“My sister took those yesterday. That is a picture of my mate. You know her? How? Who is she?” I was barely keeping my wolf leashed. I was strong, I had to be to be an alpha, but I was not in Gammon’s league. But he knew my mate, and my wolf did not like his apparent attitude toward our mate. I could tell he knew something and I was now determined not to leave without answers.
Instead of answering me Gammon glared at me, snarled, and left the room.
My wolf was tearing up my insides. I did not know what had just happened but Gammon recognized the female in the photos. I had never had anyone tell me the school was bad enough for any of the females to want to run away. Stormie loved the school, the location and the pack when she was here. My eyes narrowed as I realized, my mate had somehow managed to run away from this school. Gammon had somehow kept it quiet that he had lost a female. I snarled. We sent our females here to keep them safe, not get them lost or have them run away.
When Gammon returned I could not keep the snarls quiet. He glared at me as he turned to escort a female into the room with him. My snarls abruptly stopped. It was life ending move to snarl at a female around an alpha like Gammon, for that matter I would have ended someone’s life if they started snarling at one of my females. I could feel my forehead wrinkle up as I watched the female walk over to the desk and pick up the first photo. Silent tears were beginning to run down her face. My eyes widened with the common ‘oh shit she’s crying what do I do now’ syndrome all males suffer. Even Gammon had the deer in the headlight look as he took the female into his arms and starting patting her back. I began looking anywhere but at the two of them.
I heard a whispered “where did you find her? What is her name? Where is she? Will you take me to her?” Questions clearly directed at me, bringing my attention back to the two on the other side of the desk.
At the last question Gammon snarled, “No, he will not take you anywhere. Trey, this is my mate Mia.” His voice was much more gentle when he turned her face up to his, the love evident leaving me no doubt this was Gammon’s mate, “I will take you to see her. We will find out where she came from and where her parents are. This is the first lead we have had and I promised you before we would find your sister. We will find your sister, baby.”
I had not really looked at the female before but this comment brought my attention firmly to the female. I realized Gammon’s mate looked like a slightly older version of my mate. But, she asked what her name was so my mate could not be the missing sister. My brain was trying to put two and two together when it hit me. Gabby may be Gammon’s mate’s niece. Oh boy, my life just took a turn into this is either going to suck or I just hit the jackpot. No one messed with a mating. Well, no true Alpha, evidenced by the fact I had gained a new member named Donny just because he tested positive for being Sam’s niece’s mate. Otherwise Gammon would have just killed the kid.
Taking a deep breath I asked, “Do you know her? The young one in the photo, you know her?”
Gammon was the one to answer me, “Understand I am only telling you this because I am trusting you that she is indeed your mate. Well that and the fact you know where she is and I don’t. She is the spitting image of my mate and her twin when they were that age. My mate’s sister has been missing for almost twenty years. She and her mate were with another pack down south on the east coast when she got pregnant. The alpha got killed and things went pear shaped and her mate and her fled with another couple. The last we heard they were buying a property and going to raise the child away from others. We did not hear from them again. We don’t know what happened to them. But that picture, is the first clue we have had in twenty years. But, if she is your mate, why don’t you know who she is?”
I grimaced. I wish Gammon had told me this before he went and got his mate. Now I had to task of telling his mate her sister, if that was indeed who Gabby’s mother, was dead. I also gained an ally in helping me find her twin and maybe just maybe a way to keep her safe. I did not know much about what Gabby had been through but maybe an aunt in the picture would…
“What do you know?” Gammon’s gruff question interrupted my thoughts.
I took a deep breath. “She showed up in my territory a few days ago. No one knows where she came from and I can not trace the name she gave us past a couple of years ago. She said her twin is missing and,” I paused before continuing, my voice as gentle as I could make it, “I am sorry but she said she lost her parents when she was younger.”
Gammon’s wife, startled when I mentioned a missing twin, did not look very surprised at the news of the parents. Gammon looked as though he had been hit with a bat though. He looked floored. I heard her whisper to him, “I told you. I felt her die. I know you have always swore you would find her for me, but I knew she was gone.” The silent tears still slowly slid down her face and I felt as though I was interrupting a very private family situation. But if my Gabby was indeed the missing child of Gammon’s sister by mating, then I was about to become family. And I would bet that taking Gabby as my mate would result in interesting family get to-gathers.
Gammon looked up at me, “Take the boy and go back to the hotel. We will pack up a few things and join you there. May I intrude upon your territory for a few days while my mate meets your mate? You said she has a missing twin?”
I nodded, “Of course. I would be honored to host you in my territory for a few days. I would honestly love some help finding how to help my mate. We can talk more on the plane but I can tell you she is very private and extremely cautious. Secretive about where she came from or anything having to do with her history. She is not yet of age. I need to find her twin to give her some sense of family and security if I can.”
