She was nearly in tears by the time lunch break was called, but her lawyer was calm. “That went about the way I thought it would,” he said when her father was out of the courtroom. “But after lunch is my turn.”
Bethany stared at him in shock. “That was awful,” she said. “He made me sound like a lunatic.”
He patted her hand. “Don’t worry, that’s exactly what I wanted. Like the old saying goes, give them enough rope, and they’ll hang themselves. Your father is so used to getting his own way, he doesn’t think anyone can beat him,” he said, then rubbed his hands together, and grinned wickedly. “This should be a lot of fun.”
Bethany laughed. “I’m feeling better already.”
That afternoon, her lawyer began by putting a string of witnesses from Gypsum Creek on the stand. One after the other, they testified about the time they’d spent with Bethany, and by the time the last one got off the stand, she was feeling much better.
But then the fun really started when he called all her father’s witnesses back up to the stand and proved that not only were they lying, but that they’d never even met Bethany. When he rested his case late in the afternoon, the judge was glaring at her father and his team of lawyers, and she knew that they’d won.
So, she was surprised when the judge declared a break for the night. “I’ve listened to both sides of this issue, but I need some time to make my decision,” he said. “We’ll convene here tomorrow morning at nine.”
The sound of the gavel banging on the desk echoed through the courtroom; the judge got up and walked out, and then there was a celebration from the Gypsum Creek side of the room. They hadn’t won yet, but it was looking like they would.
Her father got up from his chair practically turning it over in anger, pointed his finger at Bethany and said, “You haven’t won yet; you’ll be under my control one way or another.”
Chapter Sixteen
***Gabriel***
Gabriel pulled the mirror Michelle had given him out of its little velvet pouch and set it up on the table where they could all see. After watching by himself all day yesterday, he was glad that Danny and Kara had come up to keep him company and watch the rest with him.
“I don’t see how the judge can do anything but find in Bethany’s favor. It was pretty clear yesterday that all those people her father brought in were lying,” Danny said, bringing the coffee pot of out the cabin and setting it down on the picnic table.
“They should all be arrested,” Kara said, a frown on her face. “He shouldn’t be able to get away with this.”
“We should have just killed him when we had the chance,” Gabriel said.
Kara looked at her brother sympathetically, then patted him on the arm. “Don’t worry; she’ll be home soon.”
“I hope you’re right,” Gabriel said, then fell silent when they saw the judge walk into the courtroom.
As they watched, the judge sat down, shuffled some papers, and then began to speak. “I’ve given this case a lot of thought, and the one thing that stands out to me is how different the two sides are; rarely do I see such a clear case of black and white. But the defense has proven to me beyond a shadow of a doubt that their case is the only one that holds merit, and I find in favor of the defendant. Ms. Mathews, you are free to go,” he said.
There was wild cheering in the courtroom, but the judge banged his gavel, and it fell silent. “I’m not quite finished. Mr. Mathews, it appears to me that you’ve broken the law in more than one place during this trial. I’ve decided to turn you over to the district attorney and let him decide what to do with you.”
Gabriel watched, mouth hanging open as sheriff deputies came in each door and stood ready. “I believe these officers would like you to join them in my chambers,” he said.
Pandemonium broke out in the courtroom as Bethany’s father tried to escape, using his men like a ramrod to try and break through the line of officers blocking the exit. But it did him no good; soon he was in handcuffs and being led out of the courtroom.
Just before they dragged him through the door, he turned back to Bethany and screamed, “No one beats me; no matter where you go, you’ll never be safe. I’ll find you and make you pay, make you pay for your mother’s duplicity, and for all the years I had to look at you and know that she wanted another man more than me.”
When Bethany’s father disappeared through the door, she slumped down in her chair, and Gabriel wished he was there to comfort her. The pendant around his neck grew warm, and then he saw her reach for hers, and calm washed over him when he realized that she was coming back to him.
Danny got up from the table and said, “Well, it looks like we’ve got another fight on our hands,” slapped Gabriel on the back, and added, “Life around here is certainly never boring.”
***Bethany***
Bethany was stuck right where she was, shock gluing her to the chair until Dillion came over and took her by the arm and helped her up. He whisked her out of the courtroom and down the hall to a small room, pushed her inside, and shut the door.
“Are you okay?” he asked, once he’d gotten her seated in a chair.
She looked up at his anxious face and tried to decide, “I don’t know. I mean the judge rejected his case, but I’m still not free,” she said, then feeling the tears well up in her eyes, she asked, “What did he mean about mom?”
Dillion sighed. “He’s convinced that you’re not his child; he has been since the day you were born. It was one of the things we fought about most.”
“Was I? Did mom have an affair?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper, not sure which answer would be better.
Dillion shook his head. “I don’t think so. I don’t think she was brave or well enough for that, but when you showed no signs of being a shifter, father became convinced.”
“Because a shifter always has shifter children,” she said, beginning to understand something that had eluded her for her entire life.
“Yes,” Dillion said, “but even if it’s true, you and I are still brother and sister. It doesn’t really change anything.”
