More Than Known [Completed]

C H A P T E R E I G H T

Gabriel still went wolf. Not long after, he ran from the cafe, and I followed slowly behind. When I got out, after waddling as fast as I could, I couldn’t see him anywhere. Now I’m here, in their territory, pregnant, and lost. I mean, I haven’t walked from the cafe. But I still don’t know where this cafe is. It’s not like I took any notice when Gabriel was driving me here.

I pull my phone out my pocket, and open it seeing I have fifteen messages. The first five are from Kat, asking where I am, what I’m doing, and whether she can join. The last ten are from Chris, asking basically the same things, but wanting to know more. And I can he knows I’m with Gabriel, if he possessive, ‘Get home now’ messages are anything to go by.

I close all of them down, and call Chris back instead. I’ve got to have someone pick me up, after all. Because it doesn’t seem like Gabriel’s going to be coming back for me anytime soon. Not that I’m objecting. I think we both need some time to get our heads straight. What was I thinking? I don’t like that boy, I can’t. He’s a womanizer, and there’s no chance of him changing.

“Hello, Chris speaking.”

I smile, and pushing off the wall I was leaning against, say, “It is? Wrong number, sorry.”

“Ellie, where are you?”

I start walking down the street, towards the forest and not the houses, because if Gabriel did turn wolf, he would’ve gone this way. And though I’m not the best tracker, I might still be able to pick up on his scent a little and follow him. Sometime he’s got to turn back and go to his pack house. Therefore, if I follow him, I might end up there too.

“That’s the problem.” I pause, and then sigh. “I don’t actually know.”

“Well you’re on our territory, right?”

I sigh again, heavier this time, and reply, “Not exactly.”

“What does ‘Not exactly’ mean?”

“I’m not on our territory yet, but I’m on my way back.”

He seems to sigh, in what sounds like relief, and then he asks, “So you’re with Hale right?”

“Wrong.”

“What?”

I step into the woods, but I’m not able to pick up on his scent. It’s there, but it’s not strong, and smells older than today. It doesn’t make sense. Gabriel must have come this way, it was his only choice, but why can’t I smell him? Realisation hits, and I frown. He’s an alpha, and sometimes, when they want, they can mask their scent so no one knows they’re there. But why would he want to do that to me? Why would he leave me on my own on his territory? Realisation hits again. He’s angry, really angry, and it’s my fault.

“I was with Gabriel,” I put extra emphasis on his name. “But then he went wolf, and well, to put it simply, left me lost.”

“So, where are you? You stayed where he left you, right?”

“Wrong,” And then as an afterthought, I add, “Again.”

“Ellie-“

I stop walking, and stare at the sight in front of me. It’s not possible, there’s no way it’s them. It can’t be. I haven’t seen one for years, and now, whilst I’m in the midst of my pregnancy, they have to come back. And I have to be the one to run into them in the middle of the forest, on my own.

“Chris, has your dad got any messages from anyone to do with certain hunters?”

“No,” He’s telling the truth, I can tell. He’d never lie to me. Not without a good excuse. “Why?”

“Because about a hundred feet in front of me, there’s this kind of suspicious looking man,”

“That doesn’t tell us anything.”

I laugh, and then say, “But the gun in his hand does.”

“I have to go.”

I raise my eyebrows to the air in front of me, and beg for the man not to turn around. If he does, I can’t shift. In short, I’m dead. And there’s nothing anyone can do to help me. I’m careful to stand, my heavier than normal weight distributed between both feet so no twigs snap under me. If I catch his attention, and he turns, well, you already know what would happen.

“What?” I hiss down the phone.

“My dad, he’s calling Gabriel. Well, trying to. There’s no one picking up. I’m heading to their pack house. But I can’t stay on the phone. You’re going to have to survive on your own until someone will call you back, okay?”

“Not okay, Chris,” I don’t even pause as I carry on mumble the words, just load enough for the boy on the other line to be able to hear. “I’m panicking here.”

“I know you are.” He doesn’t know a thing. “Just, hide behind a tree or something. Don’t try to leave. Someone will be there.”

I raise my eyebrows higher, if that possible. “Don’t try and leave? Are you freaking crazy? That’s exactly what I have to do.”

“No, stay there.” He hisses back in the same tone. “My dad’s through to Gabriel. Expect a call soon.”

I start to ask him why, but the end of the lines cut off, and I know he’s hung up. I start to call him back, but something flashes on the screen. It’s an unknown number, but after letting ring, I decide to pick it up. I mean, I have this urge. Like picking up that phone, will be the right thing to do. Yet when I realise who’s on the other line, I think maybe not.

“Ellie, what the hell did you think you were doing?”

“I don’t know,” I reply, “Just the normal. I mean, when am I ever not in trouble?”

Gabriel’s breathing is heavy, and I can hear heavy footsteps running on the other line, “Ellie, can you describe to me where you are?”

“Well,” I answer in a sarcastic voice. “There are a lot of trees around.”

“I don’t really need you being sarcastic right now, Ellie. I need you to be serious. Now, is there a tree in which you could hide behind, and not be seen?”

“With this stomach,” I use the same sarcastic tone as I look around me, but then I go back to normal when I reply to him, “I think I’ve found one.”

“Good.” He pauses, and I think that’s going to be his only reply, before I hear mumbling on the other end, and realise he’s talking to someone else. I hear another voice, but can’t place it to a person. “Move to it slowly and don’t make any noise. Can you tell me where you entered the forest from?”

“The nearest entrance from the cafe,”

“I’m nearly there,” His breathing is still heavy, heavier than normal. “Just hold on one more minute.”

I start walking to the left, watching my feet, as I move towards the tree I spotted. I look up every now and then to check on the hunter, but when I reach the tree, and hide behind it, I’ve successfully done so silently because the man didn’t look up once. Some twigs snap to my right, and I turn to face that direction. I wonder whether the hunter heard that too, and I hope not, because the figure there has a frown on his face, and he looks murderous. His eyes meet mine though, and then some emotions run through them at record speed: Relief, anger, regret, fear.

He moves over to me quickly, standing only a foot in front of me, so he too is hidden behind the tree. I don’t smile when I see him, but frown. I wonder if the hunter knows we’re here or not, but I guess not, seeing as I haven’t heard any gun shots yet. And hunters think with their hands, not heads. They’ll shoot fifty shots, even if they know not one of them is going to hit.

“I’m sorry,” He whispers in my ear, looks around the tree, and then begging me with his eyes to forgive him, he repeats, “I’m so, so sorry. I shouldn’t have-“

“It’s okay, it really is, Gabriel.” The relief to see him is greater than a feeling I’ve ever felt before. But as I say that, I realise it isn’t true. I don’t forgive him. He walked out on me. He left me there on my own. And he got angry, when he had no right to. I pause, lean forward, and then whilst I touch a hand to my stomach lightly, I say, “Please, just get us out of here.”