🐺💣🔪 #MY_BLACK_KNIGHT 🔪💣🐺
🎴Happen 46 (L)
As Produced By Sheriff Squinty
Theme: First k!ss
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“So, about Raziel….” I started, noting that Gabriel’s expression instantly bec@m£ guarded. So he didn’t want to talk about the Angel’s revelation, then. It must’ve indeed been personal.
“I’ll tell you, just not now,” Gabriel replied after a minute of silence in which I waited expectantly. “I’m not even sure what to do with the information yet.”
Despite my insatiable curiosity, I just nodded. It wasn’t my right to push him, even though I wanted him to open up about it. I had to respect his privacy on the issue if it was that big of a deal.
“Wait, if you’re here, where did Raziel go?”
“He’s still going over the pages, and we will st©p by on the way out. He ha-rd ly had any information for me to begin with.”
“Oh.”
“Are you going to start eating?”
I glanced down; I’d been waiting for Gabriel to get his food.
“You don’t have to wait on me.”
It was as if he had re-ad my thoughts. Tentatively I began to much on my fries, aware of his eyes on me.
Now I felt awkward. I tried not to openly fidget in my seat. Truth was, I had a whirlwind of emotion raging throu-gh my head and I didn’t even know where to begin. There was so much unexplored territory between Gabriel and I but he was very difficult to approach.
Taking a large bite of my burger, my eyes strayed to the happy couple and their small child they’d been spoon-feeding earlier. They were standing up and preparing their things to leave. As I watched, the man threw his arms around the woman’s slim shoulders, chuckling about something. He looked so carefree. I could never imagine such a carefree expression on Gabriel’s face.
Come to think of it, I had never even seen him smile. I’d never seen a sm-irk, a slight upwards tilt of the mouth…nothing. Even being around me had never made him smile. How depressing.
I shoved another fry in my mouth with more f0rç£ than was necessary as the waitress finally brou-ght Gabriel’s plate to him. She thought she was being sneaky while she ogled my Mate but my eyes caught it and I scowled darkly as she walked away.
Gabriel started to eat in silence and I tossed glances his way while we ate. For some reason, I still felt extremely jittery and even more nervous around him than normal. bu-tterflies were erupting in my stomach and I was sure my cheeks were a light shade of pink.
*
Hall Of Supernatural Stories
*
We finished the rest of our food quic-kly and the waitress brou-ght the check. I pu-ll-ed out my wallet from my jeans and fished around for a few bills, but Gabriel’s ha-rd glare st©pped me.
“I’ll pay for it.”
“You don’t have to-” I began to protest, although I felt warmth blo-ssom inside of me at his gesture.
His eyes narrowed slightly. “You honestly think I’d make you pay for your own food?”
Without waiting for my response he pu-ll-ed out couple of twenties, leaving a decent amount for the waitress (although I wouldn’t have cared if he didn’t ti-p at all). As he indicated that it was time to go, I tried to keep the bright grin from my face.
“Thank you,” I said softly, a little shy as he led me towards the restaurant’s entrance. Gabriel glanced at me and his eyes fli-ckered briefly with some indescribable emotion while we walked back to the cafe at an almost leisurely pace. My stomach was plea-santly full and I ru-bbe-d it abs£ntmindedly, my thoughts returning to their earlier subject. Gabriel. Of course my mind would never stray from him.
To my surprise, Raziel was packing up the pages of Angel writing when we returned to Ginger’s Cafe. Gabriel glanced at him questioningly and he smiled ti-ghtly. “Too many humans in one place,” he said, very quietly. “I’m going to return to my motel room and continue from there. I’ll contact you the usual way.”
He spoke to Gabriel another brief moment before turning to me, looking me up and down contemplatively. “I haven’t forgotten you, Skylar. Gabriel told me everything that has happened, and Cain’s interest in your blood. I’ll look into it.” He placed a large, strong hand on my shoulder. “Take care.”
