10. Gabriel
Chapter 10
Gabriel
G abriel ran a hand through his hair as he stomped down the stairs to the main floor. He’d tried going to Brinley again to help her, but she’d spat pure vitriol at him. At least she was reading the books Pax had brought her a few days ago, so he would take the small victory where he could. Still, he wished she would stop being so damn stubborn.
Slamming open the swinging door on the ground floor, he entered the dining room and went straight to the drink cart. Paxton sat at the long wooden table, a glass of brandy between both hands. He didn’t look up as Gabriel passed him.
Gabriel poured some of the amber liquor into a glass for himself. He downed it in one gulp then refilled it before facing his beta.
“Still won’t listen?” Pax asked, keeping his eyes on his hands.
“She’s so fucking…” Frustrating. Intoxicating. “I swear, I’m about four seconds from throttling her to death.”
His friend huffed out a breath, shaking his head. “No, you’re not.”
Gabriel sighed and moved to sit across from him. “I’ve considered it. Definitely imagined it.”
Though, he left out the part about imagining doing other things while his hands were wrapped around her throat. His subconscious had decided to start playing dirty tricks with his mind— really dirty tricks—making him dream about her each night. About fucking her all over that damn room she wouldn’t leave. Tasting every single part of her body. Her screaming his name as he thrusted into her with everything he had.
“Gabe?”
He snapped his attention to his beta.
A curious look passed through Pax’s gaze. “Is something else going on?”
“No.” Gabriel took another large drink of his brandy.
“Real convincing.”
Gabriel clenched his jaw. He would not admit to fantasizing about Brinley. “We need her to figure this out. We’re running out of time.”
That comment sobered the beta. Pax straightened in his chair and nodded. If anyone cared about breaking this curse and saving Rose as much as Gabriel did, it was Paxton.
“What did you need to tell me earlier?” Gabriel had seen him in passing upstairs—Pax on his way to see Rose, Gabriel on his way to fight with Brinley. Again.
Paxton cleared his throat with a short nod. “A small pack was spotted just south of here. The sentries on patrol claim they’ve been getting close enough to see from the walls only to turn around and leave, like they’re surveying the town, searching for a way in or something, even though they could see the main gates from that direction.”
“Do you think they’re rogues or just a visiting pack seeking refuge?” It was an honest question. He might have been the alpha, but most days he felt as if he had no idea what he was doing. He didn’t want to assume the worst of these newcomers and end up turning away innocent people who needed somewhere to go, but he also didn’t want to welcome potential rogues into their home. These decisions were never easy; he relied on his friend’s opinion probably more than he should. Though, in the end, whatever the outcome, it was his burden to bear.
“We don’t know.” Pax’s tone was soft. He understood the dilemma.
Gabriel pushed out a slow breath as he considered his options. “All right. Don’t make any moves just yet. Keep those on patrol alert and have them watch the pack. Tell them to look for any signs of who they might be or what they want. And ask what our people already know. Do they look like a family, a group of adults? Gather as many details as possible and bring them back to me.”
Pax nodded and pushed to his feet. “What are you going to do about Brinley?”
He scoffed and stood. “No idea.”
“Be careful, Gabe. I know she gets under your skin, but if you push her too far?—”
“I know.” He stood, needing to get out of this house. “She’s maddening though.”
Paxton smirked.
“Stop.”
He held his hands up in front of him. “Didn’t say anything.”
Gabriel shoved his fingers through his hair.
“Just… don’t act on it,” Pax said, heading toward the door. “The last thing we need is for you to fuck this up by thinking more with your dick than your brain. If you need to get out some of that frustration, go find Joel or Daci.”
He chuckled. “Daci?”
“Joel to sleep with. Daci to fight with.” Pax shrugged. “She’ll keep you on your toes, get a few hits in to distract you.”
That was true. Daciana was his third in command for a reason. Apart from being one of his closest friends since childhood, the woman was the best fighter he knew. Not only was she fierce in wolf form, but she could best anyone with a sword or dagger, her archery skills were top notch, and she was quick on her feet. He was infinitely glad she was on their side, that she always had his back.
“I’m not in the mood to face her right now.” He followed Pax to the foyer. “Is Dare with Rose?”
“No, Brighid is. Dare is on watch at the gate.”
Gabriel nodded. They had let Darren back into his usual roles, after the man apologized profusely. Gabriel believed his sincerity and knew he wouldn’t make another mistake like that anytime soon, and not just because Gabriel threatened him with pain worse than what he’d inflicted on Torin. He trusted Dare to do his job.
