6 #MY_BLACK_KNIGHT 6
Happen 16
#Phase 1
As Produced By SheriffSquinty
Theme: Luna To Be
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We stated off with the journey and it was uneventful until i decided i needed to eat, of course we were running in wolf form, but i couldn’t speak with him mentally
cause he’s yet to mark meand I him.
Had to give him signs, hoping he understands my Message. I was still exhausted
from the vampire attack, and sure, my tolerance has reduced.
He should understand that too.
We stopped so i could hunt for something to eat, there was no large prey here,
but…. I caught the scent of a rabbit, ‘that will do’ i thought wryly, not like rabbits are my favorites.
*********
I had leapt swiftly on the rabbit as it scurried out of its den, breaking its neck with a twist of jaws. Without preamble I dug into the fresh meat. I felt my ravenous
hunger take over. Manners meant nothing to a Wolf.
I was so absorbed in my dining that I didn’t think before acting as Gabriel
approached me. All I registered was that there was a Wolf infringing upon the prey that I had caught. I had a single-minded focus on devouring my food, and it was
my prey. Seeing another Wolf so close to my kill infuriated me, and I reacted on
pure instinct without a human’s logical thought intervening. Growling low in my
throat, I snapped at Gabriel’s legs in warning before realizing my mistake a second later.
Gabriel snarled furiously at my disrespect and in one instant he had barreled me
onto my back and had me pinned down, one massive paw planted on my chest. My backpack was crushed underneath me from my own considerable weight and I
winced, hoping nothing was smashed. I felt a surge of regret and fear as he towered over me, leaning close. Gabriel had me pinned tightly, though not with
unnecessary force. It was as if he was trying to avoid causing me pain. He was
growling slightly, his lip curled to reveal one dangerously sharp canine. I mentally reprimanded my Wolf although I knew it was equally my fault for getting so
absorbed in my food. I had disrespected an Alpha male, and one with a short
temper at that. I knew he hadn’t been approaching me to steal my kill. Regardless
of his motivations, though, I had snapped at him, which was completely unacceptable.
Yet, as he leaned over, I felt another emotion rising besides the fear and I could not quell it. Lust. I could feel my lust rising at my Mate’s close proximity to me and I
began to squirm slightly as I realized I was in a dangerous position. Gabriel’s Wolf’s eyes had darkened considerably until they were completely black. They burned with a bright intensity and I could almost feel his own desire rising.
Thankfully, something else happened then, or I’m not sure where that would have gone. Gabriel’s powerful sense of smell obviously detected something else as he inhaled, for his head snapped up and he lifted his paw off of my chest. His ears
pricked and I heard another growl erupt from his throat, this one much more
threatening. I attempted to struggle to my feet but in a flash he had shoved me down again with his paw. While I was still laying there, belly up, he moved and placed his front legs on either side of my body. He remained in this protective stance, glancing around, the deep growl continuing to erupt from his chest.
Gabriel’s fur stood on end and I took a whiff of the air. Despite my potent sense of smell I couldn’t detect anything. Gabriel, however, obviously sensed something
was there for he continued to stand over me defensively.
I didn’t move, trusting his Alpha instincts. While I wasn’t fond of my vulnerability my Wolf and I found that we rather liked the protective way our Mate towered
above us. We remained locked in these positions, my earlier mistake forgotten, for another moment or two before Gabriel’s fur flattened again. He stepped away from me, allowing me to scramble up. I whined softly. He shook his head in a very un-
Wolflike gesture and I resolved to ask him what the Hell that was about as soon as we Shifted back.
Feeling uneasy, we resumed our journey, although Gabriel first waited a moment longer forme to devour the remaining half of the rabbit. I couldn’t shake the
prevailing sense of unease, remembering the last time someone had been watching me in the forest, and what had happened tome just days after.
—
The rest of the trip was uneventful, although I did make him stop three times more throughout the day; twice for brief rest periods (I was still recovering from my
experience with the vampires, after all, and was weaker than normal) and once to hunt again. We shared no more uncomfortable moments, for which I was glad.
Contact with Gabriel made me weak and vulnerable and I wasn’t ready for that yet. Besides, he seemed to want to maintain the barrier he erected around himself, the cool distance he kept. Aside from a few brief glimmers of emotion I didn’t really
know him. Though my body yearned to be closer to him, I was worried about the daunting task that lay ahead.
His territory was much more difficult to traverse than mine. For a few hours now we had been navigating rocky slopes and steep inclines. The foliage was patchy, and as we climbed higher and the sun began to rise in the sky, the landscape
around us was thrown into clarity. I wanted to stop and observe, as it was far more beautiful than expected. The ridges and slopes were a different sort of natural
beauty than I was used to in my home valley but I could appreciate them all the same. Gabriel, however, pressed on relentlessly and I tried to absorb as much as I could. After all, this would be my home for a while now. The thought definitely made me nervous. Soon I would be meeting his pack for the first time.
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*
As Produced By SheriffSquinty
*
It had just getting dark when we arrived, meaning it took us a little less than an entire day to travel to his village. I again realized that Gabriel must have run
almost impossibly fast to get to my village in half a daywhen he was coming to save me.
Gabriel stopped as the trees, already much less prevalent than near my valley,
began to thin out even further. I thought I could see the tops of houses over the
next ridge. Gabriel jerked his head towards the bag that I had strapped to my back, indicating that I should Shift back. I obliged, feeling a wave of nervousness crash over me. I hid behind a small copse of trees and quickly changed form, the large
pack sliding off of my now-human figure. I opened it and dressed myself quickly before striding out to meet Gabriel. My cheeks reddened slightly as his gaze
touched mine and I looked down at the ground, remembering our moment from earlier. I was all too aware that our Mating pull maybe slightly more difficult to resist now that we’d interacted in wolf form.
