her about accepting all the rogues into the pack. Angelique also told her to be wary.
"Yes and they will probably also be resentful that you became the new alpha." He rubbed an invisible mark from his hand. "Those that wer
e under the assumption they were unrecognized pack members make up the majority of the rogues. Most of those I would not endorse."
"So not only do we have to worry about the war with the vampires or the war between the Convent and the Authority, but my own pack and rogues will also be at each other's throats?" Rebecca closed her eyes as the reality of the situation she found herself in came into focus. She was thankful she had Gabe and Lucky, but fear still rose in her over the predicaments she continued to get into.
"That about sums it up." He agreed sadly. "I’ve already told them they’ll have to go through me if there are any challenges for the alpha power and no one has stepped up to the challenge. But if someone does and they do beat me...” He stopped mid thought and sighed. His eyes showed the weight of the world in them. “You need to be ready to defend yourself, just in case."
The idea of losing him struck a chord deep in her soul. It was like there was some invisible link that connected them. It unnerved her, made her feel vulnerable, and she didn’t like it. She refused to believe anything bad could happen to him.
‘I won’t let anything bad happen to him.’ The wolf smiled into her mind.
‘Like you can do much!’ Rebecca snapped. "I guess that’s why training with Lucky is so important." Rebecca nodded her head. "Why are you doing this?"
"You know why." His green eyes locked on hers. Electricity filled the air between them and she found her heart skipping a beat.
"Because you believe we’re mates?" Rebecca shook her head. "What you ask, that level of commitment is too much."
"Perhaps it is now, but someday, I believe you’ll realize what a wonderful gift it is. Someday you’ll want to mate with me and when you do I’ll be here waiting." He didn’t give her a chance to answer him. He flipped open his phone and dialed a number. "Hey, begin setting up the interviews for Thursday."
"Any particular order?" The female voice on the other end asked.
"No, schedule them back to back, thirty minute intervals at the South Mountain compound." He answered her with more directions.
"Got it. Tell her thank you." The voice sounded relieved.
"You already did." He smiled and hung up the phone.
"South Mountain compound?" Rebecca asked curious, she knew about the one in Tucson, but not any others.
His grin spread from his lips to his eyes, brightening his face just a little. "Would you like to see it?"
"Sure." She shrugged while she placed her notebook and pen in her backpack. He jumped from his seat across the table and took her hand.
"Come with me, milady." When Rebecca didn’t pull her hand away he took that as invitation and laced his fingers with hers for the short distance between the table and his motorcycle. He hopped on and waited for her to join him. She bit her lower lip, after the ride with Lucky she knew how intimate riding on a motorcycle was, especially with someone she found attractive. He handed Rebecca a helmet and said, "If you like we can run, but it’s quite a hike from here. The bike will get us there much faster."
Rebecca contemplated her options for a few more moments. Deep down she knew she was being ridiculous, but she wasn’t sure if she could control herself with him. It was logic that swayed her. She put on the helmet and climbed on the bike. Her body responded as she wrapped her legs around his body and circled her hands around his waist. His scent, pine and peppermint, wrapped around her and mixed with her own.
When she was situated he started the bike and they were off. Riding on a mountain trail was far different than riding through city streets. Every jump or turn promised more danger and with more danger came more attraction. It’s true what people say about dangerous situations creating bonds and attraction. As they wound through the rocky terrain she realized spending time with Gabriel was just as dangerous as time with Lucky. Why couldn't she simply choose one of them and let the other go? It wasn’t fair to them or her.
The wolf decided to take full advantage of their closeness and curled tighter against him, leaning her head against his shoulder and breathing in his masculinity. Rebecca chided the wolf silently, but also took advantage of the moment; enjoying the tingling sensation that touching him sent through her.
Two very different men, best friends, and she was, unconsciously, doing everything in her power to mess things up between all three of them. This wolf and human duality was much more difficult to control than she ever imagined.
They continued to bike over the hilly rock-filled terrain as Rebecca tried to relax against Gabe’s back. There was something comforting about his presence. She was sure it had more to do with the pack connection than his proclamation. In a few minutes, they were pulling up to a large home built right into the side of the mountain. Gabriel stopped the bike and waited for Rebecca to get off before killing the engine. She tossed him the helmet after he situated the bike. While he was busy she decided to take a look around. The home was built into the mountainside; half of the roof was rocks and plant life. There was a stable on the far left completely stocked with horses and a large building that stood solid between the two structures which she assumed was the garage.
