Two weeks have passed. Two weeks of drowning in Gabriel's presence, and I was losing myself completely. Kinda like it, actually.
Mornings began with sunrise in the east room and the coffee he insisted on making—bad at first, perfect by day three.
At noon he’d steal me to his desk for lunch and easy gossip. Afternoons we walked the territory—through the pines, introductions to elders by name, stopping so he could let pups cling to his legs until he was laughing too hard to look like an Alpha at all.
Evenings on the veranda: his burdens, my classroom stories, the bond humming until talk wasn’t needed.
What do I like? His steadiness; the way he listens like every word is a vow; how he greets every wolf by name, with eye contact and thanks; the touch at my spine that settles my wolf. Power without cruelty. Gentleness without softness.
Terrifying how easy it is to want a life inside that.
"You're up early again," Gabriel murmured against my neck, his arms wrapping around me as I stood at his kitchen counter.
The morning sunlight painted everything gold, including the man who'd become my beautiful addiction.
"I wanted to make your coffee."
My voice came out breathless. His proximity always did this—turned me into something soft and wanting.
Touch him more, Elsie purred, more content than she'd been in years. Our mate. Our perfect mate.
"You spoil me." His hands spanned my waist, and I melted back against his chest.
This wasn't acting anymore. My body craved his touch like a drug.
"Someone should."
The words escaped before I could stop them—too honest, too real. Gabriel turned me in his arms, his amber eyes burning with an intensity that made my knees weak.
"Katherine, all this time with you... I never thought I could feel this way."
"Gabriel—"
"Let me finish." His thumb traced my bottom lip, and I shivered. "Every morning I wake up terrified that this is a dream. That you'll vanish. That something this perfect can't be real."
My heart hammered against my ribs. When he looked at me like that, like I was precious, like I was everything, the mask didn't feel like a mask anymore.
"I'm not going anywhere," I whispered.
"Promise me." His forehead pressed against mine. "Promise you'll always be exactly who you are right now. My gentle Katherine. My sweet mate."
The irony should have choked me. Instead, I reached up to cup his face, feeling the slight roughness of his morning stubble. "I promise."
He kissed me then, slow and deep, and Elsie sang with joy. His hands tangled in my hair, and I pressed closer, desperate for more contact. He tasted like mint and coffee and home.
From the doorway, Nate cleared his throat loudly. "Sorry to interrupt the morning groping session, but we have that conference call with the Northern Pack."
Gabriel kept me close, pressing one more kiss to my lips.
"I'll find you soon," he promised, his thumb tracing my jawline.
As he left with Nate, Elsie whined at the separation. ‘We need him. He's ours.’
Duty stole him for the day; dusk returned him.
That evening, Gabriel held my hand as we walked through the pack gardens, the setting sun painting the sky in shades of pink and gold. Pack members bowed their heads respectfully as we passed.
"The pack accepts you completely," Gabriel said, stopping beneath an ancient oak. "They see what I see—their future Luna."
"I'm hardly Luna material—"
"Stop." He pulled me against him, one hand cupping my face. "You're everything. Gentle, kind, supportive. After years of aggressive she-wolves throwing themselves at me for power, you're like finding water in a desert."
The mate bond hummed between us, electric and demanding. When he looked at me like that, I forgot about masks and pretense. There was only him.
"Gabriel, I—"
He kissed me again, hungry and possessive, backing me against the tree. I surrendered to it completely, my hands fisting in his shirt, pulling him closer. Elsie howled her approval.
"I need to tell you something," he said against my lips, his voice rough.
"What is it?"
He pulled back slightly, his expression serious. "Let's go to my office. Nate should hear this too."
The walk back was tense. In his office, Nate already waited, arms crossed.
Gabriel poured himself whiskey before turning to face us. "I've made a decision about the engagement situation."
"Finally," Nate muttered.
My stomach dropped. The what situation again?
"I'm going to the Silver Ridge Pack tomorrow.” Gabriel took both my hands, his grip firm and soothing. “I'll break the engagement with Evelyn formally, in person. It's an honorable thing to do."
The words hit me like ice water. "Engagement?"
"I’m sorry, I should have told you sooner.” Gabriel's expression tightened. “I've been engaged to Evelyn Barrett, Alpha Luka Barrett's daughter. A political alliance between our packs."
My chest constricted. "You're engaged to someone else?.."
"Was engaged. The moment I found you, that arrangement became void." His hands tightened on mine. "Mate bonds supersede any political contract. But I need to handle this properly, face to face. Barrett deserves that respect, even if he won't like the outcome."
"How long have you been—"
"Almost a year," Gabriel admitted. "But it was never real, Katherine. Never love. Just duty. You're my mate, my true mate. That changes everything."
"Barrett won't accept this," Nate said immediately. "You're destroying an alliance with the pack who have three times our warriors!"
"Katherine is my mate," Gabriel repeated firmly. "That supersedes any political arrangement."
"Does it supersede your pack's survival?" Nate's voice turned harsh. "Because that's what you're gambling with!"
Gabriel's Alpha energy filled the room. "My decision is made." He turned to me then, expression softening. "The negotiations might take weeks, possibly a month. Barrett will be difficult to handle."
"A month?" The mate bond already ached at the thought of the distance.
"Which brings me to my next point." Gabriel looked at Nate. "I need you to protect her while I'm gone. There might be retaliation."
"Absolutely not!" Nate and I said at the same time.
We exchanged a loud gaze before I protested further.
"I don't need—" I caught myself, swallowing my next words. Never challenge, never assert, Kathrine, remember? "I mean… whatever you think is best."
"This is insane…" Nate continued. "You want me to babysit your pookie-boo precious mate while you potentially start a war?"
"I want you to protect my mate," Gabriel commanded. "You're the only one I trust with her safety."
Something flickered across Nate's face—pain or resignation, I couldn’t tell.
There was a long pause before he finally answered, "Fine. I'll keep her safe."
‘Don't let him go,’ Elsie pleaded. ‘We need our mate close.’
The next morning came too fast and I stood beside Gabriel's car in a soft blue dress, trying not to cry. The pack had gathered to see their Alpha off.
Gabriel crushed me against him, kissing me deeply, possessively, claiming me as his in front of everyone.
"Be good with Nate," he said when he finally pulled away. "Listen to him. I'll handle everything and return to you as soon as possible."
I nodded, unable to speak past the lump in my throat.
He got in the car, and I watched until it disappeared. The absence hit immediately—a physical ache where the bond stretched thin.
"So," Nate said with dark amusement, "looks like you're stuck with me, princess. Just you and me… every day, for who knows how long."
I turned to him, maintaining my composure despite Elsie's distress. "I'm grateful for your protection, Nate."
"Here's the thing.” He stepped closer, voice dropping. “Gabriel's not here to perform for. So how about we make a deal—you drop the act, and I'll stop calling you out on it."
"I don't know what you mean."
"We'll see how long you can keep that up when it's just us," Nate laughed coldly and then turned toward the pack house as I stood frozen, watching him go.
A month alone with the one person who saw through everything.
The one person who’s still getting on my nerves.
This was going to be hell…