We were all still seated when Rudy and Esme entered the kitchen."You've heard the news, right?" said Rudy. "Another one found dead."
"What?" I asked confused. Then it hit me that this was why Gabriel came over to see Rudy.
"Yeah," Gabriel looked grim again. "If it's all right with you, I'd like to call a meeting here tonight. We have to discuss what to do." Rudy was quick to agree.
"I'm going back to bed," Vivian said to no one in particular. "I don't feel too good."
"Don't drink if you can't hack it," Esme said.
I rolled my eyes with a smirk. "Go to bed and when you wake up I will have made some awesome soup for dinner; it helps with the headache."
Once Viv left I went up stairs to change and returned downstairs to see Esme, Rudy, and Gabriel in the living room sitting.
"Where are you going?"Esme asked from her seat.
"I have to get some stuff for soup. The girls are going to be at the meeting, right?" I directed at Gabriel knowing the triplets loved my chicken noodle soup. He nodded his head. "Okay well, I shall return."
At the meeting, Gabriel paired most of the pack with partners; then he set up patrol routes.
"This way we catch the killer in the act," he said, "or maybe stop him from acting at all if he knows about the patrols."
Astrid claimed she was still recovering from her wounds. "I mustn't tax myself," she purred at Gabriel, and touched the black patch she wore over one eye, which made her look like a cartoon villainess; so he assigned her to help Jenny Garnier with the children. Astrid curled her lip, but didn't object.
"That'll scare the little bastards into behaving," Esme muttered.
"I'm sure Viv, the Five and I were a lot better." I told her laughing. "Tell you what why don't you girls go get some soup and then you can play with Artemis outback." I told the triplets with a sweet smile. They were to cute not to smile at in my opinion.
"I'll stay at my place and coordinate communications," Gabriel interjected. He pointed at Gregory and Finn. "You'll be my runners for the first shift and you'll only be out of my sight if something goes down. You'll be second shift," he continued, pointing at Rafe and Ulf. "And I strongly suggest you wait at Aunt Persia's if you don't nap at my place, cause if anyone's killed while you're on the loose, you'll get a close-up of my teeth," I was surprised when they didn't argue. Maybe they were enjoying the excitement and the idea of getting to fight someone or something.
"Willem, you're with Cyn," Gabriel said. "Get to know her again. I think I can trust you to take good care of her," I glared at Gabriel sharply with defiant annoyance.
"I do not need protecting," I growled defensively, but at least he had decided to put Viv with us as well.
Gabriel's frown turned into a smile just for me. "I never said you did sweetheart." I rolled my eyes though somewhere something inside me didn't quite mind the endearing name.
"Why can't I team with my wife?" complained Rolf Wagner. He's still not ready for Gabriel as leader. To be honest, neither was I.
Gabriel explained. "I want the teams made up of people who don't generally hang together. That cuts down on the chances of someone covering for another person. It's not perfect, but it'll give people alibis if something happens." I was sad to admit that his plan so far makes since.
"It's so wonderful to be trusted," sneered Lucian Dafoe. A few grumbles around the room proved there were some of them who agreed with him. Aunt Persia banged her cane on the ground for silence. I saw Astrid whisper to Rafe. My brow furrowed with confusion as I tried to figure out what she would have said to him.
"I think you have some other business," reminded Orlando Griffin.
Gabriel raised a hand in acknowledgment. "Yes. It's more important than ever for us to get out of this area now. We've put it off long enough. I don't know how much this police informant knows about us - maybe it was only a lucky guess - but if the police don't do anything, and this person knows who we are, he or she may be crazy enough to come after us alone. Rudy's agent has provided a list of rural properties that fit our needs. I plan to visit them and make a decision soon."
"If we don't find the killer before we move, we might be taking the problem with us," said Bucky in a voice raspier than it used to be. I hadn't seen him since the Ordeal. His throat was knotted with scars where the blond outsider had savaged him. I knew others had been wary of Bucky lately. Even considering the killer was him; however, I have known him for awhile and am positive he is not the culprit.
