Factors of Change Ch. 03

Once again, thank you all so much for your wonderful feedback, comments and votes. I am truly addicted to getting them. Thank you also for any constructive criticism: I try to take everything into consideration. I'm glad you like my different take on werewolves, and hope you keep on liking this. This chapter still contains no sex (although no one has actually complained about it yet), but it does hold the promise of it. Soon. Don't worry!

Also, I want to thank Doctime for his generous help in editing this chapter. Merci, merci! I have to admit that I added bits and pieces to the chapter after he sent me the corrected version, so any mistakes I might have clumsily added are solely my fault.

Enjoy!

*****

My cellphone battery had died.

I cursed myself, as I stood in the packed metro train on the way home after work the next day. Keeping one arm hooked around the metal handrail, I stared down at the dark, blank screen of my useless cellphone. I had to admit that at first I wasn't too surprised that Gabriel hadn't called all day: a lot of people don't call immediately after a first date. A lot of people do, though. And now I was thinking that maybe hehadcalled, and of course my phone was dead.

You didn't call him either,an annoyed voice reminded me in my mind. I shut my wolf out, however, and stuffed my dead phone in my purse with a huff. She was right, though. I did have his number. And he had the excuse of being a busy man.

I quickly stepped out of the train and made my way through the small crowd and up the station stairs to reach the street. Rain was pouring outside and I hurried up to cross the street and reach my home. I dropped purse and shoes by the door as I went inside, and went straight to my bedroom to plug my phone in.

I watched anxiously as the phone came to life and the provider's logo popped up on the screen. "If he hasn't called, I will," I whispered to myself, waiting for the phone to load. Then it dinged, and I smiled as it told me I had a missed call and a voice mail. I pressed the button and brought the plugged phone to my ear.

"Hello, Leah," Gabriel's accented voice came, deep and calm; I shivered at the sound of it. "It is... almost five, so you probably are on your way home. I really am sorry I could not call earlier." There were voices behind him, sounds of people chatting, as if he was in a restaurant of some sort. "I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciated our night out yesterday, and that I would very much like to see you again soon. Please call me back, so that we can plan it, alright? I will speak to you soon." He hung up, and I glanced at the clock. Five thirty. Not too long. I pressed the call button, and held the phone against my shoulder as it rang, shrugging off my wet cardigan and tossing it into the hamper while I waited.

He picked up on the third ring. "Oui allo?"

"Hello Gabriel," I said, sitting down on my bed.

"Leah, hi," he replied, and I could hear the smile in his voice. He was still in the same loud place, but the voices faded slightly as he probably walked away from his group. "Have you gotten my message?"

"I just did. Thank you."

"What for?" he asked with a chuckle.

"I liked my evening too," I explained, leaning back to lie down on my mattress. "I would really much like to go out with you again, Gabriel."

"That is very good to know," he said slowly, and paused briefly. "When can I see you, Leah? Do you have any plans for the rest of the week?"

"Not much. I'm having lunch with a friend tomorrow." I suddenly remembered something. "Oh and some camping at the lake this weekend. Will you be at the compound?"

He laughed softly. "Where the pack goes, I go," he pointed out. "And pretty much the whole pack is at the compound on weekends. Yes, I will most likely be there."

I chuckled. He was right, though; with the coming of the nice weather and the summer approaching, every wolf that did not work on weekends would move their family to the lake for two days. Summer vacations would be spent there, as well. "Will I see you there, then?"

"It is only Wednesday," he pointed out. "I would like to see you before that." That was certainly a pleasing answer and was about to say something when I heard someone else's voice close by on the phone, raised in interrogation. The sound was muffled for a second, and Gabriel sighed. "I have to go, Leah. I am that sorry."

"It's alright," I reassured him. "Call me when you're not busy."

He laughed. "I should probably call you before that, or I never will get a chance with you. Have a nice evening, Leah."

"You too, Gabriel." I hung up and looked down at the screen for a few moments, before I dropped it on the bed next to me and spread my arms open over the thick comforter. My cat Berenice instantly climbed on the bed and onto my stomach, curling up and purring like a Harley Davidson. I shut my eyes as I absentmindedly ran my fingers through her black and white fur, replaying the conversation and recalling the sound of his voice.He wants us to give him a chance,my wolf snorted softly, and I laughed. Heck yeah.