“You too. Thank you.”
With a few more p@rting words, Raziel left, easily blending into the crowd of pas-serby as he exited the cafe. Gabriel and I trudged back towards the pack village without further ado. The air between us was tense as usual, and I could not st©p fidgeting. This time, however, my agitation was due to anticipation of my decision. All I could focus on was my thoughts, which kept going in circles even while I was enjoying the fresh air in Wolf form.
In short, I’d come to realize that the potential reward of having my Mate outweighed any risks. Since deciding that it was as if a ton of stress had been lifted off of my shoulders. I realized that I knew this was the right decision all along, it was just about letting my logical and emotional sides come together to reach that conclusion. p@rt of me regretted just how long it had taken me to reason all of this throu-gh. I had always been level-headed and thoughtful, traits which aided me in most situations, but it had hindered me from following my instincts here. I should’ve listened to my Wolf more and accepted Gabriel even after learning everything about him. I s£nt a mental apology to my Wolf for pushing her away so many times.
I was still terrified, of course, because Gabriel’s emotion for me could start fading as quic-kly as it had formed. But it would be so much worse to never know what I could’ve had with him.
Are you going to tell him now? My Wolf asked eagerly.
I had spent weeks worrying about thinking throu-gh this conundrum, and now I had a whole new problem when it c@m£ to how exactly I was going to bring it up. I had alre-ady wasted plenty of days with my own selfishness. Gabriel had been left alone, thinking he may never get a chance with his Mate, and I didn’t want to prolong his suffering.
I was still examining the scenario from every angle in my head as we finally reached the village and began weaving throu-gh the large houses. To my surprise, Gabriel st©pped walking a safe distance away from my home.
“I’ve got to go take care of some things,” he muttered vaguely, and I wondered if this had anything to do with what Raziel had told him.
“Oh…okay. Well do you nee-d my help?”
He looked confused for a moment before he shook his head. “I’ll be able to handle it.”
“What did Raziel want?” I blurt out, unable to help myself. Whatever the Angel had said to my Mate, it was clearly bothering him.
My suspicions were confirmed when Gabriel’s expression closed down completely. “I don’t want to talk about it now.”
I exhaled loudly, completely unsurprised but a little hurt as usual. Here he was again, pushing me away.
You know why he’s doing that, my Wolf said calmly.
It isn’t just the whole ‘scared of me rejecting him’ thing. He just has issues opening up to anyb©dy. She couldn’t argue with that.
“Well…I’ll talk to you later then?” I asked, completely unsure what else to say.
A flash of disappointment crossed Gabriel’s dark eyes but he nodded stiffly before turning to leave.
Immediately, my Wolf began to chastise me.
Go after him!
He’s acting like he wants to be alone right now,
I argued, but my excuse sounded weak even to me and my feet itched to follow my Mate.
Skylar, haven’t you tarried long enough? I know you’re scared to approach the subject but it’s what you want, it’s our Mate you want. You’ve always known what your decision would be, but you’ve been too scared to face it and put yourself in that vulnerable position. Well, you can’t be scared anymore. You’re stronger than that. He’s hurting and lonely and he will nee-d you. You nee-d each other.
I took a de-ep breath, feeling my heart’s pounding rate increasing. Gabriel had vanished around the side of the nearest house but his heady scent still hung in the air. My Wolf was right and I knew it…she had been right all along. I felt my palms grow clammy as I realized what I was about to do.
Go. It was a single command, firm and unrelenting, my Wolf’s stubborn streak rivaling my own.
I straightened up, pausing just in front of my house. She was right. I didn’t want to be here, I wanted to be chasing after Gabriel and telling him that I had finally made my decision. I know I still had to get over some of my emotional turmoil, especially where Eva was concerned, but lingering on that problem now (when Cain was lur-k-ing just on the horizon) seemed so….petty. I really had no time to waste on jealousy when there was nothing Gabriel could do to change what had happened.
