Factors of Change Ch. 06

Gabriel pursed his lips, nodding and staring silently into space. I watched him carefully: his prior anger had faded for now, but it had been replaced with a blatant concern that worried me. His fingers had gone limp and cold between mine; I gave them what I hoped was a reassuring squeeze. They tightened convulsively around mine for a moment, before he let go and suddenly got up to walk over to the closed door. There was a large wire cast glass window next to it and he stood there watching his sleeping friend, his hands in his pockets and a somber expression on his face.

"Elise," he said, and the young beta looked up. "Where is Marie?"

"I took her home," Elise answered. "So she could shower and have a bite to eat. I'm supposed to pick her up in about an hour."

He nodded. "Arrange for her to have a room here, so she will not have to drive across town all the time." He glanced back to watch the young woman nod and turn to leave, and turned his head towards the others. "Please leave us," he said softly, but firmly, and they all exited the room, leaving me alone with him. He watched them go and turned back towards the window.

I sighed softly as I walked over to him. "Gabriel, it will be alright," I whispered. "He isn't alone. I made it on my own, with my friends and my family not even knowing about it. Joseph has you and the pack to help him through all of this."

"But were you married?" he asked in a low voice, not taking his eyes from the window. "Did you have children? Dozens of years of happiness behind you, and many more to come? What about Marie, Leah? They are celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary at the end of the year." He shook his head. "And what of his children? And his grandchildren? He has a third one on the way... Oh, God," he ended in a whisper, and lowered his head. "Leah... I could not find a better example of the worst possible candidate to becoming a Were."

I stared at him silently. I had no idea what to say to make things better, and it tore me apart. He was right, after all. "Does his wife know about Weres?" I asked him softly.

"Marie?" He nodded. "She knows as much as he does. His children have probably heard my name, but nothing more."

"What about the law, Gabriel?" I asked carefully. "It's forbidden to tell humans about Weres."

He sighed and nodded, turning around to lean back against the window. "I have already told you he was there when I was turned." He paused, and glanced down at me. "I have not told you about that, have I?"

"No." I shook my head and dismissed the matter with a wave of my hand. "Later. What about Marie? Why does she know?"

He snorted. "They were already married at the time, and both knew me well." He shrugged. "I could not keep him from telling her. He never kept anything from her."

"And no one knows that they know?"

He shook his head. "No one but my six betas. And no other human knows about us either, as far as I am aware. But of course, I might be wrong. No one would dare come to tell me about it." He gave me a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Everyone has their secrets, after all."

I smiled back at him, trying to put as much confidence into it as I could. I moved against his chest and wrapped my arms around his waist in a small attempt to comfort him. I shut my eyes and laid my head down on as his arms came around my shoulders. "Gabriel," I whispered. "What are you going to do?"

He sighed deeply, silent for a long moment. "First, find a way to tell Marie," he said softly. He didn't sound thrilled at the idea, and I can't say I blamed him. "And then... Then, it will depend on what happens when Joseph shifts for the first time. In the best scenario, his wolf will recognize me as his Alpha."

"And if he doesn't?" I let out warily, glancing up at him. Only a rogue would not recognize an Alpha's authority, and the pack would not let a rogue live on their lands, of that I was certain.

He sighed. "Then I need to find another way to save him. But I will save him, Leah. I have to."