It didn’t take long to climb the last slope, which was considerably steeper than the others. I felt my nervousness increase tenfold as we finally reached the top. I tried
not to gasp as the pack village was laid out before me. The ground dipped
downwards immediately in front of us so that the nearest houses were actually in a valley of sorts, but I noticed more houses situated on rocky crags in the distance. I wasn’t sure what I expected but it certainly wasn’t this. The houses were less
updated and modern than mine, clearly built to serve a rudimentary purpose and not as decoration. However, they were still large and well-kept, situated amidst scraggly trees and small, rolling hills. There were many more houses than I was
used to, testifying to the size and strength of Gabriel’s pack. Not too far from us
stood a three-story house that somehow looked more elegant than the others. It was also the largest house that I could see.
“That’s where you’ll live,” Gabriel said gruffly. His face was expressionless but by his stance I could tell he was proud of his pack village. For what I’d heard of the
Black Mountains pack before meeting them, I would have expected this place to be much less civilized.
I eyed his house again. It seemed a little grand for his taste, but then I remembered that his father had probably designed it. Gabriel had only been Alpha for four
years.
“Come on,” He said coolly, and I couldn’t help but feel confused as to why he was being so brusque. It was his idea that I come here in the first place, shouldn’t he be more excited about it? I furrowed my brow. Gabriel was too unpredictable, a
puzzle I couldn’t work out.
It was then that I realized that I had yet to see another Werewolf. Where were
they? I opened my mouth to ask the question but snapped it shut as I realized
Gabriel was leading me away from his house. He led me through the center of
town, leaving me to quickly absorb everything as I passed. To my surprise they
had electricity. I felt somewhat stupid for thinking they lived like cavemen, but
they were so isolated I was surprised they had any modern conveniences at all.
We wandered a convoluted route through the village, twisting and turning around many houses and other buildings, the purpose of which I could not determine. Just as I was growing impatient, we edged along a narrow path on the side of a small
cliff and the ground opened up in front of us to a large, grassy field. The expansive scenery was beautiful, but that is not what made me catch my breath.
There, situated in the field, was the rest of Gabriel’s pack, some standing and some sitting. There were well over a hundred of them, clearly waiting onus. (Explains why I couldn’t see anyone earlier) All of their eyes were fixated on me.
—
*
Hall Of Supernatural Stories
*
I clenched my hands together in front of me, knowing my nervousness was easily discernible. All of them had stood up eagerly after they saw Gabriel. I had never
enjoyed being the center of attention and having so much focus on me was
disconcerting. Hundreds of eyes examined me from top to bottom, analyzing me
and judging me. I wanted to cower behind Gabriel until the attention was no longer on me but knew that would make a bad impression so instead I straightened my
back and kept walking until Gabriel came to a halt. A massive, muscular werewolf with deep brown skin and a shaved head broke from the pack and strode forwards. I recognized him from the Meeting as Gabriel’s Beta.
“Welcome back,” he said, somewhat gruffly, and Gabriel nodded. The Beta turned tome, examining me closely. I felt a prickle of nervousness but did not look away, standing strong under his scrutiny. To my surprise, one of the corners of the Beta’s mouth twitched into a half-smile. I blinked, not expecting that reaction. The Beta turned back to Gabriel.
“I trust your journey was uneventful, Alpha?” He asked formally.
“Eli, I’d like to get right to it,” Gabriel responded shortly, although there was no venom or irritation in histone. I could tell Eli was used to such responses for he
merely nodded and moved to stand behind Gabriel like I was, though on Gabriel’s other side.
Gabriel cleared his throat. “As you all know, I left the village in order to retrieve
my Mate.” I wondered if he’d told them about the vampires. “This is Skylar, she
will be living here from now on.” Histone was clipped and I felt confused, yet
again. Apparently that was becoming my permanent state around Gabriel. I tried to brush it away as the attention was refocused on me. There was silence for a few
seconds, only broken by a few hushed murmurs.
Once again, I felt daunted by the presence of the Black Mountains Pack. Aside
from the youngest wolves, all of them looked cautious and battle-hardened. I saw many cold and calculating looks from the pack members. These weren’t wolves that accepted outsiders easily.
“Will she be going through the formal induction?” One she-wolf asked. I held my breath.
“Yes. It is law,” Gabriel replied calmly. I felt my nervousness spike as I wondered what exactly that would entail. Every pack had away of introducing new members into the pack, but every ritual was different. Would that mean they were planning to make me an official member of the Black Mountains Pack? Could I go through with that? If I planned on staying with Gabriel, I knew I had to. Still, the concept
of becoming a member of this pack was not yet appealing tome. I didn’t know any of them and my entire experience with this pack, short of Gabriel helping save me from the vampires, had been negative.
Gathering my courage, I let my eyes roam the crowd. My gaze locked with that of another she-wolf, aredhead with long, silky hair. Her bright blue eyes were cold and hostile, and my Wolf stirred within me, not liking the redhead’s expression.
What was her problem? Did she just despise outsiders?
Holding my glare for one more second, the redhead coolly turned her head away. I tried not to let my anger show.
As I kept looking around at the crowd, I realized that the redhead was not the only one who disliked me on sight. It was not a reaction specific to her. Several others
gave me the exact same look she did. As I suspected, I was not welcome here.
The crowd was whispering and muttering again and Gabriel raised his hand to
silence them. “She will be living with me. Her battle skills and value added to the pack will be tested shortly.” I didn’t like the way he talked about me so casually,
not showing any emotion. Most wolves would be proud to display their Mate to the pack. I looked down abruptly, swallowing the lump that had riseninmy throat. I
thought I saw the Beta looking at me from the corner of his eye and I tried to put on abrave face.