Squaring my shoulders, I tilted my chin up in a defiant stance. I spun on my heel and marched away from my house towards where Gabriel had disappeared, maintaining a near-jogging pace, feeling my nervousness compound with every step.
I had made my decision. It was time to give Gabriel an answer.
*
As Produced By Sheriff Squinty
*
I followed his scent to the woods.
Why is he heading to the woods? I thought.
Taking series of de-ep breaths to catch my Mate’s scent, I brushed throu-gh the thick un-dergrowth as I entered the edge of the forest. A slightly chilly wind whistled throu-gh the trees and caused the hairs on my arms to stand straight up. I was glad it was mid-day; despite the pres£nce of the Stone of Jacob to keep the vampires at bay, I was still wary of the darkness of night.
The wind shifted direction, causing me to momentarily lose track of Gabriel’s scent. Unless he was running, he couldn’t be far away. I had followed him minutes after he left.
Seconds later, my Wolf yipped in excitement as I caught the scent again, this time fresher. I changed direction and continued to follow the enticing smell. I only nee-ded to continue my trek for another minute before I heard a gurgling stream nearby and the scent grew nearly overpowering. For some reason, I found myself slowing down and tre-ading more lightly. It wasn’t that I was sneaking up on Gabriel. I just wanted to see what the heck he was doing out in the woods all by himself, and I wouldn’t disturb him yet because I was still downwind of him. I only had seconds until the wind shifted again and his powerful s-en-ses picked up on my approach.
Peering throu-gh a spl@yof thick br@nches, I sp©tted him huddled a short distance away. To my surprise, he was in his Wolf form, the animal sitting still and silent next to the bubbling water, clothes in a heap nearby. His black as night fur was a stark contrast to the greenery beneath him. My Wolf whined, s-en-sing her Mate’s agitation and I felt a spike of worry. Mere seconds later, Gabriel seemed to s-en-se my pres£nce because he stood up and turned abruptly as I exited from my shelter of the trees.
His Wolf’s de-ep and intimid@t!nggaze met mine but I did not hesitate as I continued my approach. Gabriel tilted his head slightly, clearly confused as to why I had followed him, and his de-ep voice resounded in my head.
Skylar? Do you nee-d something?
I had momentarily forgotten that we could communicate throu-gh mind-link now. I had never been in front of Gabriel’s Wolf form in my human state for a prolonged period of time. Seeing the mas-sive beast was even more awe-inspiring when I was fragile and human, and I could not tear my eyes away.
Um…
Very articulate, I thought to myself dryly. Staring at Gabriel now, I realized I was having serious issues putting my thoughts into words, especially when his regal Wolf was staring me down. I could still see Gabriel in the animal’s eyes, but there was much of his Wolf in them, too, and I wasn’t as familiar with the creature. My Wolf, however, very much liked admiring the muscular physique and thick, glossy fur.
I just wanted to talk to you, I finally said, mind racing to come up with an elegant phrasing.
Is something wrong?
I could ask you the same thing. Why did you come out here by yourself? Were you meeting with anyone?
No. I nee-ded to think.
I was very grateful he hadn’t been meeting anyone…like Eva, for example. I pushed the insecurity away.
I stared more intently into the Wolf’s eyes. un-derneath the mask, I could detect a whirlwind of emotions and uncertainty. Almost without realizing, I took a step closer until I could t©uçh his soft fur if I wanted to. Gabriel’s Wolf was so gigantic that we were practically on eye level.
Gabriel stared right back, and I could feel the warmth of his breath as he exhaled.
If it’s a Pack issue, I will address it shortly.
No. It’s about…me.
The Wolf’s eyes darkened as I spoke, and I couldn’t resist anymore. I reached out a hand, almost tentatively, and brushed it against some of the thickest fur on the side of his n£¢k. He made a growling sound de-ep in his throat, but I didn’t think it was a noise of annoyance.
