Chapter Six
Gabriel folded his arms over his chest as he faced off with the sorcerer. He’d placed himself between the man and Autumn, a feeling of unease creeping up his spine at the unexpected visit. Autumn hadn’t mentioned anything about knowing the sorcerer, yet he’d greeted her with a familiarity that Gabriel found set his teeth on edge. The sorcerer might have helped the pack, might be close to Aislinn, but that didn’t mean Gabriel trusted him completely.
“I’m not here to hurt her.” The sorcerer scowled. “Can we sit down so we can talk? Or are you going to stand there like a guard dog all night?”
“Fine,” Gabriel bit out, motioning to the living room. “Make yourself at home.”
After the sorcerer settled into a chair, Gabriel ushered Autumn into the room, settling her onto the sofa next to him. He didn’t like being blindsided by this visit and wondered if Autumn knew anything about it. She hadn’t seemed surprised when the sorcerer had rung the bell. That alone was surprising, as the man usually just popped up wherever he pleased.
“Has Autumn told you why I’m here?” Eric asked.
Gabriel cast a glance at Autumn. “No, she hasn’t.”
“Marin asked Aislinn to contact me earlier today after a conversation that took place during lunch. I’m assuming you’re aware of Autumn’s fae heritage? That she’s the granddaughter of the king, like your mate was?”
Gabriel nodded.
“What you don’t know is that all of the king’s children have been murdered in the past two years. The light fae are in control of the fairy kingdom right now, but there was a time that wasn’t so. There are dark fae, outcasts who lives in the shadows of their world. These outcasts have staged an uprising and have been taking out one royal after another.”
“Am I the last Halfling of my line?” Autumn asked.
“I spoke with a few Halflings and while they knew about the king’s family, they weren’t aware of your existence. They thought the line was going to die out with the king.”
“So it’s possible there are others?” Gabriel asked.
“My sources tell me that Autumn is the last of her line.”
Gabriel had a bad feeling. “Do the outcasts know about her? Is she in danger?”
Eric looked at Autumn before returning his gaze to Gabriel. “If they kill the king and their leader is unable to claim the crown, they’ll know there’s one last heir. It will only be a matter of time before they track her down.”
“First demons now fairies,” Gabriel muttered. “How hard could it be to kill a pixie?”
Eric lifted an eyebrow. “You’d be surprised how hard they are to kill. Remember those spelled blades you needed for the demons? You’ll need more, but this time angels won’t be able to help you. You’ll need the blades blessed by a high mage.”
“And where the hell am I supposed to find one of those?”
“I know of one,” Eric said, “but getting him to help may not be so easy. He’s hidden himself away in the Himalayas, refusing to see anyone who comes to visit. Because of my status, I may be able to gain an audience with him, but getting him to come here and bless a bunch of weapons? That’s another matter.”
“What do we do in the meantime?” Gabriel asked.
Eric looked at Autumn. “Are you mated?”
She shook her head.
Eric didn’t look pleased with her answer. “That’s not a good thing right now.”
“Why?” Gabriel asked.
“If she’s not mated, the leader of the outcasts could gain control of the throne by marrying her. With her people, her consent is not necessary. They could kidnap her and do a ritual that would bind her to the new king.” Eric frowned. “That’s not even the worst of it. Once crowned, the king would no longer need her. She isn’t necessary for him to hold his position once he’s in possession of the throne.”
“So he could kill her.” A growl rumbled in Gabriel’s chest and up through his throat.
“Yes.”
“And if I’m mated?” Autumn asked.
“It’s possible they would come after your mate first. Marrying you would be far easier for them than killing you. As a royal descendent, you aren’t exactly easy to kill. Not even with your Halfling status.”
“But all the other royals…” She looked perplexed.
“It takes a long time to kill a royal,” Eric said. “It’s a long, slow process, but it can be done. You don’t want them to capture you. I know about your past. That was a cake walk compared to what they would do to you.”
