THE STOLEN PIECE

CHAPTER 31 - FINALLY COMPLICATIONS

GABRIEL

The rest of the day went by and at closing time I started to pick the things. She tried to help me but she was tired so I insisted that she let me do it. She wasn’t happy but at least she agreed. At the end of the day, I went to the department and filled fille papers she gave me. When Maria arrived she was just with the twins. She passed me the car keys.

-Be careful, I will be here waiting.

-Yes.

I grabbed a backpack and left the place with the twins following me. As I drove I saw the lights of the city getting behind, I decided to shift near the catnip field we found, not that close to being by it, but close enough. As we were leaving the car I took the lotion that had wolfsbane and spread it generously on me, and so the twins did the same. Now our scent was going to be fully covered. I saw the twins shifting. I was nervous, it’s been a long time since the last shift, and Zeus and I were not on the best terms. I saw the lions looking at me. I was about to close my eyes when I felt Zeus desperate, I felt a strong push back and just like that I lost control of my body, the pain was sharp, and my bones broke more abruptly. When the shift was done, I couldn’t sense much, I wasn’t in sync with Zeus and that didn’t give me access to many things. It was like being trapped in a dark room with a small window to look at, but no more. I tried to feel the grass, the air, but nothing. So I stayed quiet and looked at the world thru Zeus' eyes. I couldn’t even feel if he was happy, mad... if the shift was painful for him as it was for me… Then I saw something. I tried to keep my focus… Yes! I was indeed seeing something, “ZEUS LOOK TO THE RIGHT!” “ZEUS!” “ZEUS LOOK TO YOUR RIGHT!” He was ignoring me and don't even bother to look. “WE ARE GOING TO LOSE IT!” Nothing, he kept running. The twins! I mind-linked them.

-” DAN, DAVE! LOOK TO YOUR RIGHT! INFORM YOUR LIONS AND TELL THEM TO TELL ZEUS!”

I felt how Zeus changed directions abruptly, the twin’s lions probably contacted him. The twins searched the area, the scent of a wolf was there, it was fresh, it was still lingering in the air, and the prints in the soil proved it. Zeus got the trail of the scent and started following it. Then it was all blurry again, I could see the catnip field, and I knew that the wolf had run there. We couldn’t get closer, slowly Zeus started backing off and little by little the blur started to fade. Then I saw Fang approaching Zeus.

-” Did you find something Gabe?”

David’s voice sounded agitated. And his lion was also breathing heavily. I saw his lion anxious, he was close to me but kept looking away.

-” No, the wolf probably ran into the catnip field, we couldn’t get closer.”

-” Yes about that…”

David started running and I followed him. Then I saw Gur rolling over and purring at the top of his longs, right in the middle of the field.

-” How did he get there!”

-” Just like you, he found a trace and followed, but he didn’t stop when the scent passed through the field.”

An awkward silence lingers around. I looked around and saw nothing out of the ordinary, but something was odd.

-” I did try to drag him out, but I feel how Fang goes crazy if I get closer than this… Gur is also not answering and I can’t reach Daniel.”

Zeus started taking steps towards the field. “STOP ZEUS!” He was still not answering me… I was not sure if he heard me. The vision I had started to get blurry, and tingles started to appear. I felt Zeus shaking his head and the steps he was taking were not as strong and confident. “Zeus we need to stop!” “We can’t help you if you also lose yourself!” nothing back “Zeus!” Then I felt it, the paws of the body, it was heavy, I started trying to turn back, but it was way heavier than what I remembered, slowly I started getting away from the field, but the heaviness of the body brought me down. I saw Fang running away, and then everything went black. I felt heat near me, I opened my eyes and saw Maria, she was so close to my face, I saw her lips moving and tears? I tried to move and see what was hurting her! Why was she crying? Then I felt an extreme cold on my neck… I felt pain, my bones breaking. I could also hear the screams of Daniel, I tried to move but I wasn't sure if I was moving… I was in a complete daze, I couldn’t hear, feel or smell anything around me.

-Gabe… Gabriel, can you hear me?

-SAMUEL! SAMUEL! SAM!

I opened my eyes and saw Maria in my room, she had a wet towel in her hand. I looked around but I… I felt Maria’s arms around me.

-I’m so glad you are okay! I thought I did something wrong and that I was about to lose you and I just couldn't…

-Where’s Sam?

She looked at me.

-Gabe, do you remember what happened? Do you know where you are?

I looked around, I could see the room, I knew where we were, but it seemed different, something was odd.

-I think we are in my room, well I think… Did you do repairs? I can’t see the cracks in the walls, and the place looks darker. Did you change the light?

She then sighed in relief.

-What? What's wrong?

-Nothing, Gabe… Do you know why we are here? Can you tell me what’s the last thing you remember?

-I arrived home and then I took the twins with me… We saw something.. we found a werewolf! But then the scent…

A fog started to appear, I was trying to remember but my memories seemed blurry distant, like if I was seeing a movie but underwater? I felt alone, cold… I wasn’t sure… I felt I tried to see through my memories, I wanted to scan every bit of my brain, but it seems empty. Just like this room. I knew now what was different. I grabbed Maria’s hand and looked right into her eyes.