Dimly, I registered an incredulous snort from one of the larger male wolves. “You sure she can keep up with us? Her pack doesn’t train as…diligently as we do.”
I had to clench my teeth together to keep from snarling at him, blood boiling at the insult to my pack. I felt my fingernails dig into my palms, and tried very hard to
maintain a cool façade. Nothing good would come out of me losing my temper here. Still, my Wolf growled furiously.
I saw Gabriel’s expression harden considerably. “Are you doubting my judgment?” He said coldly. The other wolf snapped his mouth shut and looked away, although he still looked dubious.
“Eli has already briefed you on everything else, so we will have our next pack
meeting in a week, usual time. If there aren’t any other questions, then you all are dismissed.”
There were no other questions, and I noticed the pack begin to disperse, many of them still glancing at me. I turned my head away, unable to deal with so many
wolves at once. That hadn’t gone worse than expected but I wished their reactions would have been friendlier. I guess I couldn’t hope for a warm welcoming given which pack I was from. My pack would not have treated an outsider from the
Black Mountains Pack any differently, I knew.
I noticed that two wolves, a male and a female, had come forward and Gabriel had walked over to meet them, so I stood on my own an awkward distance from the
others. Although my Wolf was growing increasingly attracted to him, part of me was already regretting my decision.
As if reading my thoughts ,I noticed Eli approaching me. “I didn’t really get to
introduce myself, I’m Eli, the Beta,” he said, giving me a slight smile as he offered his hand. His brown eyes seemed sincere, and although the gesture seemed formal I appreciated it and I gladly took his hand. “Skylar,” I said softly.
“Welcome to the pack. I know it seems like a bit…much, but you’ll get used to it.” I nodded. “I don’t think I really have a choice,” I said honestly.
Eli shrugged. “I know it seems strange coming here, but obviously it was meant to be.” He indicated Gabriel with his head.
“It seems so.” I replied vaguely, chewing on my bottom lip. I only wished I could know what Gabriel was thinking.
“Did he show you around?”
“Er…sort of,” I replied,remembering my rushed tour where Gabriel hadn’t actually told me about anything.
There was a knowing look in Eli’s eyes, and I felt like he must be more
comfortable with Gabriel than anyone else. “Well let me know if you need anything.” I smiled gratefully in response.
And—oh, just a minute, I have to take care of this.” He cut off, turning and approaching awolf that was hovering nearby, leaving me by myself again.
I couldn’t help the prickle of irritation that emerged as I observed Gabriel still
talking to the two wolves. I may have been patient and reserved compared to some, but that didn’t mean I liked being practically ignored by my own Mate. He had
gotten distant ever since we left my pack and I couldn’t help but feel that I had
done something wrong. I worried that I had made the wrong choice coming here. So far he’d been about as warm and inviting as a brick wall.
As much as I was still getting used to the idea of Gabriel being my Mate, I had
made the effort to come all this way, hadn’t I earned better treatment than the cold shoulder?
My stomach clenched unpleasantly as I noticed the redhead from earlier
approaching Gabriel, joining in their conversation. They weren’t too far away and I pricked my ears, not caring if it was rude to eavesdrop. The conversation itself was innocent enough, not giving me any cause to worry; I suspected it was just my
insecurity emerging, as she really was quite beautiful.
Fortunately, seconds later Gabriel disengaged himself from the conversation and came towards me. I tried not to let my flare of irritation make me do anything
stupid.
“I have business to take care of back home if you’re ready,” He said calmly,
although I got a sneaking suspicion that he wouldn’t care if I was ready or not. I
shrugged noncommittally, and we turned and headed back the way we came, hands just inches away from brushing. Despite our proximity I couldn’t help but feel like there was a massive distance between us.
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#Tobecontinued…
6 #MY_BLACK_KNIGHT 6
Happen 16
#Phase 2
As Produced By SheriffSquinty
A section in this Happen has been rated +17
Readers Discretion Is Advised
Theme: Getting Awkward
Sub Theme : Wet Dreams
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His house really was something to behold. It was elegantly (and very formally)
furnished, with a massive stone fireplace being the center of attention in the living room. There were plenty of plush armchairs and leather couches to accommodate a small crowd, and the color scheme was rich and inviting. Gabriel showed me the
living room, kitchen (rustic, but large), and dining room (which looked like it was barely used) before leading me up the curved staircase to the second floor.
We strode down to the end of the hall where he opened the door. A large four-
poster bed stood against the wall. It looked like it had been recently made. There
were large windows on either side of the bed and a comfortable armchair in the
corner. I felt a prickle of excitement upon seeing a shelf with plenty of books that would occupy me for days. The room was designed in the same rich colors, deep
red, creamy white, and brown, as the rest of the house. Lastly, a door in the back
clearly led to a private bathroom. There was one thing that confused me, though. If this was Gabriel’s room, why did it look like nobody ever stayed here?
“This will be your room. Mine is upstairs,” Gabriel said quietly from behind me.
My heart sank athis words and I felt as if I couldn’t breathe for a few seconds. We were staying…in separate rooms? The idea of staying in different rooms of the
house seemed odd,as if we were strangers. Despite the fact that I wouldn’t have
known how to handle myself had we been staying in the same room, I felt a rush of disappointment and frustration.
Then I knew I was being a hypocrite, because I wasn’t ready for any sort of
intimacy with him yet. This whole situation was complicated and my emotions
warred with each other. I shouldn’t feel hurt by his actions of putting mein my own room, but here I was.
“Oh…” Was all I could muster at first, standing there as I tried not to let my confusion show.
