Factors of Change

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

My cellphone battery had died.

I cursed myself, as I stood in the packed metro train on the way home after work the next day. Keeping one arm hooked around the metal handrail, I stared down at the dark, blank screen of my useless cellphone. I had to admit that at first I wasn’t too surprised that Gabriel hadn’t called all day: a lot of people don’t call immediately after a first date. A lot of people do, though. And now I was thinking that maybe he had called, and of course my phone was dead.

You didn’t call him either, an annoyed voice reminded me in my mind. I shut my wolf out, however, and stuffed my dead phone in my purse with a huff. She was right, though. I did have his number. And he had the excuse of being a busy man.

I quickly stepped out of the train and made my way through the small crowd and up the station stairs to reach the street. Rain was pouring outside and I hurried up to cross the street and reach my home. I dropped purse and shoes by the door as I went inside, and went straight to my bedroom to plug my phone in.

I watched anxiously as the phone came to life and the provider’s logo popped up on the screen. “If he hasn’t called, I will,” I whispered to myself, waiting for the phone to load. Then it dinged, and I smiled as it told me I had a missed call and a voice mail. I pressed the button and brought the plugged phone to my ear.

“Hello, Leah,” Gabriel’s accented voice came, deep and calm; I shivered at the sound of it. “It is… almost five, so you probably are on your way home. I really am sorry I could not call earlier.” There were voices behind him, sounds of people chatting, as if he was in a restaurant of some sort. “I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciated our night out yesterday, and that I would very much like to see you again soon. Please call me back, so that we can plan it, alright? I will speak to you soon.” He hung up, and I glanced at the clock. Five thirty. Not too long. I pressed the call button, and held the phone against my shoulder as it rang, shrugging off my wet cardigan and tossing it into the hamper while I waited.

He picked up on the third ring. “Oui allo?”

“Hello Gabriel,” I said, sitting down on my bed.

“Leah, hi,” he replied, and I could hear the smile in his voice. He was still in the same loud place, but the voices faded slightly as he probably walked away from his group. “Have you gotten my message?”

“I just did. Thank you.”

“What for?” he asked with a chuckle.

“I liked my evening too,” I explained, leaning back to lie down on my mattress. “I would really much like to go out with you again, Gabriel.”

“That is very good to know,” he said slowly, and paused briefly. “When can I see you, Leah? Do you have any plans for the rest of the week?”

“Not much. I’m having lunch with a friend tomorrow.” I suddenly remembered something. “Oh and some camping at the lake this weekend. Will you be at the compound?”

He laughed softly. “Where the pack goes, I go,” he pointed out. “And pretty much the whole pack is at the compound on weekends. Yes, I will most likely be there.”

I chuckled. He was right, though; with the coming of the nice weather and the summer approaching, every wolf that did not work on weekends would move their family to the lake for two days. Summer vacations would be spent there, as well. “Will I see you there, then?”

“It is only Wednesday,” he pointed out. “I would like to see you before that.” That was certainly a pleasing answer and was about to say something when I heard someone else’s voice close by on the phone, raised in interrogation. The sound was muffled for a second, and Gabriel sighed. “I have to go, Leah. I am that sorry.”