THE STOLEN PIECE

CHAPTER 38 - DIFFERENCE

GABRIEL

Eva hugged me even tighter.

    -No we are not.

    -Why? You just said…

    -That I will think about it, not that it was okay.

    -Well then, we will be together soon.

She said with a huge smile on her face and sparks in her eyes… but there was still something missing.

    -Well love birds, let's eat. The place was packed and I was exhausted.

    -You didn’t go and buy the sushi, you sent me because you said…

    -Well but the hospital was packed with people and I just wanted to take a shower and sleep… Are the twins out?

    -No, we are here.

Daniel and David came out of their room.

    -David, let me see the wound.

Maria grabbed Davi’s face and looked at the stitches.

    -Tomorrow I can cut the stitches.

    -So I will go to the hospital tomorrow.

    -No, I can do it at home and a human wound wouldn’t close so fast so it’s better to do it here anyway.

She started handing the sushi out and then she looked at me.

    -So, what happened today?

    -Today?

    -Come on Gabe, how did David end up injured?

    -We found wolves.

David said at the same time he took the entire piece of sushi into his mouth.

    -WHAT? WHY DIDN’T YOU CALL ME?

    -Why would we call you?

I let out a growl and Daniel lowered his head.

    -What my brother wanted to say it’s that we were just running the perimeter and then we saw them, we didn’t have our phones and we weren’t able to communicate with any of you.. Daniel ran closer to the city while we were being chased and was able to communicate with Gabriel for a moment.

    -Then why didn’t you call me?

Now Lucas' eyes were on me.

    -I didn’t think about it, I just hurried and didn’t think about anything else but to just be there.

    -Then what happens?

Maria was trying to use the chopsticks but failed.

    -Then I took a cab, shifted, tracked the scent and when I saw them they were very brave fighting 5 wolves.

    -Really?

Eva looked amazed.

    -Yes, we were.

David had a huge smile on his face, while Daniel just looked at the wall.

    -They were fighting the wolves, I helped them, but then I saw the wolf that was when the pack was attacked.

    -The day Sam disappeared?

    -Yes that day!

Maria stood up and started walking back and forth.

    -Is everything alright?

    -Gabe, that day there was also a fire. Remember?

    -That's true!

    -We are close to him, Gabe!

    -That’s what I said!

Maria had a huge smile on her face.

    -We are going to find him, Gabe.

    -Yes we are.

She sat down and started eating again, now with a fork.

    -So? How did David get injured?

Lucas said, looking at the twins. I could see Daniel’s face getting angrier.

    -That’s irrelevant now, David is going to be fine and Gabe just said that he saw the wolf from that night. So it’s now irrelevant how he got injured.

Daniel was now smiling. The rest of the dinner was normal, kind of... for a strange reason  Eva kept on clinging to me, the twins kept looking at me, but they didn’t say a word. Maria kept talking about her patients and Lucas was eating while watching a motorbike program on TV. I saw Maria about to enter her room and I stopped her.

    -Can we talk?

    -I’m really tired, Gabe…

    -It's important.

    -Okay, what's up?

    -Not here.

I started walking towards the door.

    -Are you going for a walk? Can I join?

I felt Eva clinging again on my arm.

    -No I need to talk with my sister. You stay here with the twins and Lucas.

    -I want to go…

    -Eva do not push it…

She let go of my arm and pouted. I kept walking and Maria followed me.

    -What’s so important Gabe?

    -I...

I wasn’t sure how to ask her… My head wasn’t even processing all my thoughts and doubts. 

    -There’s just… Eva told me something today.

    -Yes I can imagine.

    -No, it wasn’t like that… What do you think of the mates?

She made a painful face. “YOU ARE SO DUMB! Remember she found her mate!” I completely forgot for a second!

    -No it’s not what I mean! I…

    -It’s okay Gabe… What do I think of the mates? No one has ever asked me that…

    -Maria I’m truly sorry…

    -No, it’s okay I just need to think about my answer.

She looked at the Moon and bowed a bit.

    -I’m not trying to be disrespectful…

She said while looking at the moon, then she looked at me.