Then she had the most awful thought. “Do you think the car accident was really an accident? I mean, mom never drove herself anywhere.”
When Dillion didn’t answer, she knew, knew that the man she’d thought was her father had killed her mother. “He killed her didn’t he, and then covered it up?” she asked, holding her breath.
It still took him a long time to answer, and she could see the anger boiling inside him. “I think so, yes,” he finally answered, his teeth clenched.
Bethany felt her anger rising, felt the pain of losing her mother, and her body began to tingle. “I wish they’d killed him when they had the chance,” she said, the tingling getting stronger.
“Me too,” Dillion said, then pulled her into his arms. “We’re not going to let anything happen to you. We’ll keep you safe at the farm again just like before; when he comes, we’ll be ready, and this time, he’s not leaving alive.”
Bethany shuddered, but the tingling began to fade as her anger drained away. “I just want this to be over,” she said, then looked up at Dillion, “and I want to go back to Gabriel.”
***Gabriel***
Gabriel paced nervously around in front of the cabin wishing he’d had time to dig a well for running water. He walked over and sat down at the picnic table, but then got up again and walked over to the cabin and stood in the doorway, trying to see it from an outsider’s perspective.
Thanks to a lot of help from Danny and Kara, he’d managed to finish the first room of the cabin he planned to build for them. The rest would have to wait for summer, but they’d be snug and warm in the single room they’d finished.
With the bed from the tent shoved into one corner, the little table and chairs Danny had hauled up from the farm, and the small kitchen complete with a stove, there wasn’t much room to move. But Gabriel was pleased with what he’d done, and once Bethany put her own touches on the cabin, he was
sure it would feel like home.
That didn’t mean that he wasn’t nervous, wasn’t afraid that Bethany would take one look at the cabin and head straight down the mountain. Deep down, he knew that she’d love it; it was her brother who might be the problem, who might be the one to think that it wasn’t enough.
He turned and walked back over to the picnic table, tempted to get the mirror out and see where they were, but resisted knowing it would only make him more nervous. Finally, he heard voices in the trees and took off across the plateau, his huge strides covering the ground quickly.
Bethany came out of the trees first, and when she saw him, she began to run, a huge smile on her face. When she got to him, he scooped her up and twirled her around, set her on her feet, and then kissed her.
When their lips met, it was as if they’d never been separated and a burst of pleasure washed over him. He was sure that he’d never be able to get enough of her, but then he heard someone clearing their throat and reluctantly let go of Bethany.
She stepped away from him but kept his hand gripped firmly in hers. “Did you see what happened?” she asked, her face a mixture of relief and fear.
“I did, but don’t worry, he’s not going to touch you. I’ll keep you safe,” he said, crushing her to him.
Dillion stepped up. “She’ll be safer at the farm,” he said, a scowl on his face.
Gabriel opened his mouth to reply to Dillion but instead addressed the group. “Let’s all go over to the cabin, and we can talk there,” he said.
Bethany looked up at him. “Cabin?”
He took her by the shoulders and turned her around. “Cabin,” was all he said.
Bethany squealed with delight and Dillion made a sound in his throat. “When did you do this?” she asked, starting across the plateau for the cabin.
“While you were gone. Danny and Kara helped. It’s not very big, but I thought we could add on to it next summer,” he said, looking over at Dillion who still didn’t look pleased.
Half an hour later, they were all gathered around the big picnic table, which was big enough for all of them. Everyone was still talking about the cabin when Sophie said, “I think we need to celebrate. Michelle, can you whip up something?”
“Oh, you don’t need to do that. I have food ready,” Gabriel said, heading back into the cabin. “Bethany taught me to cook.”
The sun was setting when everyone finally began getting ready to leave, but Gabriel wanted to talk to Dillion, who was still insisting that Bethany go back to the farm. No one had wanted to talk about the threats her father had made that night; they all knew that for at least one night he was safely locked away, giving them some time to plan.
But Bethany’s safety was his biggest concern and fighting with her brother wasn’t going to help keep her safe. “Can we talk for a minute?” he asked when he saw Dillion alone.
Dillion looked him up and down, then shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t think anything you can say is going to make me feel any differently, but okay.”
Now that he had Dillion’s attention, he wasn’t sure what to say, so he just started talking. “I just want you to know that I care a lot about your sister and the last thing I want is for her to get hurt. I thought about sending her away, but I couldn’t do it; she’s brought something to my life I thought I’d never find,” he said.
“But you have to see this from my side; you’re a werewolf, and she’s a human, so it’s never going to work,” Dillion said.
“Why not?” Gabriel demanded.
“What’s going to happen when you can’t stay human, when you turn back into a wolf? Will she still want to be with you then?”
“Honestly, I don’t know,” Gabriel said, “but does that mean that I should give up the time I have, the time we have? I would never hurt her intentionally, and I’m sorry, but I can’t stop what’s already started; it would be too hard.”
He could see that he was beginning to sway Dillion when his eyes strayed over to where Natalie was standing. “I think I love her, Dillion. I promise you I’ll keep her safe; she’s the most precious thing in my life, and I don’t want to lose her any more than you do.”