Would you mind Shifting back? It’s important. I really wanted to tell him now. There was no time to waste.
Gabriel observed me for a moment before he huffed a sigh, padding over to the heap of clothes on the ground. I don’t know why I was expecting him to take cover to Shift back, but he most certainly did not. I attem-pted to look away before he Shifted entirely but did not tear my eyes away in time. I swallowed and almost choked on my spit as a n-ked Gabriel carelessly threw some shorts over his lower half, but not before I got a good glimpse of him. My cheeks began to burn and my Wolf whined with anticipation. He was built so flawlessly it wasn’t even fair.
Plus he’s more than enough to satisfy us, my per-verted Wolf said proudly.
My cheeks were absolutely on fire and I coughed into my hand, trying not to linger on all of the images popping up. I couldn’t believe she’d just said something like that! Perhaps I was naïve, but I still felt horribly mortified at the inappropriate turn my thoughts had taken. I was trying to have a civil conversation!
It’s not my fault he showed us all he has to offer-
St©p! I commanded her, beyond embarras-sed, and I almost felt her sm-irking, if wolves could even sm-irk. She was deliberately trying to get me to just jump our Mate here and now.
*
Hall Of Supernatural Stories
*
He left his torso ba-re as he approached and my eyes continuously strayed to his abs and che-st as I shifted from foot to foot. Now my thoughts were scrambled and all over the place.
“What did you want to talk about?” Gabriel asked, a wary tone in his voice. I wondered what he was thinking. I was glad he wasn’t mind-linking me anymore, because my thoughts were much more accessible to him when we were having a mental conversation. Not that Gabriel would pry, but if he’d wanted to, he’d have a much easier time while we were mind-linking. In Wolf form my thoughts were even more transparent. Right now, with verbal conversation, I was safe. He wouldn’t know how much of a mess I was.
“Skylar?” He prodded, and I realized I hadn’t spoken.
“Um…hi. Hey.”
Wow, that’s all you could say? I thought, exasperated at how pathetic I was, growing more humiliated by the second. This was not how a future Luna should behave, and Gabriel seemed utterly confused. My face probably looked like a tomato. I’d never done anything like this.
“So I was thinking….” I trailed off, taking a de-ep breath. On impulse, I decided to just go with it. It was pointless coming up with a clever way to say it so I just nee-ded to be honest.
“I was thinking a lot at that burger joint today before you got there. And I was seeing happy couples and their kids, and happy little families, and people in love, and I realized that I want all of that. Maybe not kids yet, but someday. And I thought-”
“That I’m not right for you.” Gabriel cut me off, and I almost choked again.
I stared at him in disbelief. “W-what?”
His brow furrowed slightly but his words were acidic and bitter as he spoke. “That’s what you were going to say, right? You want happiness but there’s no guarantee with me. You’re just as likely to end up miserable, so you don’t want to take the chance.”
My mouth must’ve been hanging open, and I winced as I felt a pang of hurt that was not mine. Gabriel must have thought I was genuinely rejecting him. I supposed he took my nervousness and embarras-sment the wrong way. There was undeniable hurt in his eyes and it pierced me to the core, seeing his raw emotion like that.
“Perhaps it’s best that you decided now. I’m returning back to the rest of my pack anyways.” He was not looking at me, his jaw clenched ti-ghtly. His words escaped from gritted teeth. “Just get it over with.” Every line of his b©dy was tense, as if he was br@ced to fight off considerable pain.
I felt a surge of frustration. “No.”
His eyes snapped to my face, incredulity in their depths. “What?”
“I’m not rejecting you. If you would’ve just let me talk, you would’ve known that!”
“You’re not…” He trailed off, looking as if he didn’t dare believe what I was saying.
“What I was TRYING to say is that my Wolf will never want anyone as much as she wants you. The potential happiness I can have with you will be unmatched by any other. I know it’s a risk, but it’s fifty-fifty, which means it could work out.”