***

There was rarely as uneventful a day as Thursday. Laurie called in sick and cancelled our lunch, the hours ticked by as quickly as a snail on Valium, and my cellphone was as silent as the dead. I refrained from calling. I was eager, but he had said he would call, and I would give it a chance.

But the day went by without a call.

It was also, ironically, the best night sleep I got all week.

On Friday, I left work early to go home and plan everything for the camping trip I was leaving for the next day. I packed up a small bag of luggage, took out my camping material and placed everything next to my bedroom door, and was left with several hours to kill before it was time to go to bed. I had nothing left to do, and it wasn't ever dinner time.

I was reluctant to admit it to myself, but I was upset. I understood not being able to free himself on a weeknight, but itwasFriday, and I had expected it to be a good time to go out. I knew I was being unreasonable and childish: he was a very busy man, with a lot of responsibilities. Less than two days was in no way a too long time not to call again, and there was still a chance that he might call me later in the evening.

I also felt as confused as before. I had spent the past 30 years hearing that when mates meet, nothing could get between them and they would be all over each other, having sex and biting each other instantly and moving in together on the next day. I undoubtedly felt drawn to Gabriel, in a way I had never felt drawn to anyone before. I had dated quite a lot in my human life, and had had one or two relationships that could be tagged as serious. I had been in love before and knew how to recognize the feeling. I knew that I wasn't in love with Gabriel; I barely knew him. I feltsomethingfor him, though, and that was need. The truth was that I longed to see him again, to bask in his scent, get lost in his eyes and feel his arms around me. I wanted to look up to his face and see the need I had for his presence reflected in his own features.

"Get a grip, Grey," I chastised myself. Gabriel would call, eventually, and in the meantime, I had to remind myself that I was a grown woman. If we weren't doing anything for dinner, then I would make it myself, and make it good. I grabbed my keys and my purse, and shoved my feet into flats to head to the grocery store.

About half an hour later, I covered my lasagna with aluminium foil and shoved it into the oven before closing the door with satisfaction. The smell of the warm bread I had bought at the bakery downstairs was still thick and homely in the air, and I eyed the door of my pantry, wondering if I had some red wine to accompany everything.

Living on my own, I rarely put a lot of effort into cooking for dinner. It left too many leftovers and generally wasted a lot of food, and it was depressing to eat it alone. I pursed my lips and set the timer on the oven as I considered calling Laurie, my best friend, to invite her and her mate over, when my phone suddenly rang in my purse by the door.

I hurried over to answer it, breathless. "Hello?"

"Allo, Leah," came Gabriel's deep tone.

"Hi," I replied, feeling absurdly relieved. "It's good to hear from you."

"I am so sorry. I wanted to call yesterday, but I was caught up."

"It's alright. You're calling now," I added with a smile. I was rewarded with a deep, breathless chuckle that made my knees water.

"Yes. And I will be done for the weekend, after the few phone calls I need to make. I know this is at the last moment again, but do you have any plans for dinner?"

I turned around and eyed my oven. I really had gone beyond myself to make that lasagna, and it was already starting to smell heavenly. I chewed on my lower lip for a moment, but quickly made up my mind. "Actually, yes, I do."

There was a slight pause. "Oh." He sounded so disappointed that I smiled. "I should really learn to make plans more in advance, I think."

"Mmhmm. I have a date with a lasagna," I continued. "Five different meats, spinach, homemade sauce, all this with fresh bread on the side." I opened my pantry, and was instantly relieved as my gaze fell on the small wine stand inside of it, seeing three bottles sitting in it. "And red wine."

He laughed softly. "Wow. I have never been turned down so deliciously."

I bit hard on my lower lip not to laugh. "Are you really being turned down, Monsieur St-Louis?"

There was a short silence before he answered. "I don't know," he said. "Am I?" I laughed, and after a few moments he joined me. "I did not want to assume anything."

"I'm not sure I want you to think I can take on a whole lasagna all by myself. Not to mention a whole bottle of wine." I pulled the bottle of red wine from the pantry and set it on the counter. "Would you like to join me at my home for a very modest dinner, Alpha Sir?"