Gabriel gave me an appraising look, sensing that I wanted to say more, but he looked unsure as to whether he wanted to hear it.
“Okay,” I muttered. Apparently I could only handle one word sentences at the
moment. All of my small disappointments throughout the day were catching up to me.
*
As Produced By SheriffSquinty
*
Gabriel clenched his jaw, avoiding my gaze. He seemed to have accurately gauged my confusion. “I think for now it’s better that way.”
Mates weren’t supposed to stay on opposite ends of a house, no matter how
unconventional the relationship was. Once again, I noticed my own hypocrisy. I probably wouldn’t have been able to handle sleeping in the same room as him, regardless.
But the way he had been treating me all evening had really gotten tome, along with the unwelcoming and hostile treatment from his pack. My patience was
wearing thin, and it was a difficult situation to begin with. Frustrated with him, I couldn’t help but argue with his logic.
“It’s better to isolate me?”
Gabriel ran a hand through his tousled dark locks, clearly agitated. “It isn’t isolation. I…”
“Yes it is! You asked me to come herewith you, away from my family and friends, and now you are shoving me to the side like you’d rather me not be here!” I wasn’t sure where this bravery was coming from but my anger had been building up all
day and I was having a difficult time containing it.
Gabriel’s eyes flashed and he took a step back, balling his fists athis sides. “You’re overreacting.”
“I am not,” I spit out. “You’re the one-”
“Why are you being so argumentative?” He said, his voice a growl. That was rich, coming from him, I thought.
“Why are you being so cold tome?”
He hesitated, irritation still plain in his expression, and I continued, “I could be back home with my mom and dad…”
“They can’t protect you,” he snapped.
“Back at my pack village, with my friends!” I continued recklessly.
“Is this house not good enough for you?” He snapped, clearly agitated. “Maria…Will….”
“WILL?” Gabriel demanded, eyes darkening, and I felt warning bells going off in my head.
“My friend-” I began weakly, unsure what else to say.
Gabriel suddenly roared, slamming his palm against the wall near him with such force that I swore I heard something splinter. If his hand had been in a fist, he
surely would have punched through the wall.
“I swear that if that pup touches you again I will f**king rip his throat out!”
Gabriel snarled in fury, his deep brown irises no longer visible. His pupils had
expanded and I could tell his Wolf was about to take over. I stood there, frozen in shock, my hands gripping the doorframe on either side on me. I was sure Gabriel was about to Shift any moment and the logical side of me wanted to hightail it out of there before he could.
I was still frozen in shock athis outburst, breathing heavily, deciding whether to back away or try to talk him down.
Comfort him! Do it! My Wolf snarled into my mind, her conviction washing over me in waves. I hesitated briefly. Part of me yearned to do just that, to ease his
anger, as it was one of the things a Mate was supposed to do, but I was still
stubbornly furious. I stalled, trying to set my thoughts straight, but before I could, Gabriel was already backing away.
“I’m going for a run,” he seethed before I could say anything. He spun around and took off down the corridor, shoulders hunched and hands clenched so tightly his knuckles were white.
Still feeling somewhat numb after seeing him more infuriated than ever before, I slowly walked into my room and closed the door behind me, ignoring my Wolf’s reprimands in the back of my mind. I already felt guilty, eventhough it was
Gabriel that had angered me in the first place. I could have helped him, I knew. I could have eased his anger. But I was still angry, too! He dragged me all the way here and then treated me callously.
We deserve better than that sort of treatment, I told my Wolf.
I slowly slid down the door into a crouching position, resting my head in my hands, lamenting my current situation.
What had I gotten myself into?
I thought as I mindlessly drifted into sleep.
—–
************
We were locked in one intimate posture as I crashed my lips into his, my tongue fumbled with his lips, asking for permission to slid in. He let me in and I did my magic in his mouth, tongue swirling against the other. He pulled me from him and stared down at me. Lust evident in his eyes, then he ripped my clothes apart,
leaving me clad in only my pãnts and brà.
He pushed me to the bed and climbed on top of me as he looked at me with want. He made to unbutton his sleeves, but i stopped him.
“Let me” I said in a whisper
I pulled his sleeves and unbuckled his shorts, revealing a huge…. No, that’s not the word…… gigantic cöck. I didn’t know a gasp had escaped my lips.
“Shh” He beckoned, placing a finger on his lips, a gesture i found seductive.
He pulled my pants down revealing my well shaved clitôrïs. He slid a finger into me,then another,
“god you’re so wet!” He exclaimed
With that he laid on top of me in the missionary style and in he went, sliding his côck into me.
****************
*
Hall Of Supernatural Stories
*
I woke up to realize…..f**k!!! I had been dreaming, seriously? I slept for less than 2 hours and i was having a wet dream on my mate whomi just had a quarrel with? Oh! I was betrayed by my body, i thought, or should i say my brain? Tsk, whatever it is that creates dreams in the body betrayed me. I thought, disappointed.
My wolf was mocking me and was enjoying my state of disappointment. I sighed. Standing up the bed as i paced up and down
Gabriel had been gone the whole time. I knew it must be late at night now, my wolf however was still angry that I had watched him nearly lose his temper and done nothing to stop it. Some part of me did feel guilty, but I’d always had a
stubborn streak and I still maintained that it wasn’t entirely my fault.
He’d urged me to come herewith him and now he was giving me the cold shoulder. It was absolutely perplexing to think about the disparity between his actions when he came to save me from the vampires and his actions now. I had been the
reluctant one at first, admittedly I was still a little reluctant, but I was willing to try
to get to know him, as intimidating as the prospect was. If he kept acting like this, that would be nearly impossible.