"At least, then, we'd know it was one of us," said Magda. Her mouth looked tight, her face pinched. Her sister-in-law, Renata, nodded in support.
Raul put his arm around Renata protectively. "How could this informant know about us? Who would give us away to them?"
"Who would hang out with meat-people?" said Astrid, looking at Vivian pointedly.
Esme and I leaped to our feet, but Tomas tugged at her arm and she sat down again. However no one grabbed me.
"I would suggest that you watch who you start accusing; preferably before I rip out your tongue. And just FYI it's terms like 'meat-people' that foster the attitude that's gotten us into this mess." I countered.
"Cyn," Rudy warned lowly from my right.
"I'm fine." I confirmed annoyed.
"Oh don't even get me started little head Bitch. I thought that role was given to women. Not too little virgin school girls who can't even walk and chew gum at the same time." Astrid's voice rang.
"Oh please, first of all I'm not a virgin; second of all it wasn't given to me. I won by kicking your ass. Don't tell me you forgot that the reason you aren't patrolling is because you're still healing." I snapped coldly feeling my anger began to boil. This bitch was the reason I was in this mess with Gabriel. If she had fought fair I would be the head Bitch's niece not the head Bitch herself.
"No need to lie about you sex life," Astrid jested.
"Could we please get back to the topic at hand?" Rudy asked.
"No, I would love to know who deflowered our virgin queen." Astrid continued to egg.
And I cracked wide open. "Gabriel. I slept with him long before you or Esme even acknowledged his existence." The second the words left my mouth I regretted them. Gasps were heard around the room, but no one could miss the loud what's that left Viv's, Esme's and Astrid's mouth.
Suddenly I could not breathe as I felt panic was hen through my veins chilling my veins.
"Um this meeting is over." Gabriel spoke. Oh fuck! No one moved a centimeter, but Viv who stood up to face me.
"What are you talking about?" She questioned.
"It was nothing." I spoke lowly.
"How long have you been lying to me? How long have you been sleeping with someone who I happen to despise with every fiber of my being?"
"It was a long time ago okay? I was fourteen!" I pleaded.
"Why didn't you just tell me you had a one night stand with him?" The venom was now oozing from Viv's mouth.
"Because, because it wasn't like that." I admitted solemnly.
"Then how the hell was it?" her voice had reached a deadly high.
"I loved him." The words came out low and rushed. I could hear Astrid's laugh through the ring in my ears, yet I didn't seem to have anymore snarky comments.
"Shut up," Gabriel growled at Astrid.
"Look Viv this isn't the time." I begged her lightly.
"Make time!"
"Vivian this is not how I wanted you to find out! It is over isn't that enough?"
"No it is no it," the accusation in her voice stung like a harsh winter blizzard.
" I kept trying to tell you, but you never had time for me or my problems, but none of it matters anymore! We all have moved on!"
"You have got to be kidding! I never had the chance to move on from this! I so much as get a glance from a guy and I tell you, yet you somehow forgot to tell me you were in love?" The anger in her voice was slowly rising.
"Exactly, when it happened you were so busy chasing after Axel you didn't even notice your best friend was out all the time; without you!"
"Oh so it's my fault?"
"It's no one's fault, okay? It was stupid and it never should have happened!"
"Damn right it shouldn't have happened! He's twenty two."
"At the time I was seventeen." Gabriel added holding up a finger.
"Shut up!" We both yelled at him simultaneously.
"How long were guys together?" Esme questioned.
"Two years." I rubbed my head in frustration. My hair fell over my face forcing me to push it back forcefully and I knew I had ripped some strands from my scalp. People around the room began to whisper.
"You lied for two years?"
"Well excuse me for not wanting to be lectured!" I yelled at Viv heading to the stairs.
"Maybe you need a lecture on how to be a friend! I thought you were the sister I never had!"
"I am, I just don't tell you everything that's not who I am. I'm not like you okay? There are some things I like to keep to myself." I used my arms in attempt to explain, but I had a sickening feeling it wasn't working.