"I would absolutely love to."

I smiled, my stomach warming, and glanced at the timer on the oven. "When will you be here?"

"I will leave right after I am done with a few things... so in about 45 minutes. Is that all right?"

"It's perfect." We said goodbye and I hung up. However, as I looked up from the phone to glance around the apartment, I froze for a terrifying second, realizing what I had just done. My gaze took in my coat on my couch, two or three pairs of shoes scattered on the floor, the pile of dishes by the sink and my unmade bed in my bedroom, which was visible from the kitchen. I dropped the phone on the counter with a gasp and rushed to clean up, cursing myself for being such a slob.

***

When the doorbell rang, 50 minutes later, the apartment was clean and I had managed to change into something fresh, quickly put up a Caesar salad to go with the meal and pull up my hair into a messy bun. A few curls always escaped, but I rather liked how it looked. I rushed from the bathroom to the door and opened it to find the Alpha on the other side of it.

He looked much as he had the last time I'd seen him: unbuttoned shirt collar, messy hair, rolled up sleeves, dark slacks, relaxed and smiling. Goodness, he looked edible. "Hi," I said, trying to breathe normally, and took a step back to let him in.

He grinned down at me. Did that man have any idea what he was doing to me, or was it just so plainly written across my face? "Hi," he replied. He set a white box tied up with a red ribbon on the table by the door and turned to face me. I barely had time to recognize the tag from the bakery downstairs tied up with the ribbon. His hand reached up and tilted my chin up, though, and he bent down to kiss me soundly on the lips. I shut my eyes with a deep breath, savoring the deep shiver that ran through my body as his distinct spicy, fresh scent surrounded me again. The kiss was short but sweet, and he smiled against my lips before he leaned back and looked down at me. "I have wanted to do nothing but this for two days."

"Mmm," I replied, not too intelligently, and gazed up at him. I wasn't in heels this time, and my nose barely reached his chin as I tilted my head up. I reached out to wrap my arms around his waist and pull myself a bit closer. "And that's all I get?" I whispered. He grinned and dipped his head to indulge me, his own arms going around my back to press me against him. The kiss deepened this time as we stood in our embrace by the still open door, lost in the moment. I felt dizzy and terribly hot when it finally broke, and inhaled deeply to get some oxygen back into my lungs. "Much better," I breathed, my eyes still closed. He laughed softly and leaned his forehead against mine, and I opened my eyes to look up at him. "What is that?" I asked, turning my gaze to the white box on the end table.

He pulled back and reached for it, picking it up by the knot and depositing it into my open hands. "Dessert. You made no mention of it on the phone, so I thought I would bring something."

"Oh,thankyou!" My sweet tooth agreed with his genius idea, and I closed the apartment door before taking the box to the counter, Gabriel in tow. I reached for scissors and cut the ribbon, and opened the box to peek inside. Cheesecake, I identified. Smothered in chocolate. My stomach grumbled in appreciation, and I felt the brief but powerful impulse to simply skip the lasagna part of dinner and dive right into this mess of calories and chocolaty goodness. "If you have to bring something to a girl, bring chocolate or wine," I said with approval, and looked up to find Gabriel standing right behind me.

He smirked. "No flowers?"

"Not unless you did something wrong." I shook my head. "Chocolate is better."

He laughed, his eyes creasing in amusement. "Everything they have always told me was a lie." He turned to lean back against the counter, crossing his arms over his chest.

He looked so big, there in my tiny kitchen. So... Alpha. Real. I suddenly felt unaccountably shy. I gave him a small smile before I turned my back to the counter. The bottle of wine stood there, and I reached for it thankfully, opened the cupboard in front of me to get the bottle opener, and proceeded to screw it into the cork. Warm hands laid on my arms to stop me, though, and I shut my eyes with another shiver as Gabriel leaned in and dropped a soft kiss on the sensitive skin of my neck, light as a butterfly. "Do I make you nervous, Lili?" he said softly.

My heart squeezed hard at the old nickname, and the breath I had been holding it came out, gently, as I more slowly twisted the bottle opener. "A bit," I admitted. "It isn't you. I think I'm just nervous that you're here. My apartment feels... I don't know. Smaller."You sound ridiculous,chuffed my wolf.

