Chapter Three
I had heard before that the town pack was one of the largest in the panhandle of Oklahoma, but I didn’t believe it until I finally saw just how many wolves surrounded Gabriel and I as he led me to his father’s cabin. I was never blind to the burning hatred in their eyes as they watched me pass, and fear coiled in the pit of my stomach. If these wolves were to attack me, would Gabriel protect me? Maybe he would just find another suicidal witch to do the ritual and let his pack eat me for breakfast.
I frowned at my own thoughts and turned my eyes to Gabriel, taking in his handsome face and godly body. I had him pressed up my body only an hour ago, and now it seemed like it had never happened. What had even happened in my bedroom? Gabriel had insisted that I bewitched him, but nothing I said could assure him that it wasn’t the case. Even I knew that magic had nothing to do with that sort of instant attraction.
“Are you alright?” My cheeks heated as his eyes snapped to me. I had been caught staring, and I was sure that he wasn’t the only one that noticed. There were smirks among the crowd, accompanied by nasty glares. I shuddered thinking about how many of the women of this pack were attracted to the man at my side. How many of them would be willing to skin me just to get lose to him?
I turned my eyes from him and shrugged slightly, heart hammering away in my chest. I took a deep breath and mumbled quiet enough that only he would hear me. “I guess, but I have a feeling that I could die very, very soon. And if I die on your watch, I swear I will come back and haunt you.” I blushed harder when Gabriel let out a loud laugh and shook his head at me.
“Nothing is going to happen to you here. Anyone that attacks you while you are on our land risks execution by my own hand. You are here to save our leader, therefore, no one here can touch you.” We came to a stop at one of the cabins and Gabriel gave me a troubled look before opening the door. “Although, I am surprised that I have not seen my brothers yet. They must be out hunting.”
I swallowed hard and followed him into the cabin, closing the door and locking it behind me. To say that I did not trust these werewolves would be an understatement. “But what if they come after me when I leave your land? You never said I would be safe then.” He frowned harder, a line forming between his perfect eyebrows.
“I didn’t think about that.” He mumbled, trailing off as his cheeks flushed slightly. Frustration built up inside of me and I had to fight to keep from lashing out at Gabriel. “I could stay with you for a few days, make sure that they don’t get any ideas.”
I laughed incredulously. “Do you really think that will keep them from coming back after you are gone? Gabriel, I will not sit by and become dog chow.” He turned him back to me, scratching the back of his head, before answering.
“Maybe I could help you settle down somewhere else. Somewhere out of our territory where my pack wouldn’t think to find you.” I didn’t answer, knowing that this was probably my only option. Suddenly, Gabriel stiffened and whirled around. “Or, you could live on the outskirt of our land. Since the pack can’t hurt you while you are on our land, you just won’t leave. But the choice is up to you.”
I sighed and rubbed my temples harshly, trying to rub away the dull ache that was forming behind them. “We can talk about this after I save your father. I need time to think about my options. Where are your herbs?”
* * * *
Xavier Wolfsbane looked into my eyes and wheezed slightly, his pale skin seeming to grow even more ashen as the seconds ticked by. He swallowed hard and brought a shaky hand up to wipe at his brow. “Is it almost ready?” He croaked, looking to Gabriel and then back to me. I smiled and nodded gently as I prepared the blood, mixing it together with a sprig of rosemary.
“Are you sure about this? Once we bind ourselves together, there is no going back. If I die, you will die. And the same will happen to me if something happens to you. If you want to change your mind, now is the time.” I raised the goblet in my hands, motioning for Gabriel to help his father sit up.
Xavier cried out and grunted in pain, eyes focusing on my hands. “I must do this. I have responsibilities that have to be taken care of before I can pass.” He looked to Gabriel and frowned slightly. “My son, my heir, must have his wife before he can become alpha.” Gabriel’s cheeks reddened slightly, but otherwise he acted as if he hadn’t been listening to the exchange of words.
“I understand, sir.” I said, feeling a pang of jealousy deep in my chest. I pushed the emotion aside and smiled at the alpha slowly. “You will drink from this goblet, as will I. By morning, your illness will be gone and we will be bound.”
He grumbled and nodded. I slowly brought the cup to his lips, tilting it until the blood ran past his lips. A gurgling sound came from his throat and he gagged, struggling to get the blood down. Gabriel looked to me, panicking as he held his father’s body in an upright position. “What is happening? Talia?”
“The blood is seeping into his system. He is in no danger.” I answered coolly, before taking a drink from the goblet myself. Just as Xavier had, I felt a hot surge down my throat and throughout my body. I winced, feeling my heart beat harder as it fell into beat with Xavier’s. His head snapped to the left and his silver hair spilled over his pillow.
He groaned to himself. “Fuck, that hurts.” The goblet fell from my hands and I clutched my head in both hands, slamming my eyes shut to block out the pain. Slowly, it began to subside and I relaxed, my eyes opening slowly. “Is that all?”
“Yes. As I told Gabriel, the spell is a simple one.” I leaned down and picked the goblet back up, handing it to Gabriel. I frowned to myself, remembering something from earlier. “Did your son tell you about the man that attacked me?”
The alpha coughed and shook his head, leaning back against the pillows again. “Yes. I do not know who sent him after you, or even how he found out about you. I did not even know about you, or this ritual until tonight.” He cleared his throat again and blinked several times. “I think we are looking at my former beta as a suspect, but I can not be too sure. He went off the grid a couple of months ago, and we have not been able to track him down. I fear that he has either gone rogue, or has been killed.”
I thought about that for a moment and frowned. “That is strange. I have not ever read, or even heard about, your kind getting mixed up with demons. The man that attacked me tonight had eyes that were pure white, no irises at all. And he was oddly strong and fast.” Xavier rubbed his forehead again, closing his eyes as if he were thinking.
“Our kind do not work with demons. I have never even imagined such a thing. Maybe Liam truly is dead, but if that is the case, we will need to know for sure and perform a formal ceremony.” Gabriel nodded curtly and let his eyes wander back to mine as his father continued to speak. “Thank you, Talia Nightraven. You have done the pack a great service. You are free to stay on our lands under my protection for as long as you need. If anyone tries to harm you, come straight to me. But I think you will be fine, considering that if you die, I die as well.” Xavier gave me a playful smirk and leaned back into the pillows, coughing slightly.
Gabriel stood, gently brushing back his father’s hair. “Talia will stay on my cabin tonight, Father. No harm will befall her tonight. I shall watch over her until the bond is cemented, and I will keep Gavin and Grant away from her.” Xavier laughed in response.
“You do that, son.” With a crook of his wrinkled finger, Xavier motioned for Gabriel to lean in closer and whispered into his ear. I couldn’t hear what was said, but from the shocked look on Gabriel’s face, it was probably a good thing that I didn’t hear it. As Gabriel pulled away, the alpha laughed again. “Alright, you go get something to eat and get her into the shelter of your cabin. I don’t trust some of the pups.”
I smiled before Gabriel could answer for me. “I assure you, Sir. I can handle myself, should I be put in any danger.” An image of the man I killed earlier flashed through my head, and I paled. Gabriel pressed his lips into a tight line, even as his father just continued to laugh.
“I do not doubt that. I do not doubt that at all.” With that, Gabriel took me by my hand and lead me out of the alpha’s cabin and into the night. I caught a glance of the full moon and shuddered. How safe would I be on werewolf lands until the sun came up?