"So what do you think?" His smooth voice brushed against her neck as he came up behind her.
"I think it’s huge." Her voice was a little awestruck.
He grinned and slipped his fingers into her hand as he led her up the drive. "Tomas called this the South Compound, but you can give it a different name if you like." He let go of her hand long enough to pick up the ‘hide-a-key rock’ and open the large wooden doors to the house. "The South Compound has room for ten people in the main house as well as a fully stocked hospital in the basement. The five guest houses on the ten acre property can house two families each. The stables you noticed when we came in and the garage houses about ten vehicles and an armory, fully stocked if I know Tomas." He turned on the lights and waited for Rebecca to catch up.
The floors were solid wood. The walls, wood and stone, and gave the impression of a rustic hunting lodge. There was no use for the large fireplace that took up about half of one wall, but it looked fantastic. He walked Rebecca through the main house, bedrooms upstairs, large restaurant-style kitchen, and the dinning room. The master suites were the only bedrooms on the bottom floor, and they were connected to a rather large library stocked with hundreds of books, and an office which she assumed Tomas used when he was here on visits. "This will be the best place for your interviews Thursday, if you like it."
"Great idea. It’s perfect." Rebecca smiled. “So this is mine?”
Gabriel nodded. “All the properties in Arizona, eighteen last I counted, are yours. They are automatically willed to the new alpha in case something happens.” He led her into the library and made a beeline to the bar. "Would you like a drink?" He asked as he poured himself a scotch on ice. Nothing about this house revealed that the master was killed. It was as though Tomas would be coming home in a few hours.
"A water would be great. I don’t drink and you shouldn’t either. We aren’t old enough." Rebecca ran her fingers over the large mahogany desk. The smooth wood had elegant lines and her chewed fingernails looked suspiciously out of place in this entire house. "I never expected something like this." She sat down behind the desk and took the water while he sat down across from her, swirling the amber colored liquid as he stared across the room at a leather sofa.
"I used to study on that sofa while Tomas held business meetings here." Sadness touched his eyes and disappeared after he took a drink. “He hoped I would be his successor.”
“Do you resent me for that?” She didn’t know why she asked, but knew she needed to know.
“What? No.” He shook his head sadly. “No. Not at all. If I had, I would’ve challenged you at council.” He leaned forward and locked her eyes to his. “My father abused his power. I believe you’ll bring in a new dynamic that will help us be stronger than we ever were before.”
Her throat went dry. “You have a lot of faith in me.”
He shrugged. �
��I have a unique perspective. As your mate, I can sense things about you others can’t. Once you delve past the loss and sadness that you carry deep down, you’re a good person.” He took another drink and leaned back in the leather chair.
“Well, I could use some of that confidence. Everything is so new, challenging…a little scary.” The wolf didn’t yell at her for sharing her feelings. Instead, she simply played the passive listener and flooded Rebecca’s system with compassion.
“You don’t want to share those feelings with other wolves.” Gabriel stated sternly. “Unless you want to see me fight them off to protect you.”
“No, I won’t. I just feel like I can trust you.” It was a realization she didn’t see coming, but the moment the words were out she knew them to be true. “I didn’t like you at first.” She hurried on when she noticed the look of desire grow dark in his eyes. “But you’re growing on me.” The heat in her cheeks forced her to lower her head for a moment. She felt so unbelievably shy.
“These confessions are going to drive me mad, babe.” He growled deeply as he swallowed the rest of the amber liquid in his glass. “You’re making it difficult not to take you in my arms and… well you get the picture.” He jumped out of his seat and poured himself another drink.
Rebecca immediately changed the subject. "This must be hard, visiting this place.” She took note at how his shoulders tensed. She could feel the waves of pain coming off of him, even with his back to her. She could only imagine how his eyes looked. “I can't promise you that you’ll get over his death, but it does get easier."
He turned, pain replaced desire on his face. "Has it gotten easier for you, Becca?" His green eyes locked on hers, pleading with her to give him good news.
"It will be when I find their killers and have my vengeance." She told him honestly.
"Do you really think that will give you the closure you need?" Doubt was written across his features.
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