"Why? It is a very nice apartment," he said, looking up and around. He wasn't just being polite, I knew; I had spent the first few months of living here in renovations, painting, buying furniture, arranging everything and basically emptying every home decoration store I found in order for it to be comfy and welcoming. My apartmentdidlook nice and I loved it.

Feeling foolish, I turned around to look at him. His lips were curved up in a relaxed smile as he waited for me to say something, patient but distinctly amused. I reached up and touched the dimple in his right cheek, making him smile wider. "You're so friendly. You're always smiling," I marvelled. "Most Alphas I've met were so serious and stern, like army generals commanding everyone."

He arched an eyebrow. "Well I do have to act like that, sometimes."

"Really?" I smiled and wrapped my arms around his neck. "Big scary Alpha St-Louis, beingmean?" His eyes narrowed and I chuckled as I tilted my face up, touching my nose to his. "I'd love to see that."

"I am nevermeanwith anyone," he corrected. "And even if I was...Youwould never see it."

Arching an eyebrow, I leaned back slightly to look up at him. "No? Why?"

"Because I would never want to have to command you to do anything." His face had grown more serious as he looked down at me, his hands gently squeezing my hips before roaming up my back in a gentle caress. "I like you, Leah. Anything I want from you... I will ask."

My lips parted in surprise as I stared up at him, at a complete loss of words. The oven, apparently deciding that it was time to interrupt the dangerous slope of this conversation, beeped loudly and startled us both. Gabriel smirked and dropped his arms to his side to release me, and I cleared my throat as I walked to the oven, grabbing the oven mitts from their hook on the wall as I went. I pulled out the lasagna and set it on the stovetop, and a thick cloud of condensation wafted up, along with the delicious smell of perfectly cooked pasta, tomatoes and way too much meat. I smiled down at the meal, noting with approval the even toasting of the cheese. "Perfect," I whispered, slipping the mitts off my hands.

I served the lasagna and salad, and Gabriel offered to cut the bread and finish serving the wine. We settled down to eat and he was generous in his compliments about my cooking. "It really isn't complicated," I amended, though my cheeks had flushed with pleasure at his comments.

"I am impressed, nonetheless. I have no time to cook meals like this," he said, taking another bite, and I arched a surprised eyebrow at him.

"You cook?"

He glanced up at me and gave me a falsely hurt look. "What makes you think I cannot cook?"

"I'm sorry. I never said I didn't think youcould," I corrected, and gave him a bashful smile. "I'm just surprised that youdo. I guess I thought you had a cook or something like that."

"First a chauffeur, and now a cook," he said with a chuckle, picking his fork into one of the last pieces of his plate. "Am I supposed to have a maid, as well? And an old butler, to answer my door?"

"Yep. Don't forget the valet," I added, reaching for my glass of wine. "To iron all those shirts and dress you up in the morning." He laughed, and I joined him. "I guess I have these made up ideas about how Alphas should live, huh."

"Sorry to disappoint." He smirked. "I have an apartment in town, in which I live, cook and sleep alone. The lake house is different, of course, and I can admit I have much less cooking to do when everyone is there." I knew about the house he was talking about – there was a large lake house reserved for the Alpha and those who were close to him at the Lake, such as the betas and their families. It stood solidly on the bank, white and beautiful next to a small beach, on the other side of the lake from the spot where Laurie and I would usually set up our tents. The Alpha's house was the oldest, largest on the compound; it was also the center of all pack activities when the majority of us were there, and where all major events would take place. It was huge. "Though there is still no butler there, and Cedric's mate cooks better than all of us combined."

We chatted for a while more over the rest of dinner and all through dessert, which was as delicious as it looked. He helped me clean out the table and we moved over to the couch to talk. I got back up at some point to refill our glasses and returned to him, handing him his own. He reached out but took both glasses from me, and set them carefully on the end table next to the couch before he reached for my hands. Tugging gently, he pulled me to him and I laughed and blushed like an ingénue as I climbed up and straddled his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck and pressing myself against him. He grinned up at me. "Merci," he said as his arms went around me.

Rebel locks of his hair were falling into his eyes again, and I smiled as I reached up with both hands to slowly smooth it back. "What for?" I replied.