The True Luna's Kiss

Chapter 13

Gabriel stormed up to the main room of the pack house. To his surprise Max was there with his Mate, and Alpha Lucas. His Beta was no where to be found.

"That was quick," Gabriel mind linked his Gamma, referring to the speed with which he must have claimed his mate.

His Gamma simply smiled as he linked back. "Can you blame me? Have you seen my mate? I nearly finished right there on the spot." Normally, Gabriel would have been amused by the comment, but his rage and Shadow's restlessness was firing him up. He stormed up to Alpha Lucas and grabbed him by the collar. Gasps rang out from Alice and several others, that Gabriel had not noticed before. He didn't care though. He was ready to explode with anger and questions.

"Who is she!" He snarled, his face inches away from Alpha Lucas. Lucas paled, but kept his face neutral. Inside he was reeling, and then fury filled him. He grabbed Gabriel's arms and pushed him away.

"You dare question me? In my own pack?" Lucas snarled straight back. "After you enter a forbidden area, expressly against my wishes. When you are a guest in my own home!"

The other's present mumbled their disapproval and clicked their tongues at Gabriel. He turned to glare at them and saw a collection of visiting Alphas and their entourages. Gabriel didn't care who saw him, who judged him. He could beat any of them in a challenge, if anyone even dared. He turned his stare back to Alpha Lucas and growled.

"What is she? What kind of monster are you hiding?" More gasps came up from the gathered Alphas.

"Her name is Sirona," a soft female voice came from behind him. Gabriel spun round to see Alice had stepped forward. "And she's not a monster!"

"What is she?" Gabriel's voice remained hard, but the name was floating around his head like a silk streamer on the wind. Sirona. Sirona, a beautiful name. And she was a beautiful woman. His woman. His mate. Shadow whimpered. He had just walked away from his mate after a single touch.

"She's a healer," Alice said. Her father was now next to her trying to keep her quiet, something Max was not too happy about. "She can heal any injury with just one touch."

"That's enough, Alice!" Lucas demanded, pushing Alice backwards. "No one needs to know about that!"

Both Gabriel and Max were growling, their eyes obsidian. The other Alpha's were now intrigued and muttering amongst themselves. Alpha Lucas stood in front of his daughter and squared his shoulders to Gabriel. "The girl is there for her own protection, and the packs. There is no way of knowing what she could do if she were allowed to roam free. It was a decision made thirty years ago and I stick by it."

Thirty years? Gabriel couldn't believe what he was hearing. She would have been a child when she was locked down there. Thirty f*****g years locked in a cell! Gabriel couldn't hold back any longer. He swung out at Lucas and his fist connected with the Alpha's cheek.

A flurry of activity followed, many people rushing to restrain Gabriel or tend to Alpha Lucas, who had hit the floor.

"YOU IMPRISONED A CHILD?" Gabriel roared, struggling against those who were holding him back. All six of them.

"Oh dear," a familiar voice said from the doorway. "It looks like I am too late to use my Beta powers to keep everything calm. I must admit I am disappointed in myself!" Marco strolled into the room, and went to stand in front of Gabriel.

"You need to calm down!" Marco linked him, trying to bring forward Gabriel's rational side.

"She was a child!" Gabriel linked back, trying to ignore the howling in his head. Shadow was not taking the news well. "She was just a child when that Bastard imprisoned her!"

"I know," Marco said. "But if you want to get her out of there, you need to stay calm."

Gabriel managed to take a deep breath and shrugged off the hands that were holding him. Get her out of there! That was his main priority right now. He would not, could not leave her there.

Alpha Lucas had stood up, and was glaring at Gabriel. "Perhaps we should talk in private," he snapped and stormed out of the room. Alice followed closely behind him.

Gabriel stood still for a moment, staring at the space that Lucas had just left, breathing heavily. Marco gave him a gently push towards the door.

"Nothing to see here," Marco called back cheerfully. "Go back to your coffee and idle chatter."

Max was close on his heels as he pushed Gabriel up the stairs.

Once inside Lucas' office, he paced up and down in front of the desk. Neither Gabriel, nor Shadow could sit still. Marco was settled in one of the armchairs and Max had his arms wrapped around Alice. Lucas sat in his chair glaring at Gabriel.

"I would appreciate if you didn't wear my carpet out, Alpha Gabriel. Please take a seat." Lucas said. Gabriel stopped for a second to glare at him, then continued pacing. For a while no one spoke. Marco looked round the group, his usual boyish grin on his face. Max whispered to Alice who had melted into his embrace. Lucas just watched Gabriel pace. Eventually, Gabriel stopped at the large window, his eyes fixed on the horizon.

"Why?" He whispered. "Why would you have so much fear of a small girl that you lock her away in a dungeon for thirty years?"

Lucas' response was swift. "Small girls do not remain small girls. We decided to contain the potential threat before it became one."

"Sirona is not a threat, Daddy." Alice said softly, but not weakly. "She is just a woman, who can heal!"

"Is that all she can do?" Lucas snapped at his daughter, causing Max to growl at him. Alice didn't respond.

"What else can she do?" Marco asked, his eyebrows raised.

Lucas shook his head. "We don't know."

Gabriel scoffed. "Fear of the unknown. How pathetic."

Lucas got to his feet at the insult. "I still don't see what business this is of yours, Alpha Gabriel. Sirona is MY pack member and how I choose to treat MY pack members is MY business."

Gabriel ignored him. "Why doesn't she speak?"

Lucas glared at Gabriel, who glared right back. Finally, he relented and sighed. "She used to, she just... stopped."

Gabriel let out a low growl. They had forced her into mutism. Left alone for all those years. She couldn't speak, because she had forgotten how.

"Again, I don't see how this is any of your business!"

Gabriel turned to him, Shadow still at the front - his eyes gleaming like night. "She IS my business." Gabriel growled. "She is MY mate and she will be coming with ME!"