“So even if she’s mated she isn’t safe?” Gabriel asked.
“Not unless she’s expecting. The fae love babies, any babies. Even an outcast wouldn’t think of harming a child. For as long as the child needed her, she would be safe.”
“Giving us time to defeat them, but only if they come to our territory. We can’t exactly enter their realm to wipe them out.” Gabriel frowned. “So the trick would be to lure them here, without them knowing she was expecting?”
Autumn cleared her throat. “I’m not mated, much less carrying a baby. Aren’t we putting the cart before the horse? These things take time.”
“I guess after your past experience you would be opposed to an arranged mating,” Eric said.
“It wouldn’t be my first choice.” Autumn frowned. “Not to mention, I’m not about to jump into bed with someone I don’t know, whether they’re my mate or not.”
“We’ll go with the first plan for now. I’ll contact the high mage and seek his help.” Eric rose. “I’ll try to return in a few days, but it may take longer.”
The sorcerer disappeared without another word, leaving Gabriel and Autumn alone.
“You need a mate,” he said.
“Why don’t we wait and see what he says when he returns? I’d rather fight than end up in another loveless relationship.”
“Fine. We’ll wait. But you’re not leaving this house on your own anymore. It isn’t safe. If I’m not with you, I want one of my brothers or cousins around.”
“Gabriel, I…”
He held up a hand. “It isn’t negotiable, Autumn. Your safety is my priority. You heard him. They could come for you at any time. Even without a blessed blade, a wolf would have a better time fighting one off than you would.”
“You’re right. Until I fall in love, I won’t receive my powers.”
“We’re going to assume the outcasts know you don’t have a way to defend yourself. I don’t like this, Autumn. You’re vulnerable.”
“I won’t mate someone I’m not in love with, Gabriel. I want what Kiera and you had. Please understand that. I don’t want to go my whole life wondering what it would be like to find the kind of love I write about in my books. I’m tired of dreaming about it. Is it so wrong that I want to experience that?”
He sighed. “No, it isn’t. But if your mate isn’t in this pack, I don’t know what we’ll do. What if you’re meant to be paired with another fae? Or another Halfling?”
“I don’t think Grandfather would have sent me to live with wolves if that were the case. He must have believed my mate was part of a pack. I just chose the wrong one before.”
“Then I guess you’ll have to meet the males in the pack.” For some reason, Gabriel didn’t like that idea too much. He’d only met Autumn yesterday, but he already liked having her in the house and spending time with her. He’d found her to be funny and entertaining, two things that had been lacking in his life lately.
“I don’t know that I’m ready for that.”
“I’ll be beside you every step of the way,” he assured her. “You have nothing to fear from my pack. I doubt that Connor would let just anyone join the pack. Ramsey would have done research into their backgrounds before they were allowed to move here and would have reported those details to Connor.”
“But what if their packs lied? I’m scared to ask what mine said.”
“Would talking to Connor make you feel better?”
“Yo
u said Ramsey did the research. I think I’d prefer to speak with him, if that’s okay?”
Gabriel nodded. “I’ll call Ramsey and order some pizza while I’m at it. He can stay for dinner if he wants, although he may prefer to return to his mate, who is expecting their first child soon, I believe. I’m a little out of the loop though.”
“Thank you, Gabriel.”
He rose and walked into the kitchen, pulling the pizza delivery number out of the drawer. He placed an order for three larges, just in case Ramsey decided to stick around. He figured they could always put the leftovers away for lunch tomorrow if they didn’t eat everything. Then he called Ramsey. The wolf was only too happy to help and said he was on his way. When Gabriel returned to the living room, Autumn was curled into the corner of the sofa watching TV.
“Anything good on?” he asked.
She wrinkled her nose. “Not really.”
“Ramsey is on his way and should be here in about five or ten minutes.”