The selfish part of me wanted him to feel some of the turmoil he was putting me
through. So far Gabriel had gotten his way, mostly without protest, but I wasn’t
sure how much more I could take. I usually kept my temper under tight control, but something about him kept me constantly on edge.
The Mating bond. You keep resisting our Mate and it’s unnatural, my Wolf growled condescendingly.
Right now, he’s the one acting like he doesn’t want us at all.
I could tell the thought insulted her, but she knew it was true. For all I knew
Gabriel was going to storm in and kick me out of his pack’s home at any minute.
I sat on my bed again, sighing, and attempting to twist my frizzy mess of curls into some semblance of a bun. One glance in the mirror was frightening enough and I wished I’d had time to shower before meeting Gabriel’s pack earlier.
After forcing my hair to comply I glanced around the room. There were a few
bookstoread, stacked on a shelf nearby, but I was too agitated to do so, and there was no T.V. in my room. I narrowed my eyes, an idea coming tome. Perhaps this would be my chance to explore while there was no Gabriel around to hound me. Surely I could find out something about him by examining the contents of his
home. He hadn’t told me to stay put, had he?
This was probably aterrible idea. Realistically, I accepted that. But if I was getting the cold shoulder from him, then I’d just have to learn about Gabriel through other methods.
My mind made up, I stood abruptly and exited my room leaving the door cracked behind me.
I approached the stairs, freezing in place as another idea came tome. My heart
started pounding with nervousness. Gabriel had said that his room was on the floor above. I knew he may not appreciate the intrusion on his privacy but my curiosity was nearly overwhelming me. I wanted to know what his bedroom looked like,
especially since he wasn’t allowing me to stay there.
Without further ado I began to skip up the stairs with renewed vigor. As I reached the landing above I glanced around with surprise. This floor was much smaller
than the other two. On one side was a single door, on the other side stood a set of proud double doors. I opened the single first, gasping in surprise as the room’s
contents were revealed. It was clearly a makeshift library of some sort, with shelves and shelves of books crammed into every single space. Gabriel hadn’t
struck me as much of a reader but this room looked more used than those downstairs.
My nervousness rose again as I closed the door quietly and crossed the hallway to the double doors. This was his bedroom, I knew it.
Stupid, stupid, stupid, I mentally chanted. It was not my Wolf berating me this time, it was the logical side of my brain. The curiosity, however, won out.
I knew I’d be able to hear the door to the house when it opened and sneak out of Gabriel’s room before he caught me red-handed, if it came to that.
I also knew Gabriel would later notice that my scent was in his room if I went in there. I realized he would probably be displeased with me. But if he was going to make no attempt to talk tome, this was my alternative. Besides, I wouldn’t take anything or disturb the contents of his room.
Holding my breath, I placed my hands on the knobs and gently pulled them toward me, feeling a surge of wariness as I entered his living quarters.
I blinked, eyes immediately fixating on the moonlight that streamed into the room from the gigantic set of windows on one side, giving the area a lovely glow.
His bed was a four-poster like mine but larger. His room was done in a similar
color-scheme but looked much more lived in, although I was surprised to see he
made his bed neatly. On the opposite wall from the windows was a fireplace, much smaller than the one downstairs, with two armchairs next to it. Near me was a large set of shelves crammed with books. There were two doors in the room which I
assumed led to the bathroom and closet.
I felt a bit awkward being in here without him knowing, and quickly pushed aside my misgivings. I had to be quick about this.
*
As Produced By SheriffSquinty
*
My eyes roved all of the room in a brief instant before settling some pictures on the shelves. There were only three of thembut I leaned in, trying to observe as much
as I could before Gabriel got home. The picture on the left was taken from far
away and was clearly a pack photo. My Mate stood rigidly, right in the center, and it was obviously not his idea to take the picture because he had a half-scowl on his face. The expression was visible even from the camera’s far distance. Wolves
crowded in on all sides of him, Eli immediately to his right, smiling. The children
sat on the ground at the forefront. I was surprised at the sheer numbers in the
picture there. It must have taken quite a while to fit everyone in the picture.
My eyes found the next picture. I smiled despite myself as I realized that it was of Gabriel and Eli, next to a third male wolf that I didn’t recognize. All three of them were young, I guessed around eight or so in the photo. Eli had a mischievous grin on his face, while Gabriel (unsurprisingly) looked much more serious. They were
dressed in such away that it seemed tome the photo was taken at a Mating
ceremony or other pack ritual, if the Black Mountains Pack rituals were anything even remotely close to my pack’s.
Lastly, I glanced at the third picture. To my surprise it was much dustier than the other two and setback a bit, as if Gabriel didn’t want it to be easily visible. I
reached out and gently pulled it forward, blowing the dust away. I blinked in
surprise. There were three individuals in the picture. On the left was a man that
was indubitably Gabriel’s father. There was quite a bit of resemblance in their
coloring and stature. Like Gabriel he had dark eyes and hair, although his features were broader, less regal than Gabriel’s. The man was large and imposing with no
trace of warmth in his eyes. In the middle was Gabriel. He couldn’t have been older than three or four in this photo. What shocked me was his expression; he was
beaming from ear to ear. He appeared completely carefree, which was obviously normal at that age, but I couldn’t imagine seeing such an expression on his face now. I felt apang of sadness at the thought.
On the right, holding his hand, was Gabriel’s mother. She was absolutely radiant. Her hair was light brown and parted at the center. It fell down in waves almost
down to her waist. She had bright brown eyes and a curvy figure. Her facial features entranced me, because although she was obviously less rugged than
Gabriel, I could definitely see the resemblance. They each looked almost regal, like some sort of royalty from times past. She clearly held herself proudly. Her smile,
however, was small. For some reason she looked slightly withdrawn in the picture, as if she wasn’t feeling well or was upset about something. Frowning, I returned
the picture exactly to its proper place.