And he knew Rose was content with their former governess. Meaning he could leave for a bit without being missed. Maybe he should go find Joel, get out some of this tension. Though, he knew that wouldn’t help matters. It would only make him feel worse in the end. The pleasure would only be temporary.
“What’s that look about?” Pax hesitated to open the front door.
“I…” How did he tell his best friend that he didn’t want to go find the man he’d been sleeping with for years because of the witchling upstairs? It was beyond foolish. And complicated. He didn’t want to try explaining it, not even to Pax. Not when there wasn’t any way to fix this horrid situation. Sure, part of him wanted nothing more than to go up there and scream the truth at her, but another part of him recoiled from the idea. Because of who she was and who they’d turned her into.
Because his heart felt like it was shattering all over again every time he saw that there wasn’t any sort of recognition in her eyes, only hatred.
Pax stepped closer. “What?”
“I need her to…” His throat closed up, choking off his words. He couldn’t even speak it out loud to his beta. Literally could not voice it.
But Paxton knew. He understood without needing to be told because he knew what the curse demanded.
“How is that going to happen in less than three months when we can’t trust each other?” Gabriel finally asked his biggest fear. If it came down to her not hating them— him —there was no chance of freeing his people and saving his sister. Maybe it would have been possible before, but not now. Yet, he had to believe she would realize the truth soon. It was why he kept pushing, why he kept going to see her even though their visits almost always ended with them shouting at one another and her kicking him out of his own goddessforsaken rooms.
Déesse above, he missed his bed. He’d been sleeping in a spare room down the hall since she had decided to stay in his. Of course, he knew he could have forced her into the spare instead, but she seemed comfortable in his room, and if it helped their chances even a fraction, he would sleep on the street for all he cared.
“I don’t know,” Pax said, ever the honest one. “Just… don’t give up. Try to see all this from her perspective.”
“I’m trying, but she’s being so difficult.”
Paxton let out a soft laugh. “Some things never change. At least you’d never be bored. Besides, it doesn’t have to be mutual.”
“What do you mean? You want me to play nice until she—and then, as soon as we’re—” He sighed. Not being able to talk about the conditions of the curse made him want to rip his hair out sometimes. “You want me to just bed her until we get what we want and then throw her out?”
His best friend’s smile faded as he shook his head. “Gabe.”
“What? I’m genuinely asking because that sounds like our best plan so far.” He tried to hide the fact that the idea nauseated him.
It didn’t work though. Pax seemed to see right through the fa?ade, as always. “You don’t want to do that. Despite everything, you don’t want to hurt her.”
“How could I?” Gabriel moved to lean back against the wall. “You know who she is. I can’t… Keir was like an uncle to me, another father figure.”
“I know.” Pax stepped beside him, mirroring his stance. A beat passed before he whispered, “She doesn’t remember anything?”
Gabriel clenched his jaw. The back of his throat burned as memories bombarded him—the same images he’d been seeing for weeks now, even before finding her in that cellar. “I spent so long looking for her, and she… all she has left of us is hatred of the DeLoup. So much hatred. She doesn’t remember her father or coming here. And I don’t know what happened to her after she left the last time. It’s killing me, Pax.”
“Talk to her,” he said.
“How? She doesn’t believe a word I say.”
Paxton sighed. “I don’t know. Find a way to show her; make her remember the…” He trailed off, his eyes flickering around as if thinking through something. With a gasp, he straightened and turned toward Gabriel. “What if this block on her magic, whatever is keeping it at bay, is also holding back her memories?”
The world seemed to tilt around them. Gabriel pushed off the wall. For the first time since finding her a couple weeks ago, hope fluttered through his chest, loosening the tension the slightest bit. He glanced toward the stairs.
“Unlock her magic; unlock the past.” Pax put a hand on his shoulder.
Gabriel nodded in agreement. “Tomorrow. I’ll try again in the morning after she’s had some time to calm down. She… wasn’t happy with me when I left her earlier.”
Laughing, Paxton made a comment about that being a good idea. “I’m going to go relay orders about the pack outside the walls. I’ll see you later.” As he pulled the door open, he paused. “You still leaving?”
“No, I’m going to go sit with Rose instead.”
Pax bid him farewell with a genuine smile now, one that matched Gabriel’s. He looked toward the stairs again, feeling so much lighter than before. If they could get Brinley to remember her father and her place in this pack…
This could actually work.
He raced up the stairs. Now that they had at least somewhat of a solid theory and plan in place, he would tell Rose everything. It was dangerous to feel so hopeful, but there was absolutely no stopping it anymore.