THE STOLEN PIECE

CHAPTER 13 - TAKING ACTION

SAMUEL

-Princess are you also really good at the kitchen?

The little kid asked her with sparks in his eyes.

-No, she is the worst of the worst, she can even damage food that is already ready, eating some of her food is just as eating poison, trust me.

-How would you know? You have never eaten my food.

-I tasted it, and that was enough to almost kill me.

-That smells so good!

-Well this was made by Eva, of course, is going to be good.

-Eva! Can I try it?

I was about to say no, but Maria looked at me with threatening eyes.

-Give the spaghetti to the kid.

-But this is my food.

-Go eat at the main house, there is always food there.

-But the pasta is right here!

-If you don’t want to, you can go and hunt.

-You know that raw meat isn’t as good as…

She stopped stitching the boy and looked at me.

-Sam, I’m quite busy here and as you see we don’t have time to play, so go to another place.

I stood up and left. Maria just cares for the hospital and the patients, I’m not even sure she has her three meals or even one per day. She wasn’t the sister I remembered, this place was getting boring by the pass of the years. As I walked to the packhouse, 2 lions were fighting, I tried to ignore it but as soon as they saw me they jumped towards me. I avoid them and keep walking into the house. I heard them following me, I heard Ivory screaming at them. I opened the fridge and started looking for something to eat. The fridge was full of food but I was really looking forward to eating the pasta. I took some beef stew and heated it in the microwave.

-Did you saw how high I jumped?

-My jump was higher!

I saw the twins entering the kitchen.

-That smells really good? Are you heating yesterday’s stew?

-Take two more plates out, Daniel.

-You take them, I’m the oldest one you should serve me.

-No one is taking any plate out, this is just for me.

-That’s too much for you, you can share at least with me?

-No.

-Come on I’m your favorite cousin!

-I’m his favorite cousin, David.

-You are not!

-I don’t like you both by equal, so don’t fight.

-Why are you always so mean?

I heard steps and saw the twins freeze at their feet.

-What are you two doing here?

-We…

-You are already 18 years old! You must train, and quit playing all the time.

-Yes Dad.

They both left and Chris took the stew out of the microwave.

-I haven’t eaten in all day, thanks, Sam.

And just as he came into the kitchen he left… with my food. “No one respects us in this pack!” Finn was mad and I was really hungry. “Let’s go hunt Finn, we need some exercise.” I left the house and saw Ivory practicing with the twins. I avoided them and shifted. I let Finn take charge of the body, I was hungry and mad. Finn ran as fast as our pawl let us. He then got the scent of a hare. We tracked down until Finn was finally eating it.

-You are indeed really fast Sam.

Finn looked up and I saw Eva riding Zeus.

-“What are you doing here brother?”

Finn let out a low growl.

-” Don’t you dare to growl again Sam, Eva asked me to bring her to you.”

-” Really? What do you need from me now?”

My voice was irritated.

-Relax Finn, I just want to talk to Sam.

-” Sam shift back!”

Gabe’s voice in my head was just irritating me more.

-” I don’t want to!”

-” Sam!”

-” Stop bossing me around, Gabe!”

-Sam, I brought more pasta so you can eat, Maria called home and explain how you gave your food to a wounded kid.

-” And you think you can buy me just with some pasta!”

-” She also added some fresh cookies.”

“Cookies?” Finn walked and sniffed the lunchbox, the scent of the cookies was so strong. “Finn they are chocolate mint! Let’s shift!” As I was shifting, Eva let a pair of shorts in the ground.

-Don’t be late, I will make hamburgers for dinner.

-You are the best Eva!

As I said that Eva jumped into Kygo’s back and then both left. I opened the lunch box and started eating the cookies. “You see Finn, this place isn’t that bad.”

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GABRIEL

I left Eva in the house and returned to the office, I wasn’t able to concentrate. I needed to know more details of the attacks and in what places they happened. I couldn’t find my Dad, and when I looked in the office I didn’t find traces of registers or documents from the attacks, it was as if my Dad made up the attacks, but why would he do that? I kept looking and nothing, not even a paper related to the attacks, that was really strange. I heard the door opening and saw my Dad.

-They told me you were in here, but not that a hurricane came and destroyed the office.

-Dad why don’t we have papers about the attacks?

-We have them, but as you already know they are not here.

-Then…

-They are in my room, under my bed. I keep the attacks secret and the office has too many eyes. It wasn't safe enough.

-Can I see them?

-Not yet, you need to rest and we need to prepare the ceremony.

-Ceremony?

-The passing of the Alpha king isn’t as easy as a normal Alpha, we need to inform all of the kingdom and you must pay your respects.

-But that would take a lot of time Dad…

-It’s what we need to do Gabe.

-What if…

-No Gabe it’s a tradition and we need to stick to them.

-You already dispersed the parliament and that was a tradition.

-That was different, they started to use their power in a wrong way, it was needed to ban those types of behaviors. The parliament is still used for advice, but they don’t hold the power they used to have.

-But Dad…

-Gabe stop that! Now go and rest.

I left the office but I couldn’t go without trying to persuade Dad and the only one that could help me was Mom. I walked into her room and opened the door without knocking. I saw the silver hair woman full of tattoos talking to Mom, as soon as she saw me, she smiled at me and disappeared from the room.

-Gabriel Miller, you need to knock before entering someone else's room.

-Why do you keep talking to her?

-She is a good friend.

I don't like her, her presence gives me chills and… I just don’t like her. She comes more often to read the wolf's fortune, or in fewer words to tell the wolves if they have a mate or don’t. Lately many of the young wolves are struggling to find their mate, and she says she can say if they have one or not… In my opinion, she is just a scam.