I wondered what had happened to her. She obviously wasn’t around. Had she died? I was burning with curiosity but knew I wouldn’t ask Gabriel something like that, at least not yet. Judging by the placement of the picture it was a sore subject.
I backed away slowly, giving the room another once-over. I definitely felt like I
was intruding but I couldn’t curb my curiosity. Talking to Gabriel was like pulling teeth sometimes and this was much easier.
Don’t do it… my logical brain warned me again as I decided my next move. My Wolf was surprisingly silent, just as curious as I was.
I crept over to the door nearest me, pulling it open to reveal a closet. I flicked on
the switch, unsurprised to see that Gabriel didn’t own a surplus of outfits. All of his
shirts and pants were plain and inexpensive. Unable to help myself I leaned
towards the nearest shirt, taking a deep whiff and allowing his scent to invade my nostrils. Despite my conflicting feelings, his smell still had the ability to soothe
me.
And now I was smelling shirts in his closet. This was an entirely new level of awkwardness, and I knew I should probably go.
I was about to turn and leave, reaching my hand out to turn the light off, when something caught my eye.
.
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#The_Story_Continues…
d..、，.. #MY_BLACK_KNIGHT d..、，..
Happen 16
✂✂ #Phase 3
As Produced By SheriffSquinty
Theme: Friendly Intruder
.
.
I was about to turn and leave, reaching my hand out to turn the light off, when
something caught my eye. It was a small black shoebox that was barely visible in a gap between his hanging shirts. Now a shoebox in a closet was unremarkable
enough, but something made me hesitate. His shoes were on the far side of the closet. Why would a shoebox be here, and why was it hidden?
Open it, my Wolf instructed curiously, all frustration with me gone. Once again, logic and curiosity clashed in my brain.
I chewed on my bottom lip, contemplating. That would certainly be intruding and would be a gross invasion of his privacy. What would Gabriel say if he found out I’d rifled through his clothes and opened boxes in his closet?
He’d probably be even angrier than he already was. Still, I couldn’t ignore the
nagging voice in my head, the voice that wanted to find out as much as possible. I knew I probably wouldn’t be able to sleep until I at least got a peek into the box.
‘Now look what you’re getting yourself into, Skylar. This is wrong. So wrong,’ I
mentally chastised myself as I reached towards the box. It wasn’t very heavy, and I clutched it to my chest as I settled down, cross-legged on the ground.
I opened the small box with trepidation. The first thing I saw was a picture, face
up. I grabbed the small stack of pictures first, setting the box back down. I perused the picture, wondering why it was shoved in a box instead of being displayed in
Gabriel’s bedroom. The picture depicted a man with chestnut hair and stunning
blue eyes. Although his coloring was different, I again recognized the regally high cheekbones and straight nose that Gabriel and his mother had. Even through the
picture, the man had an incredibly piercing gaze. Looking into his eyes I felt exposed and vulnerable. Something about the man just seemed…foreign.
Unnatural. I placed the picture back into the box, suddenly feeling nervous. The next picture was of a smiling woman with brown hair and eyes. Her
expression glimmered with warmth and she had pretty, full lips like Gabriel’s
mother. If I had to guess, I would say the two pictures in the box were of Gabriel’s maternal grandparents when they were younger. So why were they shoved in here? Disregarding my unease I shuffled through the last few pictures, none of the people looking familiar or as if they were related to him in anyway.
Feeling creepier by the moment I set the rest of the pictures aside and I peered
back into the shoebox. I let out a small gasp of surprise as my gaze fell upon a
beautiful necklace with a heart-shaped locket. The beauty of the trinket wasn’t what surprised me; what shocked me was that it was made of pure silver. My unease
grew by the second. Why would Gabriel have a jewelry item made of pure silver, a werewolf’s greatest weakness? How could he bear to sleep knowing a potential
weapon was sitting in his closet? I peered closely at it, but kept my skin far away from any contact. The locket glimmered with small gems but I dared not open it. I’d had enough experience with silver as it was.
I couldn’t help but wonder where he’d gotten it. It didn’t look like a lover’s token
but still….I felt a sharp pang at the thought and brushed it aside. There was only
one other item in the box. I hadn’t noticed it before as it had been hidden under the stack of pictures.
It was a large, white, stunningly beautiful feather. Avoiding the locket I pulled it
out of the box and held it up. The color of the feather was so pure that it made
Gabriel’s white shirts look dim in comparison. I wondered what sort of bird it could possibly have come from. It was shaped elegantly and incredibly soft to the touch. I ran my fingers across it, marveling at the texture. To my surprise I felt a small
tingle in my hand as I ran it across the feather. The sensation was odd and
unexpected, the source of which I could not determine. However, my Wolf was whining in the back of my mind and my instincts told me this was no ordinary feather. I began to feel the urgency to put the feather back in the box and leave without further ado.
*
Hall Of Supernatural Stories
*
I quickly did so, putting the pictures back on top. I wasn’t sure what all I had just
seen but my Wolf was telling me I needed to leave. I stood up abruptly and shoved the box back in place. Everything I had seen made me uneasy; it showed me more of Gabriel, but I had actually grown even more confused. There was definitely a lot more to his story than I’d thought. Perplexed, I made my way out of his bedroom. About half an hour after I’d returned to my own room, I heard the front door turn. Gabriel was back. I exited my bedroom and made my way back to the landing.
Gabriel would probably notice my scent as soon as he returned to his room, but it was better that I wasn’t caught in there. I knew that there would probably be a
confrontation about it, and I deserved it. I’d snooped in there and wouldn’t be surprised if he yelled at me for it later.