"No you're a liar." She confirmed.
"I couldn't tell you because you were too busy sleeping with Rafe and picturing it was Axel." I spoke getting rather frustrated myself. I just wasn't sure who exactly I was frustrated with. I turned to Rafe, "That's right Rafe, the whole time you guys were together if your best friend had given her a second glance she would have gone running into his arms."
That's when she slapped me across my face.
"Okay I will admit I deserved that," I confirmed gripping staircase sharply, "but why don't you ponder on the fact that you missed out on the fact that your 'sister' was actually happy for the first time in her entire bloody life." The words came out as sharp piercing daggers. Two of which pierced my heart. I ran up the stairs to my room to lie down and cry like the broken wolf I had come to be. No comfort would come for me this time.
*Flashback* POV will alternate, but you should be able to tell when.
I was fourteen and was in my first relationship with a guy named Justin. We had been dating for a few months and we were happy enough. He was cute and made me laugh. I never loved him, but still he was my first real boyfriend; however, like most first relationships he was also the first to go. This one just happened to end in the park.
It turned out he was cheating on me for a whole month before I caught him at a park. When I found out I was pissed, yet so very hurt. I never understand why it hurt so much. I didn't love him, nor did I ever have sex with him though somehow I had never felt such heartache.
Little did I know that it would also be the event to push me into the arms of my first love, first lover, and my ultimate heartache.
It was the summer before my freshman year and Gabriel's senior.
"Cyn," I heard a voice shout from behind me and this time it wasn't Justin's.
"Gabriel?" I called shocked at his presence as I tried to wipe away my tears
"What's wrong?" He questioned.
"Nothing," I turned around trying to hide the tears.
"Oh Cyn come here." He pulled me over to him and sat us on a bench.
His musk filled my nostrils along with the cool fabric of his leather jacket. The feeling of close human contact sent my emotions into a spiral and I felt a harsh sob rake through my body.
"Shhh Cyn its okay I've got you." I pulled her small body close to me stroking her hair and rubbing circles over the small of her back. I couldn't comprehend how this strong pretty girl who I had never seen show even the slightest sign of weakness was now sitting before me. I guess it was one of the many things I admired about her.
"I don't even understand why I'm crying." I choked out. I gripped the front of the older boy's shirt feeling empty.
"Why don't you start by telling me what happened?" I couldn't help but chuckle at her attempt to run her hands through her hair while in my firm grip.
"Justin's been cheating on me for an entire month." Her words came out raspy and hollowed as she fought for more air. I knew exactly who Justin is, so you could imagine my surprise at the idea of him being so stupid. The guy was a grade below me and had grown up in this town; therefore, you would think he, just like everyone else in this town, that you did not mess with Cynthia or Vivian. Yes I call her Cynthia or at least in my head I do. I don't have a death wish or anything like that. It was no secret that the pack was protective of their princess and cousin. Especially if we brought the five into this.
But that wasn't my main source of confusion. I'm well aware of the fact that they had been together for roughly three months, so why would someone who obviously has life pretty well cheat on such a beautiful creature. Then I registered the familiar scent of Begonia's, Iris, apple pie, and daisy (AN: all these flowers have a meaning. In this order they represent deep thoughts, inspiration and innocence.). The last one hit me and I realized exactly what the problem had been: she never had sex with him. My inner wolf leaped at the discovery.
"Ugh I'm horribly sorry. I'm probably holding you up from something important," she looked up at me with her bright big blue eyes with a light glaze from her tears hanging over them. The girls soft and delicate porcelain skin with a tint of unnatural red in it along with her plump and full lips glowed. My arms instinctively tightened around her waist.
"There is nowhere else I'd rather be." I swiftly leaned down and melded my lips against her.
It took me a moment to register his lips against mine, but once I did my body took over sliding my fingers into his hair as his arms encircled me tightly. I had never felt so safe with his strong muscles encircling me like towers.
To bad I didn't have towers anymore to protect me from my pain.
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