Dillion turned from Natalie and looked at him. “I’ve already abandoned her once. I don’t want to do that again. I should be there for her.”
“You are, and you will be,” Gabriel said. “Just because she’s with me doesn’t mean that she doesn’t need you; she needs us all right now. This is far from over; you of all people should know that. Don’t take away what happiness she has right now.”
Dillion looked over at Bethany who was laughing and joking with Jessie. “If I leave her with you, you’d better promise to protect her like your life depends on it, because it does,” Dillion said, then turned and walked away from him.
Chapter Seventeen
***Bethany***
Bethany had been prepared for a big fight with her brother, but instead, he came over and hugged her. “It’s against my better judgment, but I’m going to leave without trying to make you come back with me. I still think you’d be safer at the farm, but if this is where you want to be, then I’ll respect your wishes.”
Bethany kissed him on the cheek, and said, “Thank you, Dillion. I really am happy here.”
“Just stay safe,” he said, hugging her again. “I’ll be back tomorrow, and we can discuss long term plans; father’s going to come after you, and we have to be ready.”
Bethany nodded, “But he’s not coming tonight; go home and get some sleep,” she said.
When her brother and the rest of the family were gone, Bethany discovered that she was nervous; she’d only been gone a few days, but so much had changed. She was thrilled with the cabin, but it made what she’d chosen to do suddenly very real, and that was a bit scary.
She felt Gabriel come up behind her, then the comforting feel of his arms going around her. “I think we need a campfire,” he said, his voice cracking a little.
Looking up at him, she realized that he was just as nervous as she was, that tonight represented so much more than a simple reunion. “That sounds nice,” she said.
Hand in hand, they walked over to the campsite, which was bare since Gabriel had moved everything over to the cabin. “I’ll build us a firepit up by the cabin, but I still like this one best,” he said, looking up at the stars and across the mountains that shone in the moonlight.
It didn’t take him long to get a warm fire burning merrily in the cold firepit, and Bethany sank down next to it grateful for its heat. Gabriel sat down next to her and pulled her into his arms and for a long time there was nothing but the sound of the fire cracking and popping.
“Do you want to talk about what happened in Nashville?” Gabriel finally asked, knowing he had to.
“Not really; you saw what happened. You know what he said. I’d rather just enjoy our first night back together,” she said.
Gabriel sighed, and pulled her a little closer. “That’s fine with me, but if you do, know that I’m always here for you.”
When the fire had burned down, Gabriel got up and walked over to the little kitchen; when he came back, he had the squash that Michelle had enchanted for them. “I think it’s time to let this all go back where it came from.”
Bethany nodded. “Just break it open and the spell will be broken,” she said, a little sad to see it all go.
“Let’s do it together,” Gabriel said, putting the squash in her hand.
They smashed it on a rock, and instantly the camp vanished, the firepit the only thing left, then they silently crossed the plateau to where the cabin was nestled in the woods. When they climbed the little porch to the door, Gabriel surprised her by scooping her up in his arms and carrying her inside.
“I think that’s supposed to be good luck,” he said, setting her down on her feet.
Bethany smiled up at him. “I hope so,” she said, then reached up to push her hair off her face, her hands shaking with nerves.
Gabriel grabbe
d her wrists and looked at her hands. “You’re shaking,” he said, placing a kiss in the center of each of her palms.
She sucked in a deep breath when his lips brushed her palms, and a rush of pleasure made her tingle and tighten deep inside. Looking up into his eyes, she said, “I’m a little nervous.”
Gabriel laughed. “Me too. But I think I know how to fix that,” he said, then lowered his mouth to hers.
Instantly, the little cabin was filled with passion as Gabriel kissed her, his tongue delving into her mouth to taste her over and over. Her body awakening under his touch as his hands roved over her body, feather light touches that made goosebumps arise on her skin.
When they finally parted, he asked, “Is that better?”
She smiled up at him, her nerves gone, and then reached for the button on his pants and said, “Not yet.”
Gabriel groaned, and she laughed seductively, tracing his erection with her finger. “But I think I might be better pretty soon,” she said.
Soon they were pulling and tugging at each other’s clothes, the shoes they’d forgotten to remove making it even more difficult. But finally, they tumbled onto the bed, Bethany on top of Gabriel, who had his mouth on hers.
She could feel his swollen member against her stomach, and a wave on anticipation washed over her. Trailing her hand down his stomach, she gripped him in her hand and began to stroke him, realizing that his skin was soft and smooth.
Before she could stop herself, she turned and sucked him into her mouth, just as surprised as he was. But only a second later, Gabriel groaned in pleasure, and she let her instincts take over.
After a few strokes of her mouth, he grew even larger and began to throb in her mouth. Moaning as pleasure washed over her, and her body began to tingle deep inside, she continued to experiment. Using her tongue and mouth, she drove Gabriel until, with a growl, he grabbed her and set her on top of him.
Her White Wolf: Wolves of Gypsum Creek (A Paranormal Romance Story) Page 10