Gabriel pulled the afghan off the back of the sofa and spread it over her legs before claiming the seat next to her. Taking care of Autumn felt natural and he wondered what he’d do when she moved out with her mate. Assuming they could find her one. For her sake, he hoped her mate was part of the pack. It would buy them some much needed time to find the outcasts and put an end to the rebellion. But with Autumn being the only living heir, he wasn’t sure what that meant for her children. Would one of them be called to rule over the fairies one day? Would Autumn herself be called? He couldn’t imagine a wolf giving up his life in this realm to live amongst fairies, but he supposed anything was possible.
When the doorbell rang, he went to answer it, welcoming Ramsey.
“You have some questions for me, alpha?” Ramsey asked.
He motioned toward the living room. “Autumn does.”
“I don’t know a lot about her. She’s new to the pack and hasn’t really joined many of the get togethers. I’ll tell you what I know.”
Gabriel reclaimed his seat next to Autumn and motioned for Ramsey to take the chair nearby.
“Hello, Autumn,” Ramsey said.
“Hi,” she said, sounding bashful. Gabriel hadn’t seen this side of her before and wondered if she reacted to all men that way.
“I hear you have some questions for me?” Ramsey smiled. “I don’t know much, but I’m willing to tell you anything I can.”
“I just wondered what my pack said about me when I requested to join you.” She fiddled with the fringe on the blanket.
Ramsey leaned forward, bracing his arms on his knees. “Your case was an unusual one. When I called to speak with your alpha, he was surprised you had asked to join us. In fact, he didn’t want to let you go. He claimed there was a mate lined up for you, but the way he said it, made it sound like an arranged mating.”
“It would have been,” she said softly. “He forced me to mate Perry and I had no doubts he would do it again.”
“I take it that it wasn’t a happy mating?” Ramsey asked.
She shook her head and glanced at Gabriel.
“You can tell him,” Gabriel said. “Ramsey is our pack enforcer. You’re as safe with him as you are with the family.”
She took a breath and explained about her relationship with Perry and the abuse she’d suffered at his hands. Told him about the pack’s dynamics and the alpha’s reaction when she’d tried to get help. Ramsey’s countenance grew darker and darker with every word that fell from her lips. Gabriel found himself fisting his hands, his anger rising as well. Hearing the tale the first time had been bad enough.
“I’m glad I went with my gut and suggested Connor accept you into the pack,” Ramsey said. “Something didn’t feel right with the alpha I spoke with.”
“I’m glad you did too,” Autumn said.
“Did you do a more in-depth background check on the males we accepted?” Gabriel asked, worried about Autumn’s selection of a possible mate.
“With the exception of Autumn, everyone was thoroughly vetted. We checked with their alphas, their families, spoke with close friends. We even asked employers about their character. I’d gladly stand beside anyone in this pack. After the incident with Harper, I wasn’t taking any chances. I’m not about to let a bad apple slip through the cracks, not if I can help it.” Ramsey’s lips thinned. “And if someone screws up, heaven help them because I’m going to come up with the most creative, horrifying punishment I can think of.”
Gabriel nodded, satisfied for the moment. How he’d feel when faced with all of those single males was another story. He knew how horny single wolves could be. If he even thought they were eyeing Autumn like a prime slab of meat, he’d knock their heads off. She deserved someone who would respect her, listen to her, watch over her.
“What’s this about?” Ramsey asked. “You’ve been in seclusion for months and now I hear that Autumn is living with you and you’re suddenly asking about the new pack members. Are you back with us again?”
“I’m working on it. Since Autumn needs a mate, I guess I’ll be venturing out of the house a bit more than I had planned at first. Anyone who hopes to snag her will have to go through me first.”
Ramsey studied him a moment and Gabriel wasn’t sure he liked the wolf’s look. He could see the gears turning and wondered what it was Ramsey saw. Or thought he saw. Maybe he should explain things a bit better?
“Only the family knows this, but Autumn is Kiera’s cousin,” Gabriel said. “She’s staying here because she’s family and I promised to watch over her.”