I turned to leave as I said that last bit, but I caught the wince on Gammon’s face as I turned away. He knew as well as I did what I was saying. I had an underage female wolf in my territory with no family to claim her. Well, no family yet, and somewhere out there was another one. Apparently he has lived this once already. We would have to discuss what to do about the missing twin later.
When I slid in the car I had much to think about. But first, I wanted some answers and Donny looked like the very pup to give them to me.
Chapter Thirteen
Gabriella
I woke confused. It is dark and cramped. Disoriented I try to figure out where I am. The memories of the day before come rushing in. Swallowing hard I look at my phone to see what time it is. I have to pee but that means leaving the closet. My mind taunts me with the similarities between the cramped closet and a wolf den. Taking a deep breath I try to shut the images away. I refuse to believe I am going crazy. Maybe I did not find a reason for all the events that have happened over the last few years but that does not mean a logical explanation does not exist.
Obviously I am just under a lot of stress. Probably seeing things also. I am sure there were no wolves on my porch last night. They say the brain is a complex organ and capable of incredible feats of impossibility and, who am I kidding. I so saw wolves on my porch last night. I certainly got a phone call from two men who knew Stormie was crying in my cabin though neither man should have known that. The wolf I saw at the store smells like the men chasing me. I heard the words pack a few too many times yesterday. The wolf on my porch last night was certainly guarding my cabin from something. And Stormie and her mother both smell like Nanny.
Google is my friend and I am going to use it to research a few things. I need to make a list. I take a few deep breaths and slowly ease my closet door open after listening to see if I could hear anything. I stop, looking around I find my taser and pepper spray. Sticking my phone in my pocket I hold the taser with one hand and the spray with the other. I peer into the bedroom and slowly ease out of the closet. Stopping every few few to listen I ease toward the front of the cabin. As I move the curtain slowly to the side I pray the porch is empty. I gulp when I see the wolves asleep on my porch. I think I will stay inside today. I slide the spray and taser in my bag.
After I visit the bathroom I gather my notebook up and curl up on my couch to start making a list. I lean forward and shrug out my go bag. How sad is it that I was not bothered by sleeping with a back pack on my back and even managed to go to the bathroom without thinking about it. I have been on the run too long.
I am going to need several lists I think. The first list needs to be a list of, I pause, honestly, I don’t know where to start. I sit, silent, lost in my thoughts. Chewing on my pen I taste something foul. Looking down I realize I have chewed completely through my pen and now I have a mess to clean up.
After darting a look toward my front door and back to my bag I realize I am torn. A part of me wants to slip the bag back on before I leave the area to clean up the ink while another part of me seems to feel safe with the wolves guarding my cabin. I snort, how crazy have I become that wolves on the porch gives me a sense of safety? Giving my go bag one last look, I am barely even leaving the room so surely I do not need my go bag to walk a few feet to clean up the ink, I get up.
After cleaning my mouth out and brushing my teeth I realize how grungy I feel so I hop in the shower. If I have to run at least I will be clean. In no time I am back on the couch, clean and ready to tackle my hallucinations. I hop back up and ease over to the window. Peering out I sigh, maybe hallucinations is not the right word for the wolves on the porch. Shoulders slumped I sit back down and tackle the lists. The first list is just a list of what other lists I am going to need.
Soon I am deep in the past as I try to remember everything that could have been a clue to the crazy my life has become. Little things I never thought about, like the guy in the alley who could not see as well as I could see. Uncle Josh and his little pup comment come to mind. I draw in a deep breath and slowly release it. First order of business, see how well people should be able to see. I can see perfectly at night as long as there is a little bit of light. But is that normal? I have never had reason to believe it was not. Trina and I, and even Nanny and Uncle Josh had no problems moving about in the dark. But over the years I have met many people and they did not seem to be able to see at night like I can. I mark this down as something to research.
I think about the phone call the day before. How did two men, one I had never met, know Stormie was crying in my cabin? Since David is Stormie’s mate, and that is another thing, Stormie definitely used the word mate not boyfriend or husband. I think back on the conversation, yep, she said mate. Eyes narrowed I replay the conversation in my mind. For a moment I am stumped but really, what do I know about relationships and the various terms people may use. I shrug and make a note to look up whether a boyfriend or husband or mate can feel when the other is upset. Being a twin I can not even feel Trina crying. Sometimes I have had a sense of wrongness, even growing up, but usually it was when Trina had gotten hurt. Like the time she dropped a knife and cut herself. I felt something wrong that day, but I had no idea what was wrong. Maybe marriage changed things between two people and, I stopped as I realized, that would not explain the brother calling. Unless, maybe Stormie was a twin. But no, she said she had never met twins before so she can’t be one.
