Her Rogue, His Queen

The Beginning - Part Two

Gabrielle

Gabrielle watched in shock as her friend broke down in body wrenching sobs. The sound was unnerving, as she had never heard her friend cry in such a manner before.

Her sobs filled the vehicle, her tears streaming down her cheeks, under her chin, and wetting her jean clad lap.

“Nicki?”

Jerking back from the steering wheel, her head hitting the headrest behind her in her fervor, Dominic turned a tear-stained gaze to her friend, “We are doing the right thing.” She said softly, tears running down her cheeks, “We are doing the right thing. We are, aren’t we, Gabby?” Her voice laced with anxiety and uncertainty, she gripped the steering wheel once more, her knuckles white. “Aren’t we?”

Reaching over the middle console, Gabrielle wrapped her friend in a tight hug, squeezing her tightly. She did not speak, holding her friend, trying to restore some of the confidence she had always seen her Dominic carry on her shoulders. Leaning back, Gabrielle gave her a brave smile, and a squeeze to her shoulder, “You always did this, you know?”

“Did what?” Dominic sniffed, and Gabrielle shook her head, giving her friend a faux world weary sigh,

“You would prepare to do something absolutely amazing, and then you would psyche yourself out and would back away from it. Letting your own self-doubt and fear of the repercussions hinder you from being great. And not just great, but freaking fantastic.”

Dominic huffed out a laugh, and Gabrielle sighed a small relief, glad her friend was feeling better enough to attempt a laugh. She continued speaking, needing her friend to hear what she was saying, “I know it hurts,” she said softly, “The pain of rejection, of being told that you are not enough by the very person who was made for you, it hurts. It batters your self esteem and self worth.” Dominic reached out and took her hand, squeezing it. Gabby shook her head, clearing it of the morose thoughts that tried to beat at her brain. Gray eyes met darker ones across the middle console and held, “In this instance, however, I will say that that jerk alpha John Cleveland, did you a favor. You were so much better than him, regardless of rank, or gender, or any of that crap. If you ask me, he chose a down grade when he picked doe-faced Lilah over you.” Gabrielle scoffed in absolute devotion to her friend, “Girl looks like she hasn’t even been weaned from the tit yet…hmph. Cradle robber.”

A snort made her look toward the driver’s side of the vehicle, a slow smile touching her lips when she saw Dominic shaking her head, stifling a chortle. “Feeling better?” she asked, sighing in relief when Dominic nodded her head, “Good. Let’s go. Susan should be there to meet us.”

Dominic

The rest of the drive was emotionally uneventful, and the two women spoke occasionally, their heads grazing the roof of the vehicle with every bump and earthy pot hole that they drove over.

“Okay! Note to self,” Dominic groaned, as she jumped out of the SUV, rubbing her head and the side of her face where her cheek had at one point crashed against the driver-side window, “First thing to do is to get that path paved!” She mocked glared when Gabrielle chuckled, even as her friend raised a placating hand,

“Don’ t kill me, Alpha! “ she teased with a smile, “I agree with you on this! Three miles of death holes and bumps is a sorry way to welcome newcomers and visitors. And God forbid the council makes a surprise visit and have to travel that path.”

She noticed that Gabriel had removed a notebook and pen from her bag and was writing. She raised an eyebrow when Gabrielle raised her eyes to her and smiled with a shrug, “Until you get a proper assistant, I’ve got you. We need to make a list of priorities”

Dominic nodded, thankful for her friend.

“Pave the path first on the list. And then whatever else we find…while…looking…around”

The two women were in front of the vehicle, and had turned to view their new home. Dominic’s eyes widened in awe, stepping from the vehicle. She heard Gabrielle gasp in wonder of the vision before them.

The territory was wild. Untamed. Untouched.

Trees rose above them on either side as towering sentinels, their branches winding and tangling together in a thick, intimate, embrace of leafage and wood. The acreage was approximately 150+ acres, the path they had just traversed open and unprotected behind them. Before them, a mountain rose majestically in front of them, above the trees, unyielding, unbendable. A stone guard. The rock face at the end of the acreage before them promising many possibilities.

On the ground, fauna, flora, and brush spread out before them, waiting to be cleared and/or tamed to turn this magical, wild, place, into a home.

“Well…” Dominic breathed after they had drunk their fill of the place, their eyes full of awe of the beauty of the land, “The brochure most definitely did not do it justice,” she teased.

“And how!” Gabrielle exclaimed as she turned in a circle, taking in the view around them.

“Your enthusiasm to begin is promising, My alpha.”

Turning to the left of them, Dominic looked around, confused when she saw no body to the voice. A soft chuckle, and she turned her gaze upwards, eyes widening as she saw a vision as awe-full as the forest and land around her.

“Susan?” she tested, watching as the woman slowly descended from the sky to land on the ground on both feet gracefully. “Susan Carter?”

“In the flesh, young one” The older woman replied, dark blue eyes studying the only daughter of her best friend, “Your mother told me that you would need my help. And as Mary is as dear to me as my own coven sisters, I willingly obliged.”

Stepping towards her, the witch tilted her head, her pixie cut black hair in a finger roll style. “Hmm…your spirit is very strong, that’s for certain. You will be quite a force to be reckoned with in the future.” She smiled gently, her eyes sparking with blue fire as she gave the younger woman a sharp bow of her head.

“Come. Let us study this land you have chosen and see where our work should begin. Five years will fly by in a blink.”