Ramsey looked Autumn over. “I guess I can see it. Around the eyes maybe.”
“She’s her own person and is to be treated as such,” Gabriel said. “But she’s also to be treated with the respect you would give anyone in my family.”
“Think you should pass that along?” Ramsey asked.
“Not yet. I don’t want wolves coming forward to be her mate just because they want to be part of the alphas’ family. They’d gain both Connor and me as cousins, making them related to both alphas. I don’t want this to be a popularity contest.”
Autumn reached over and took Gabriel’s hand. “I’ll be fine, Gabriel. I’m sure there are plenty of respectable wolves in the pack who would never think of doing such a thing.”
“Better safe than sorry,” he muttered.
“With her staying here, you might have trouble finding her a mate,” Ramsey said. “At least, without telling them she’s family. If they knew she was a cousin by marriage, then that would change things.”
Gabriel shook his head. “I don’t want them to know the connection until I know for sure they want her for her, and not because she’s related to the alphas.”
“Fair enough.” Ramsey stood. “If you don’t need me for anything else, Harper was going to hold dinner for me. Since she’s eating for two, I don’t want to keep her waiting.”
“Of course. Thank you for stopping by.” Gabriel got up and followed Ramsey to the door, letting the wolf out. “If there are any single males you think stand out more than the others, I’d appreciate it if you’d let me know.”
“I’ll review my files and get back to you. But there’s one I know right away you could trust with your life, and that’s Deacon. He’s a bit older than her, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. There’s an age difference between Harper and me and our relationship has worked out just fine.”
Gabriel nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Ramsey smiled and headed down the stairs. Gabriel shut the door and returned to Autumn’s side. She’d returned her attention to the television and was flipping channels again. He watched her and wondered why he wasn’t jumping at the chance to introduce her to Deacon. He was familiar with the wolf and believed Ramsey when he said the man was trustworthy. But something held him back. As Gabriel analyzed his thoughts and reaction to the situation, he realized that no one would ever be good enough for Autumn. He didn’t understand it, but he felt close to her already
and he didn’t want to let her go.
It was a ridiculous thought, of course. He would have to let her go when she found her mate. It wasn’t like he could move them both into his home. It would show favoritism. Besides, she would want a place of her own. And yet, the thought of not sitting with her in the evenings, not sharing a meal with her, left him feeling empty again. He hadn’t felt empty since she’d shown up on his doorstep. If she left, he was worried he’d go back into hiding. He told himself that’s all it was, but there was a small part of him that didn’t believe that.
He studied her profile. Her long auburn hair hung in waves down past her shoulders to the middle of her back. Her nose was long and straight, but tipped up on the end just the tiniest bit. He’d noticed she had a tendency to nibble on her full lower lip, the top a perfect cupid’s bow. Her face was softly rounded, her cheeks blooming with color. Gabriel’s gaze took in the rest of her. She was more endowed than Kiera had been, but her ample bosom was proportionate to the rest of her. Her stomach was rounded, her hips were flared. There was the smallest indentation where her waist nipped in a bit on the sides. Her figure wasn’t quite an hourglass, but she definitely had curves. She was petite like Kiera, barely reaching his shoulder even in the high heeled boots she’d worn that morning.
Hell. He didn’t understand how, or why, but he was attracted to her. He still loved Kiera, and knew he always would, but he couldn’t deny the warmth he felt when he was in Autumn’s presence. Maybe his alpha senses had been out of whack, but the longer he looked at her the more certain he became that she was meant to be part of their pack. Even more startling was the clarity that she was supposed to be part of his family.
No. He wouldn’t go there. Couldn’t go there. Kiera and Radha had only been buried four months ago. If he ever moved on, he would wait at least a year or two, give himself a proper amount of time to grieve their loss. He would just have to fight the attraction he felt for Autumn and help her find a nice, safe mate. Someone who wouldn’t break her heart, who could love her one day. Surely he was capable of doing that.
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