I leaned over the railing to the stairs, observing cautiously as the front door swung open and Gabriel strode in. He was coated with a light sheen of sweat (a detail
which I attempted to ignore as the smell was surprisingly alluring), his hair slightly matted. His clothes stuck to his sweaty skin and I tried not to stare at the defined
muscles beneath the thin layer of fabric. Although most of his agitation seemed to have ceased, Gabriel still looked tense. His unfathomable eyes found me almost
immediately and he halted, staring up at me.
The silence stretched out over a few seconds as I tried to find something to say. I realized that my anger from earlier had abated somewhat. I hadn’t meant to set him off. Still though,his overreaction was a bit extreme. I would have to remember not to bring Will up again.
For once, Gabriel broke the silence. “I spoke with Eli. He agrees with me that we need to test your fighting ability. You’ll start tomorrow.”
I swallowed a bit nervously. I knew I was a pretty good fighter by my pack’s standards, but what would the Black Mountains Pack think?
I asked the question that I had been pondering for a while. “Why are you testing me? Do you plan on having me join the pack?”
“No wolf can go on living with this pack without being tested.”
I bristled slightly at the way he phrased that. Was being his Mate not good enough? I felt a rush of determination to prove myself to him, eventhough part of me felt
insulted that I would have to go to such lengths. With a twinge of insecurity, I
thought that maybe my Mate didn’t think I was worthy. My Wolf growled lowly at the notion.
“You were gone a long time.” I decided to change the subject, not wanting to get into another argument.
Gabriel didn’t respond for a moment; instead, he began to head towards the
kitchen. “Are you hungry?” He asked, clearly not wanting to address the earlier issue.
I sighed, making my way down the rest of the stairs to follow him. “I guess,” I replied, somewhat sullenly. Why was it so damn hard to talk to my own Mate? I felt like it was harder now than it had been that first night in the clearing!
Gabriel opened the refrigerator, scanning the contents. He seemed determined not to look at me.
“Normally, one of the pack cooks takes care of the meals.” He pulled out a plastic container. I caught the scent of chicken and my hunger intensified.
“Where are they now?”
“I gave her the day off,” he replied.
I nodded aimlessly, wondering if he sent the cook away because I was going to be here. Gabriel swiftly transferred a few fried chicken br**sts to a plate, pulled out some paper towels to cover them, and shoved it unceremoniously into the
microwave without a word. Typical bachelor cooking style, reheating leftovers in
the microwave, I thought wryly. I shifted from foot to foot, itching to say something.
“Earlier-” I began, but he cut me off, turning to look at me. I resisted the urge to shudder under his heavy gaze.
“Don’t talk about…..him. Other males. My Wolf doesn’t like it.” He said shortly, turning away from me after he did so. I blinked, surprised at the admission. My
Wolf liked the idea of her Mate being possessive, and I had to admit some part of me did, too. Even if he was going overboard.
“Okay but-”
“Just don’t.” He muttered. I huffed in mild irritation but dropped it, changing the topic.
“What happened in the woods earlier?”
Gabriel placed both hands on the counter, sighing. “I scented a vampire.”
“W-what?” I stammered, feeling a flutter of fear, although I wasn’t that surprised that they were still following me. Why hadn’t I scented them myself?
“They may have figured out where you are, although a vampire could not have
followed us here during the day. I’ve doubled the patrols again.” He did not seem pleased.
“Why couldn’t I smell it?”
“Most vampires are much weaker than werewolves, physically. However, they
leave almost no traceable scent. It is nearly impossible to track them. In that they have an advantage.”
I bit my lip, remembering the time I’d been watched in the woods but I’d barely
caught a scent, and how I could hardly smell the vampires when they were in the same room as me. It made me nervous that I couldn’t rely on my werewolf senses.
*
As Produced By SheriffSquinty
*
It was then that I recalled with a jolt the names I’d overheard in the storage unit. I hadn’t had a chance to question (or even talk to) Gabriel about it before, as we’d left for his pack village pretty much immediately after my father healed my
injuries. Everything had been so hectic that I’d forgotten to share the information I’d gathered.
“Speaking of vampires….the two you killed mentioned another one. Antonio. And said something about Antonio having a master. Does that name ring any bells?”
Gabriel’s eyes darkened, and he slowly shook his head. “No. I always thought they were solitary.” I got the feeling that there was more to it than that.
“How do you know so much about them?”
He turned his head slightly, and I saw his jaw clench. “I was told about them when I was much younger. I was warned they might look forme.”
“Why do they want you?” I faintly realized that we were actually having a normal conversation, or at least a conversation without shouting.
Gabriel’s shoulders tensed. He remained silent. The seconds trickled by, but still he didn’t respond.
“….Gabriel?” I asked hesitantly.
Gabriel made a noise deep in his throat, almost akin to a growl. “Don’t do that.”
His voice had taken on a rough edge as he spoke.
“Don’t do what?”
“Don’t….say my name like that.” He was gripping the countertop tightly.
I was about to ask why, when my Wolf’s inner smirk clued mein. Oh. I tried not to blush as I realized what he meant.
I felt the tension thickening yet again. I was craving the conversation with him, wanting an explanation for my question about the vampires, but the microwave suddenly beeped loudly, effectively ending the conversation.
Gabriel seemed relieved for the interruption as he opened the microwave and
pulled the food out. The juicy scent invaded my nose, making my mouth water. He divvied the food out onto two plates, grabbing a loaf of bread from a bowl near the refrigerator. He opened the appliance again and pulled out two bottles of water. He set one in front of me and indicated that I grab my plate and drink. I did so,
hesitating slightly before I made my way into the dining room. The table was large and expensive-looking, but I could tell Gabriel didn’t use it often.