    -But I would have loved the chance to find my own love story… To choose who I’m giving my heart… I don’t care if I fail, like in the movies Eva likes, but at least it would be my mistake… But when you find your mate, the feelings, and the pull… It’s so intense that you can’t fight it… it’s like trying to stop a fire with a piece of paper… The serum… gave me that chance, but I know that there's a bond there. It’s damaged and right now it’s not present… But it’s there… I know that even if someone marked me… If I stopped taking the serum, I would feel the pain of rejection. 

I was speechless, I never thought Maria thought all of that stuff... She was always at the hospital, and she always seems so centered.

    -Lately, I had a dream about staying here…

    -WHAT?

Maria wanted to leave the pack? IMPOSSIBLE!

    -Not like here, but in this state. Taking the serum for the rest of my life, what if I decide to actually fall in love with a human and live a normal life, have the partner I choose and the life I chose.

I was not happy hearing Maria talk about her having a partner, the fear of losing my sister was still there. I wanted her to be happy, but I wanted her to be close… Or more like in the Royal Pack.

    -But you are not doing that… Right?

    -I don’t know Gabe… But where is this conversation going? 

    -Did you know Dad considered Eva’s Mom as a possible mate, even after he met Mom?

    -I didn’t know that…

    -It’s outrageous! How could he consider someone that it's not Mom! Eva’s Mom is awesome, but our Mom is something perfect and extraordinary… He doesn’t deserve her! Well if someone deserves Mom it is him… But Mom is way better than him.

    -Are you done?

    -Yes.

    -You are acting just as you acted when we were 12 and you hated Dad.

    -I didn’t hate him.

    -Yes you did! 

    -No I didn’t.

    -Gabe you ignored him for months… You treat him as if he was invisible.

    -I didn't, I just ignored the orders he gave me without reason.

Maria sighed. 

    -I know how you feel Gabe… but I have observed Dad and Mom for a while now… Not just them but Uncle Chris and Ivory… They have a completely different relationship than Kevin and Brittany…

    -Well at least uncle Chris didn’t try to take another mate…

    -No it’s not because of Dad… We, the werecats, react differently to the mate bond… Wolves are all unconditional and they need to be close to their mate all time and are more codependent than the leopards are… But lions are more dependent than wolves… More to their mate, but to their cubs they are just overprotective… Also just like you Uncle Chris has trouble accepting Dad’s rules…

    -That’s not true! Everyone obeys Dad…

    -Yes and no… Uncle Chris keeps going on trips with Ivory to visit packs because he usually collides with Dad in some of his decisions. He isn’t as fond to be ruled as a wolf, it’s hard for him… Just as it is for you and the twins. Wolves are used to that hierarchy, but that doesn't mean they are not loyal… just not so good at following rules.

    -What are you talking about?

    -Haven't you noticed that Uncle Chris mostly responds to Mom and not Dad? He speaks to Mom, Mom selects a pack, and Chris and Ivory go there and train them… That gives Chris full autonomy of his family… like a small pack version. He also gets to give directions to the other packs and train them, so he is happy and the kingdom gets stronger.

-What?

-Yes Gabe, we are not the same with our personalities.  Our… Cats behave differently than wolves, lions, leopards… and we also need to have in mind that wolves also behave differently, the attitude of alpha blood, beta, and warriors are stronger in different ways… The pack adapts to keep those personalities happy and in good use, but right now Mom and Dad are trying to manage those new personalities and find a place for them in the pack.

-So that’s why Uncle Chris is always on trips?

-Yes… Well, that’s what I think, I just observed the pack for a while, no one actually has told me this stuff. 

-How did you notice all of this?

-I have eyes and… I missed Nova… And watching the interactions with the pack members with their wolves and cats made me feel a bit better.

I was remembering my life in the pack and it was true… Usually, Uncle Chris spoke to Mom, the best warriors have a kind of autonomy where they can order other warriors around when the Alpha is not near… And some wolves do like to follow rules like really love to follow rules, they need to have a leader. That’s it! “That is what?” “We can use that to improve the pack, Zeus!” “I like the way things are.” “But if we learn more about this we can assign them more appropriate positions!” Zeus wasn’t as excited as I was… “What’s wrong?” “I miss Nova… I love Maria, but I miss my sister.” “You know that if Maria wasn’t doing this she would be now living with Lucas, in the Howlers pack?” “Yes… It’s not like I hate her.” “You hate Maria?”