18 - Abby POV
1427 Words
"NO WAIT!"
You could hear a pin drop. The room, hardly lit, yet I could still make out that everyone in the room had turned their gaze in my direction.
Did I just halt Gabe's execution?
I turn myself towards Colt. His face held such bewilderment as he stared down at me with wide eyes.
Yes. Yes I did.
I stutter and stumble over my words. Gabe hurt us so badly. He betrayed us! But... did he deserve death? Now that I see it in front of me... I'm not so sure.
"I-... I can't.." I choked out, my words being blocked by the lump forming in my throat. The pit of my stomach sinking with every passing moment.
I think I might be sick.
Sensing my unease, Colt pulls me towards him - one hand circling behind my back whilst the other strokes the side of my face.
"It's OK, Abby. I can take you outside if you don't want to see it. We understand."
"No, but Colt." I feel myself tremble as I lean into his hands. "I don't know how I will be able to handle it."
I turn my focus towards Gabe. His head was still nestled on the chopping block but he had tilted his head to try and get a glimpse of me.
"I know the crimes-"
"He betrayed you, Abby! He lead you to the enemy! His actions nearly cost both of our lives." Colt snaps at me, his voice a mixture of being irate and fear of what we nearly lost.
"I know... I know." I softly turn my head back and cup his face. "But, there is a part of me that remembers the Gabe I called my friend. And, right now, I feel like I would be watching his death."
"What if the Gabe you were friends with is gone already?" The Prime Minister pulled our attention back towards her. She seemed intrigued at how this would play out.
"Both our lives have been turned upside down over the last month." I pull myself around so my back was against Colt's front; he rubs his hands slowly up and down my arms to provide me with a little boost of encouragement.
"I know he is clearly madly in love with Xavier and-"
"DO NOT SPEAK HIS NAME, ABBY!" Gabe roars before he is slammed back down onto the execution block with a grunt.
"And is devastated by the loss." Gabe tries to move again but the guards are ready this time. He is not helping his own case here.
"But, maybe with a little time away from everything, and probably some therapy, I hope that the Gabe I once knew would return." I address the crowd, trying to pull any bit of sympathy they had so I had support.
"The Gabe I knew had never hurt anyone in his life. He never even got in the fight. I would always have to get him out of them."
"The mate's bond does weird things to people, young Abby." The vampire, Florence, states matter of factly.
"But does it change someone enough to go from a complete pacifist to a killer in, what, two weeks? Especially for human mates." I could hear the murmurs and see a few nods at my comment.
"All I am asking is... I guess, a delay in execution." I could feel the grip that Colt had on me tighten slightly on my shoulders. I just place my hands on top and give his hands a squeeze in the hopes that it would calm him down.
"Is there, like, any special treatment centres you have that you could send Gabe to for a few weeks?" I gesture to them.
"I'm not going to no psych ward, Abby."
"Oh, for Christ's sake, Gabe. Would you just, for one minute, shut the hell up! I am trying to help you." That earnt a few snickers from a few people in the room.
"As I was saying, if he improves, then treatment continues. If not... he comes back here..." My words trail off. I could be trying to make all of this work and end up right back here. I tremble at the thought.
The Council all turn to each other, resuming their earlier whispers before all eyes fix on the Prime Minister. "Abby, there is a treatment centre." Yes! "It is located in the United States, so you will need to pay for this yourself if you want this to happen. The Council is not will to pay for a criminal they have sentenced to death."
"Do you know how much it will cost for a few weeks?"
"For a week, I think you would be looking around the two grand mark." I am already a pale girl, but I feel like I may have achieved a whole new whiter shade hearing that.
Two grand? If I want to keep Gabe in there for a month, then that's eight grand or, in other words, my entire savings.
No holidays, no house for me, Colt and our little one to grow in. No nothing.
I cast my gaze downwards. I feel defeated. So much for my efforts.
Colt twists his body so that he comes into view. His fingers taking a hold of my chin and lifting it so our eyes meet.
"I can cover the costs."
"Colt! I can't ask you to do that."
"You're not asking. I'm just helping." I could feel my heart swell with emotions as I look into his eyes before he continues speaking. "Now, I may not agree with it, but you are my mate and if this is something you want to do then I will make it so."
His words held love in them but I could see in his eyes that there was a slight hint of either anger or annoyance, or both.
Who could blame him? I just asked for the guy who tried to kill him to be given leniency, and then he has to foot the bill.
"Very well." The Prime Minister looks towards the others on the Council, receiving nods and waves of the hand, before turning back to the rest of us.
"Gabe Reid, your execution has been suspended until further notice. You will undergo treatment in the United States. Failure of the treatment will resume your execution." The Prime Minister slams her gavel down on the pedestal in front of her.
"Case dismissed. Guards, escort Mr. Reid to the airport. Accompany him on the plane and make sure he is picked up by the facility nurses in Nevada."
Watching Gabe getting hauled out of the room, a part of me regretted my decision. His eyes never left mine when I came into his view. An evil smirk passed his face as he was dragged away.
Colt didn't say a word. I was too worried to ask him anything. We just sat in silence as the remaining trials for the day came and went.
After the last trial, everyone was dismissed. I was about to speed walk out but was halted by a hand clasped on my shoulder. I turned around and saw it was Luna Kailey.
"I like you, Abby. You have an optimistic spirit." She smiles at me.
"Thank you, Luna Kailey."
"Please, no titles. It's all too formal." I couldn't help but let out a little chuckle.
"How about you join myself, Sophia and the other Lunas for an afternoon tea? It is a little tradition we do when we are all gathered together."
"Oh, I-"
"She would love to." Colt answered for me. I was stunned by this - apart from the fun I had when he first assigned Jason and Nicole as my guards, this was the first time in a while he had made a decision for me.
"I got to meet with the Alphas anyway and broker new deals." He leans in and whispers to me. Pretty sure they were hearing it all anyway with wolf hearing. "If you bond with the Lunas, then that will help me my end plus you will have new friends."
I just give a small nod and turn back towards Kailey. "Alright, let's get a wriggle on then."
She loops her arms through mine and Sophia's before leading us out of the room. I give Colt a small wave over my shoulder before we disappear out of sight.
No pressure, Abby. Just talking to the most powerful female werewolves you know whilst eating a fruit scone. Shouldn't be too hard, right?
- Writer