*
Hall Of Supernatural Stories
*
I sat down in the nearest chair, half-expecting Gabriel to take his food upstairs and eat by himself, but to my surprise he walked around the table and sat down across from me, placing the bread between us. To any outsider, it would have looked like atypical couple sitting down to eat. I looked down at my food and blushed. This
activity just seemed so… normal, especially for our unconventional relationship. If one could even call it a ‘relationship’.
I registered Gabriel’s eyes on me, and I slowly looked up to meet his gaze. “Eat,” He ordered sternly, as if I were a small child.
“Okay, bossy,” I murmured under my breath and grabbed a piece of bread. I was somewhat nervous being this close to Gabriel and I could feel my Wolf’s
awareness at our proximity. As if on cue, my Wolf began to push a
few…inappropriate thoughts into my head. I scolded her mentally, trying to get the lustful thoughts of my head, but I couldn’t help but observe the way Gabriel’s
muscles rippled as he lifted the food to his mouth, or the faint scent of sweat that still clung to him.
‘Dammit, Skylar!’ I thought as I felt yet another blush creep onto my cheeks. Sometimes I hated my pale skin, it did nothing to hide embarrassment.
A moment of silent eating passed, but just as I was about to attempt another
conversation Gabriel froze, his eyes becoming unfocused. I could tell he was
having a mental conversation with another pack member. I let my mind wander as Gabriel had his silent conference. How often would we sit at this table to eat
together? Would we ever get to the point where there was no discomfort between us? I realized that Gabriel always refrained from any physical contact with me. It was difficult to imagine the progression of our relationship.
He set his food back onto his plate, sighing, and I knew the internal conversation was over.
“Pack business.” He stood up, looking resigned. The self-deprecating part of me
wondered if he was glad to get away from the awkward conversation with me, then I berated my own insecurity.
He wants to be herewith us, my Wolf said firmly in argument with my insecure thoughts.
I realized I was still sitting there, staring blankly at Gabriel as picked up his plate, throwing the scraps away. I wondered if this was a frequent occurrence. He had
such a big pack that there was probably always someone that needed help. I felt a pang of sympathy for him despite myself. Alpha Brett always had a hectic
schedule, and my pack was only half the size of the Black Mountains Pack. Gabriel had a lot on his shoulders.
He was exiting the kitchen now and heading towards the front door. For a second, I genuinely thoughthe would leave the house without a word. I felt a surge of
sadness; despite all of my reservations, I still wanted to be close to Gabriel and I couldn’t do anything about it. That was just the Mating bond at work.
Because of thoughts like these, I was surprised when Gabriel froze in the doorway, facing away from me, shoulders hunched. He stood there a moment, unmoving.
When he spoke, his voice was even deeper than normal, and there was an undertone in his voice that I couldn’t place.
“The pack will come around. They’re just wary of strangers.”
I blinked, surprised. So he’d noticed the uncertainty and the animosity at the pack meeting, then.
“How do you know they’ll warm up tome?” I asked, hoping he’d elaborate. There was a heartbeat of silence. I held my breath, waiting for his answer.
“It’s impossible not to,” he said, so softly I could barely catch the words. An instant later I heard the front door to the house open, and Gabriel was gone.
I sat there for several seconds, heart pounding. Had he really just said that? I
couldn’t help the warmth that had rushed through me at his words. It was probably the nicest thing he had ever said tome. I was also completely bewildered, as his
words were totally at odds with his behavior. Gabriel was saying it was impossible not to warm up tome, yethe hadn’t been warm at all. Until he said that.
I took a deep breath, trying to control my racing emotions. It scared me that one little sentence from Gabriel could elicit such a reaction from me.
I finished my food in a hurry and disposed of the plate, my cheeks still feeling
warm from my Mate’s words. I began to head upstairs towards my room, my mind going over our conversation over and over again in my head. It hadn’t ended in an argument thankfully enough. Perhaps we were making progress. If his pack ‘came around’, like he said,maybe I’d have an easier time being here. I still had to wrap my head around Gabriel and his multiple personalities but I felt even more
determined to get to know him now. Something told me that if there was goodness there, the hard work would be worth it.
—
Half an hour later I was bathed and clad in my nightclothes, lying in the
surprisingly soft bed. My body was tired but my mind would not rest despite the
fact that I knew it had to be super late at night and I wouldn’t get much sleep. Aside from the thought that I would be sleeping in Gabriel’s house tonight (although he
wasn’t back yet), I couldn’t shake my nervousness about the day to come. I would be tested, he said. That likely meant I would have to mock-fight one of his trained wolves for practice. I desperately wanted to rise to his pack’s standards; I couldn’t imagine the difficulties I would face if I was perceived as weak. I couldn’t let these wolves see my fear.
Trying to quiet my Wolf, who was pining for her Mate, I closed my eyes and
willed sleep to come. I dimly registered a faint rumble of thunder in the distance. Despite the comforts of my room, I felt lonely. I missed my family and my pack. My Wolf and I couldn’t help but imagine being in Gabriel’s bed, inhaling his scent as I fell asleep. I wasn’t brave enough to creep in his room again but perhaps if I
got to know him well enough I’d feel comfortable doing so.
I quietly exhaled, forcing my whirlwind of thoughts to slow as it began to rain outside,the droplets splattering lightly against the windowpane.
As I began to doze, my thoughts were increasingly scrambled. The last wayward thought I had before I fell asleep was of the pure white feather and the beautiful silver locket in Gabriel’s closet. Where had they come from?
—
—
#Tobecontinued……
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