-Mom you know I…

-You need to stop being that disrespectful Gabriel, you must watch your tone, now that you are going to be ruling the kingdom you better work on your character. I’m your Mother and your Queen, so more respect in how you talk to me. You can’t tell me who I can or can’t talk to. You are no longer a cub, that can be going around doing what he wants and being disrespectful, you need to understand the new responsibility of the position you are going to receive.

I felt my mother's presence getting stronger, and so did Zeus. He was acting submissive, and I also took a step back and lowered my head. It was not often that my Mom used her command on anyone.

-Go back to your house, Gabe.

I heard my Dad’s voice. I wanted to complain but… “Let’s just go back Gabe.” I walked back to my room with my head still low, when I heard the door of my parent’s room closing I lifted my head. “What was that about?” “I don’t know but they were both mad, we should just accept the fact that we can’t escape this tradition. Werewolves are really stubborn Gabe, the pack and the order are really important to them.” I left the packhouse, it was already dark outside. I took a deep breath and felt the warm air entering my lungs. “Zeus, are we going to wait until we greet all the packs?” “There is no other way, he is our Dad and the former king, he must be doing these for some reason.”

-Gabriel!

I turn at the familiar voice.

-Harvey how can I help you?

Harvey kept walking towards me with a big smile.

-Nothing really, I just wanted to know how Maria is doing lately?

I smiled at him. Since young, he had a crush on my sister, and he was still disappointed when she turned out not to be his mate. “But that doesn't stop him, Gabe. He still thinks he has a chance.”

-You should tell me, the rumors say you visit the hospital at least twice a week.

-But it’s not like that…

-Really? Don’t tell me we have a weak future Beta?

-Don’t say that Gabe, you know I’m in good shape… Also, I don’t think I would have a beta position in the future.

I was surprised by his words.

-What? Why?

-Well I always assumed that when you take the kingdom, you will assign Sam as the beta.

-Why would I do that?

-You are asking me why? Well because he is your brother and way stronger than me?

-That’s true… but he is not constant, he is always in the clouds and has no sense of responsibility.

-I think he would grow to the responsibility when he sees it.

-I’m not that sure about that Harvey, I think that sooner or later he is going to leave the pack.

-I bet you my hair that he will stay here and be your beta.

I smiled at him, he was one of my most trustable men in the pack.

-I better go home Harvey, it was good to see you.

-Tell Maria I say hi!

-Don’t worry I will.

I walked back to the house and saw the families returning to their homes, as I got close to the house I saw Eva at the front door with a smile.

-Welcome back.

-You didn’t need to wait for me outside.

-You were taking longer than what I thought you would, and the temperature is better outside than in the house.

I smiled at her and as we entered the house I could hear Sam screaming at Eliot. They were fighting about who deserved the last cookie.

-The temperature or you wanted to be away from this noise?

She rolled her eyes, I could see she was already annoyed, so I guessed they started fighting even before that was the last cookie. Sam took the cookie and Elliot jumped across the table to take it. While doing that all of the hamburgers fell to the floor and some plates broke into pieces. At that moment I saw Sam and Eliot looking at Eva. She just let some tears out and ran upstairs into her room.

-Hope that teaches you both a lesson.

-It was not on purpose Gabriel.

-Yes Gabe, we were just joking around, it was Elliot's fault for jumping across the table.

-It wasn’t my fault Gabriel! My sister makes those cookies for me and Sam was swallowed them as if they were made for him!

-In the end, it doesn't matter who’s fault was, Eva is now crying upstairs, and all of her effort cooking the hamburgers is on the floor.

I walked and started cleaning the smashed food and broken plates. They helped me clean up. As we cleaned, I understood that this same chaos was happening in the kingdom, small fights were turning into big ones, and the problem was getting out of hand. Like if something was missing… but what could be missing. I heard the door opening and saw Maria entering she was followed by Harvey and he was holding a big box.

-Harvey?

-Hi Gabe, Maria asked me for help, and she told me I could stay here for dinner.

He had a huge smile on.

-Maria was all these about?

-Where’s Eva?

-She is upstairs.

Elliot said, I looked at him and growled. Maria ignored me and went upstairs. I was hating this new attitude of her, doing as she pleased, ignoring me, and just…

-So you brought what I asked Harvey?

I saw Elliot walking towards him.

-You called him here?

-It was not like that Gabriel, I told him to tell Maria to bring food and more plates from the main house, but I guess Maria wasn’t able to carry all of the stuff.

I was mad! Why wasn’t I told this! Now even Eliot is doing what he pleases in my house! How was I supposed to rule if my Dad hid stuff from me and the rest of the pack didn’t felt the need to inform me or answer me when I ask questions. Sam took the food and started heating it. Elliot started to arrange the table and added one more place. When Sam was taking the food out I saw Eva walking alongside Maria and sitting at the table. I joined them, the talk was smooth and joyful, but I didn’t say a word, I was mad, and wasn’t in the mood, but I stayed there and tried to look as happy as I could to not ruin the peace of the dinner.

-” Gabe I talked with your father and tomorrow you will part to great the packs, your Dad already informed the pack about it.”

I stood up from the table as soon as I heard my mom’s voice through the link and walked outside the house.

-” Am I going alone?”

-” We will discuss that after breakfast, your Dad will be waiting for you in his office… and Gabe, be early so you can pick up the mess you left at the office.”

My mom ended the conversation and I sat at the entrance steps.