-Where is Zeus?

She looked at me and I could see the color from her face vanishing.

-Can’t you feel him?

-No, I also can’t use his senses.

She looked nervous.

-That night… The night you shifted with the twins… Daniel ran into the catnip field, lost control of Gur, and then… you also lost control of Zeus. David called us. As soon as we arrived you were at the side of the fields and Daniel was almost in the middle. I had to concentrate on the serum I use every day, but with that, I injected some of it on you, and then on Daniel. He shifted back to his human form almost instantly… but you didn’t. Zeus wasn’t responding… Then he tried to attack Lucas… I had to apply a second dose.

I moved around but I felt as if my head was spinning.

-I am not following you…

-As soon as Daniel woke up, Gur was back… I think Zeus just needs a little bit of time.

-Now I follow you… How long has Daniel been awake?

-Two days…

-TWO DAYS!

-Yes but…

-I had work!

She looked at me with shock.

-You just lost Zeus and you are worrying about work?

-He is not lost, just… Whatever the serum does to them, like Nova, right?

She looked infuriated.

-You think I… You…

She then glared at me and left the room. That was odd. I sat on the bed and started to feel my body, I was trying to get used to my new senses. It was overwhelming, I felt like… if someone covered my eyes, and ears and was holding my nose so that I couldn’t even orient myself by the scent of things. I couldn't smell my bed, or the clothes in the wardrobe, or anything… I did my best and dressed up, and started walking… The department was empty or at least it seemed, the doors of the rooms were closed and I didn’t open the doors to check. When I entered the shop, I saw a girl making coffee. Then Crystal walked out of the kitchen with a tray full of cookies.

-Gabriel is that you?

She saw me and left the tray, she walked towards me.

-How are you feeling? Your sister told me you had an accident and that you were in the hospital…

-My sister?

-Yes she came here and personally told me, I found some temporary help, so you should rest what you need.

-I feel better…

-You don’t look…

Then she stopped and looked at me.

-Are you sure you feel better?

-Yes, actually I wanted to clear my head out…

She just looked at me.

-Can I at least make coffee? I want to distract myself, I won’t even charge you but I’m sick of staying in the same room I needed to move around and…

-Yes, I think you can manage the coffee.

She smiled at me and went to the kitchen. I went to the coffee machine and started preparing a pot. I was about to make the second one, but the girl that was on the cashier walked into the kitchen. Crystal came and took a sip of one of the coffee mugs. Then she looked at me.

-Is there something wrong Gabriel?

-No.

Something was off. I walked to her and she looked at the coffee and then back at me.

-Sorry Miss, but my coffee tastes awful…

The lady on the counter looked at us. I took the coffee from Crystal’s hands and took a sip. I almost couldn’t keep it in my mouth. It was awful.

-Why does coffee taste so bad?

-I don’t know! You made it....

The girl said while looking at me.

-I make excellent coffee and give back my apron.

-Sorry?

-Crystal lent that apron to me so I gave it back.

-You know what? This was not my first choice for a job, Crystal made me do it so I could cover until you came back, and now you are back so…

She took the apron off and threw it at me.

-Good luck!

And just like that, she left.

-So why did the coffee taste so bad?

Crystal glared at me.

-Gabriel you are not feeling good and now I have no help here…

-I’m here to help you…

She rolled her eyes and walked to the coffee machine. She poured out the fresh pot of coffee I just made.

-What are you doing?

She started making a new pot.

-Crystal what are you doing?

She then went to the register and started taking orders. I was beyond mad, she was ignoring me. She took the new pot of coffee and started making a new one.

-Here, let me change the coffee you got earlier. Gabriel, you are now taking orders and serving coffee. I will be making the coffee and baking.

-What? Why?

-Because I need help, and you are not on one of your best days, the coffee you made was awful Gabriel.

She left and entered the kitchen. Please… How could her coffee be better than mine? I took a sip and… well it was not that good. I tried to help more but every time I tried to do something Crystal would just look annoyed.

-You know you could have let me help more.

Crystal glared at me again, like a hundred times today.

-Gabriel you are not on your A-game today… Let me be more clear, I don’t feel you have a game today.

-I’m not playing a game…

-Exactly, your head is somewhere else…

She then gave me a strange look.

-Is your sister okay with you being here?

- You meet my sister?

-Well, we talked a bit when she came, then we kept in touch on the phone after that, and when she told me about your accident... Can I ask what happened?

I was out of words… What can I tell her? I had no visible injuries…

-It was complicated…

-I understand.. you don’t need to tell me if you don't feel comfortable.

I just looked at her… she was a good person, I felt bad for lying to her… I was not lying if I wasn’t telling her… Right?

-Let me help you with the tables.

I picked one up and I almost fell. It was way heavier than what I remembered. Usually, I took two tables, and now just picking one was giving me trouble… She looked at me with a strange look… is she realizing my situation?