THE STOLEN PIECE

CHAPTER 14 - WHO IS COMMING

GABRIEL

I heard the door and saw Eva walking towards me.

    -Is everything okay?

    -Yes.

    -Well I know something is bothering you.

She sat next to me.

    -How are you feeling now? I know the guys are…

    -I’m not going to lie, I was mad about the food being thrown and wasted, but in the end, we had a peaceful dinner and everything turned out how it was supposed to right?

I was glad for Eva’s words but… As I saw her eyes I could feel sadness, emptiness as if her feelings didn’t exist, as if she contained them and acted as she thought she was supposed to act. I stood up.

    -Did I said something wrong?

I looked at her and the fear in her eyes was clear.

    -No, but I will take a night run just to clear my head.

I walked into the forest. Took my clothes off and shifted. I let Zeus take control and he started running towards the border, as soon as we were close two wolves ran next to us.

    -” Is good to see you back Gabriel.”

    -” Thanks, it’s been a long time since I joined the night patrol, how is the perimeter looking tonight?”

    -” Just as every night, clear and peaceful.”

    -” Good.”

As I ran they followed me. I kept running near the border trying to clear my head and seeing with my own eyes that everything was normal helped a lot. At 4 in the morning I heard the howls that indicated the switch of shift, I wasn’t tired, but I knew that I needed to sleep even a little bit. I waited for the change of shift and then walked to the spot where I left my clothes and shifted back. Walking home everything was in complete silence. I opened the door and saw the light of my room still on. I walked in and saw Eva in my bed, she was already sleeping. I turned the light off and closed the door. I walked to the living room and laid on the couch. I closed my eyes but I was still not able to sleep. When the sun was finally showing I stood up and went upstairs to use the shower. I took a quick bath and then went directly to the office, as I rearranged the papers I read them all and indeed nothing there was about the attacks. When the office was back to normal I decided to go to the kitchen. As I opened the door I could hear all of the members’ voices. “The pack is up and ready to eat breakfast.” “Yes, and apparently is the whole pack, Zeus.” I took some steps back and closed the door of the office. I sat with the door at my back. “Aren’t we going down?” “There are too many members there right now, let’s wait here for a while.” I closed my eyes… What could these attacks be about? Are the strange creatures that I fought when I was a young boy back? Why hasn’t my mom told me about this? They don’t trust me? Do they still see me as a cub? I felt a hit on my head and then something pushing me.

    -I imagine you were here but I never thought you would be sleeping against the door.

I was trying to move but my legs were numb. How long did I sleep? 

    -If you were going to take a nap you could have done it in your old room.

My Dad said as he entered the room and closed the door. I stood up slowly and then sat at one of the chairs.

    -I already talked with the Alpha of the Shadow pack and he will be waiting for your arrival.

    -The Shadow Pack?

    -Yes, they have skilled warriors, they are the ones that we sent to investigate enemies before the attacks.

    -Isn't it better to go to the bigger packs first?

    -I’m sending you to greet them, but also, some packs haven't been the same, I want you to find a way to help them.

    -What can I do for them?

    -If I told you then what are you going to do during your stay there?

I rolled my eyes, I didn’t want the answer but more like what was happening there? They hadn't been the same, could Dad be more ambiguous?

    -Don’t do that Gabriel. You need to behave like the future King. No alpha will pass it if you roll your eyes in their presence. You need to be more respectful. 

    -Sorry Dad…

    -Don’t apologize, you need to act like a King, not as a young pup. I know you see the pack as a family, and everyone's your friend and if you roll your eyes at Nate or Nelson they will not react, but it shouldn’t be like that. You have a position here and they have theirs. You need to be respectful and understand the difference between family and the pack hierarchy.

“I told you that wolves were more apprehensive than us with their traditions.” “Shut up Zeus!”

    -I know that…

Dad was looking at me with doubt.

    -Your kind? I don’t know how to say it without your Mom going crazy about it.

    -Werecat Dad, that’s what we all are… well except for Mom.

    -As I was saying, werecats are more impulsive, and tend to challenge authority, and are more physically driven than wolves that understand and respect positions, but you need to keep that under control if you are going to a werewolf pack.

    -You are just saying that because Daniel and David have been causing a lot of trouble lately but…

    -No Gabe, Chris is just the same, you and Maria were both the same. I can count the times Samuel stood up to me or to Nate and Nelson. But you, your sister, Chris, the twins… There is something about your kind that lets you challenge the higher ranks. As a wolf it's like a barrier, once we have that blood oath it’s physically impossible for us to disobey or challenge, it needs to be something really strong for us to do it. But I have seen the twins steal food from Nate’s plate even though he uses his command. It’s not normal Gabe, and if this type of information is out could be dangerous. It will make the royal pack look week and that’s the last thing we need with the attacks that have been happening.

“Are we here to be lectured about the werecat 

behavior or is he planning on explaining the trip to us.” Zeus was getting impatient, but just interrupting my Dad or trying to change the subject would just reassure what he was saying, so I just stayed there looking at him and nodding to his words.

    -You are almost my age when I took the title of Alpha King…

“Great, another story of his past… Can he just explain the trip to us? I’m starving Gabe!” I was about to say something but my Dad took a picture and passed it to me. It was him… Well a young him with a man and a woman standing next to him.

    -My Dad and Mom didn't like photos, they were more complicated than what they are now, you needed too many things and... Well, there were other times. But one time we visited a pack they had purchased a camera and someone took a picture of us while we trained.

    -This looks really old Dad.

    -It was a long time ago Gabe.

I know everybody says that I look just like my Dad… but for a moment there I really thought the boy in the picture was me.

    -So did your Dad also make you do all these formalities?