His expression had gone curiously blank as he stared me down. I wasn’t sure how to take his expression.
“It’s not just my Wolf that wants you, either,” I pressed on recklessly. “You’re rou-gh around the edges, sure, but I know there’s good in you. I’ve seen true emotion in you sometimes. You push me away a lot but I think, un-derneath all of that, you care about me too.”
I wasn’t sure what had possessed me to be so open with him, but I continued. It was now or never, and it was too late to take anything back even if I’d wanted to.
“I don’t think I could live with not knowing. If I never tried to be with you, it would hurt more to think what could’ve been. I know the risk. You put the decision on my shoulders after telling me everything. I’m not going into this blindly, but it’s my choice.”
Gabriel’s eyes were very dark, his hands clenched at his sides. “Skylar…you…” His voice was hoarse, his words a bit jumbled as if he didn’t know what to say. “You know what this could do to you. If my Mark fades…”
“I know. I know what’s at stake.”
He took a step closer, staring at me intently. “Do you?” His tone still had that curiously rou-gh edge.
I blinked at him. “Are you trying to talk me out of this?”
Gabriel swallowed, the muscles in his throat working. “I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
I felt a fresh wave of frustration. “Gabriel, for crying out loud, I KNOW what can happen! I’ve decided that you’re worth the risk, and that I want you anyways! You’re the only Mate I’ll ever have. We’re meant to at least try!” My Wolf was voicing her agreement in my mind.
It almost looked as if Gabriel was trembling slightly as he moved even closer until he was towering directly above me. I stared up at him defiantly.
“I know I told you that the decision would rest on your shoulders…”
“Gabriel-“
“I just don’t want you ma-king any rash decisions without thinking.”
I felt a pang of hurt de-ep within me as I stared up into his unfathomable eyes. “Have you changed your mind?” My words almost c@m£ out as a whisper. I was sure he could feel the hurt that was coursing throu-gh me.
I suddenly looked down at the ground, unable to bear his ethereal beauty any longer. “Is that why you’re re-sisting so much? I thought you wanted me to decide. I thought I’d be ma-king you happy.” I knew I sounded pathetic but I didn’t care at this point. I clenched my fists at my sides, not knowing how I would manage if he’d decided I wasn’t worth the risk. “Does this have anything to do with Eva?” I regretted my words instantly but couldn’t take them back.
“No!” Gabriel growled irritably. “This has NOTHING to do with her! Skylar, I alre-ady told you she was nothing to me, and if I could take it back I would, I regret every second I spent with her.”
“Then why-“
He ran a frustrated hand throu-gh his hair. “I’m trying to protect you, don’t you see that? I’m just ma-king sure you’ve thought this throu-gh!”
“You make it sound like a freaking puzzle! I alre-ady told you I’ve made up my mind! I want you as my Mate, Gabriel, and that is never, ever going to change.”
He was suddenly quite still. I wasn’t even sure he was breathing.
Feeling fed up, I let a frustrated growl escape. “Apparently, YOU were the one that still nee-ded to decide how you feel about me. Let me know when you st©p trying to make my decisions for me and actually come to the conclusion that I’m worth the risk, too.”
With those p@rting words, attempting to fight back frustrated tears, I spun on my heel and walked away from him.
I didn’t get very far.
I felt a warm, strong hand circle around my left wrist, clutching it in a secure grip. An instant later, my b©dy was being tugged backwards and spun around with great f0rç£. The move was so sudden I felt like my arm was almost pu-ll-ed out of its socket, but I could only let out a g@sp of surprise as Gabriel yanked me back to him. As my b©dy turned back to where I was facing him, a large and demanding hand gr@bb£d my chin and f0rç£d it up to where I was gazing into my Mate’s dark eyes.
And then hisl-ips c@m£ crashing down on mine.
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#Tobecontinued……