Hours later I lean back and start trying to stretch. I had not realized just how many little things seemed normal until someone introduced a rabbit hole. I look around me at the small cozy cabin. My stomach rumbles reminding me I have not eaten today. Achy from sitting in one place for so many hours I realize I have not even opened google to start my research. Pages and pages of research ideas, a jumble of memories and questions, fill the notebook. The throbbing in my neck has me reaching up to rub the stiffness away. So intent on the past and the questions filling my head I never noticed how stiff and sore I was getting. Struggling to get up I hobble my way to the bathroom. I hope a hot shower will help with the stiffness.
Standing in the shower, hot water cascading down on my body I realize I never even thought of my go bag when I got up. I did not check if the two wolves were still on my porch. I can not believe these two thoughts never crossed my mind. Despite the hot water I shiver as I wonder if I am getting too comfortable here in spite of the craziness. It could have been five minutes or fifteen minutes later when I shook myself from my daydream of having a safe place to call home, with people around me who cared about me.
Drying off I look around the bathroom. Whoever built this place built it for comfort. The bathroom had both a shower and a garden tub. The entire cabin was beautiful but the bathroom was incredible. I could feel my eyes widen as I realized I was staring at a door. If I had not been admiring the room so much I would never have noticed the door. The walls had a mural designed to look like an underwater scene and my attention had been on one particular section of the mural. The door blended in so well it was hard to see. The small knob was actually an eye for a fish. Reaching out my hand confirmed what my eyes saw. I slowly turned the handle. What an interesting way to hide a closet I thought just as the door swung open.
Dropping the towel I gasp and jerk back from the door. That was not a closet. I slammed the door closed as I raced into the bedroom to grab some clothes. Dressing in what may have been record time, and that is saying something considering how long I had been on the run, I grab my flashlight and return to the bathroom. I have no idea where the stairs go but I am going to find out. I notice my hand trembling as I reach for the small knob again. What if this is another way into the cabin. I can not feel safe until I know where the stairs lead.
The flashlight stabs through the darkness showing me a concrete floor at the bottom of the steps. I flip the light off and quickly back on. I can see well in the dark as long as a little light exist, but without the flashlight the only light is the light from the bathroom and it does not go much past the bottom of the stairs. I start easing my way down the stairs trying to shine my light everywhere at once. When I reach the bottom I see an empty room. I shine my light around and notice a small bathroom, open to the rest of the room in the corner. I notice a light switch on the wall and I flip it on. I feel my forehead begin to furrow in confusion as I try to understand why there is an empty concrete room underneath my cabin with only a bathroom. Not even an enclosed bathroom but one open to the rest of the room. A shower and tub combination in one corner with a toilet beside it and a sink beside that. I look around, going around each wall looking for anymore hidden doors.
After I have been around the room twice I am satisfied no other doors exist. I still have not figured out why the bathroom upstairs just leads to a bathroom downstairs in a large concrete room. The bathroom even worked, I know because I flushed the toilet and checked the sink and tub. Shrugging I realize I will have to ask the old man if I really want to know. With everything else going on I really do not care if they were building another room downstairs and never finished or if they were hiding a vampire down here. Flipping the light back off I start back up. Halfway up the stairs I pause. I feel myself get lightheaded and I almost drop the flashlight as I whirl around to look back down the stairs. My rapid breathing sounds loud in the empty room. Gulping I give one last look down the stairs before I rush up the remaining steps. Slamming the door, I look frantically around trying to find something to block the door with. When I realize what I am doing I snort. Trying to calm my breathing I wonder for the hundredth time if I am going crazy.
If there was a vampire living in the cabin he had days to get me. I try to convince myself vampires are not real. I have to focus. Taking a deep breath and slowly exhaling I try to reason with myself. There is no reason to take my crazy to an entirely different level than the one I am on. One level of crazy at a time. Focus on the wolves and do not bring vampires into the mix. Everyone knows vampires do not exist. My laughter sounds a bit hysterical to me.
I wobble as I make my way back to the kitchen. I have not eaten since yesterday. My hands are still trembling as I take out the noodles and sauce from the day before. Hopefully after I get a hot meal in my stomach I will feel better.
Chapter Fourteen
Trey
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“What do you mean not in the school?” I narrowed my eyes as I glared over at Donny. Of all the things he could have said nothing could have surprised me more than what he had just told me.
“I mean, the females are not in the school. What, you think just because they have some fancy building they call a boarding school that they keep all the females locked inside?”
Considering this was pretty much what I thought I was stunned. “And you know this how, exactly?”
He snorted. “You heard the jerk say I have a mate there.”
Before he could say another word I backhanded him. Stupid young punk. How Gammon managed not to kill him with that attitude was amazing. I could not wait to see Sam’s face when I handed him off. And I was going to hand him off to Sam. After I beat his ass.
Gabby (Safe Haven Wolves Book 1) Page 10