    -No…

    -Then why I am forced to…

    -Both my parents were killed during an attack. I took the title and did all the formalities by myself with the help of my Nana and the parliament.

    -The ones that wanted me, Maria, and Mom dead?

    -You saw some dark points of the parliament but without them taking the throne by myself I would have been impossible and the kingdom deserves a prepared king.

I didn’t have words, what can I say to that? I hated the parliament and I wasn’t changing my mind now just because they helped Dad. They tried to kill me and my family! So I wasn’t going to change my mind, if Dad hadn't disbanded the parliament I would have done it.

    -Now you don’t have the parliament to help you.

 “If we had I would have already killed them with my own fangs.” “Well, Dad already took care of them so there’s no need to think about that Zeus.” “Just saying facts.”

    -But you have me and your Mom to help you, and we will try to guide you so you could understand the kingdom like no one else, so you could be the king they need and deserve.

    -I have been preparing for that since we came here Dad, and I think I have passed the expectations. I am one of the best warriors at the royal pack, I have been studying the territories and packs of the kingdom, I am dealing with all the royal pack’s responsibilities and…

    -Being King is not just about work, you need to get to know your kingdom, it changes you will receive not the same one I received and you need to be the King they need, understand they are not going to be the kingdom you want but more like what you will receive and you need to adapt to them to guide them.

I wasn’t understanding what my Dad was trying to say, everything that he was saying is what I had been trying to do in the past years.

    -You need to prepare your bags.

    -How long will I be out?

    -I don’t know it’s up to you if you stay one day on each pack or two days, a week or one day in one pack and then a month in another. 

    -So it could be a couple of months or a year?

    -Yes, it's all up to you.

    -How did you do it? Who was ruling while you were away?

    -I had Nate’s father helping and the parliament also helped me with that. Also, I came back at least once a month.

    -How long did it take you?

    -About a year and a half… or was it two years and a half? I’m not sure the kingdom had just lost its King and Queen so my presence was needed everywhere.

“WHAT TWO YEARS! WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE AWAY THAT LONG!” Zeus was surprised at the amount of time Dad took in visiting the packs. “Don’t worry if we stay just the time needed and just come back every two months we can be back in a couple of months.”

    -Can I choose who can come with me? or am I traveling alone?

    -Of course, you are taking some members, it’s… tradition.

My Dad made a pause before finishing the sentence, it was strange and I could see the discomfort in his face.

    -So I can take Harvey and…

    -You are taking Samuel with you and Simon.

    -What? Why?

    -Samuel needs to start understanding so he can help you with the Kingdom.

    -Dad you know he has zero interest in ruling the kingdom or…

    -He is not going to rule, he is going to be your support.

    -I think Harvey is a better option and…

    -No one is a better option. He is your brother and my son. He is going with you to greet the pack and that’s my last word.

“AREN’T WE THE ONES GOING? WHY IS HE TRYING TO CONTROL EVERYTHING!” Zeus was beyond mad and so was I. I started to take deep breaths.

    -As you order Alpha.

I bit my lip as I stood from the chair and started to leave the office. He didn’t use his Alpha tone, but I could see he was starting to get annoyed. I was greeted by members meanwhile I left the house but I didn't look at them. I had too many things on my mind and Zeus was still annoyed. As soon as I stepped out I heard Sam screaming like crazy. “Gabe!” “I’m on it!” I ran directly to the sound and saw Sam being pulled by three females two were pulling his legs and one had one arm and they were dragging him like a sack of potatoes. Sam was using his free hand to grab into the earth but as they walked his hand just let marks.

    -Brother please help me!

The females looked at me with surprise. 

    -I don’t think I want to get involved with this… Whatever is happening has nothing to do with me.

I gave my back to them and started walking back to the house.

    -SHE IS BACK!

I ignored Sam’s voice and continued walking.

    -ARTEMIS IS BACK AND SHE IS READING FATES!

I stopped. I hated that woman, she likes to mess with everyone's heads and that was something I couldn’t tolerate. I looked at Sam that was pulled again by the females.

    -So are you helping me?

    -No.

    -WHY? HELP ME!

I just walked behind them, I needed to follow them so I could know where she was hiding now. “If she knows we don’t like her doing that and that we will find her and make her leave why does she keep on coming back?” “I don’t know Zeus, she is crazy and unpredictable.” The females kept dragging Sam through the forest, then I saw one female leaving a tree trunk crying. The three females stopped immediately and dropped Sam. Sam quickly stood up and tried to run but I grabbed his shoulder.

    -We are going in there.

    -WHY?

Sam had a strange look. Is he afraid of seeing Artemis? Or is he afraid of what Artemis could say? I started pushing Sam into the tree trunk. As we entered we appeared in a room and the scent let me know we were not in the pack land. I immediately roar at Artemis.

-Relax kitty, you are in a safe space.

-We are no longer in the Aegean Moon pack land!

-We are not.

-YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BRING PACK MEMBERS OUT OF THE PACK LAND!

-It’s just for minutes, and I have a shield, so they are safe.

-It doesn't matter if it’s just seconds…

-If you want to leave just pass that door.

-You get on my nerves! I’m telling you that everything you are doing here is against the kingdom rules! 

-You sure?

She had a sarcastic confused look on her face, her silver hair was partially covering her eyes, making them almost impossible to see. She then stood up and used her hand to comb her hair to the back letting her silver eyes uncovered, and looking directly at me, purple orbs started to appear on her eyes, and the tattoos that covered her body started to move. I took some steps back. Her silver hair started to shine and then suddenly everything went back to normal.

-Interesting…

She walked near Sam and touched his chest.

-You have something strange...

Sam had a scared face.

-What are you saying? What did you do?

I walked towards her.

-What else could I do? What you came here for.

-What?

-I know about your mates, that is why you both are here for right? To know about them?