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I know he isn't talking about me specifically, but my mind instantly goes back to the times I hurt him. Gabe had always given me another chance. Of course, he would do the same for anyone he cared about.
"Fine," I said. "But you're buying me a milkshake."
Even though Gabe insisted that he makes all thedecisions for us, I still liked knowing that he wouldn’t have made me go inside if I really didn’t want to. He pushed me just enough without actually becoming an asshole.
The bell chimed over the door as he opened it for us, and Samantha turned around, her eyes going wide when she saw me. She quickly composed herself and smiled weakly, walking around the counter.
"Ella, I'm so glad you came. I'm about to go on break, so go ahead and have a seat. I'll be right back."
She kept her eyes on me the entire time, not even glancing in Gabe's direction. It was subtle, but it went a long way to making my wolf feel better.
Still, she wasn't a fan.The female who wants our mate doesn't deserve our time, she said.
I couldn't disagree with that, but I'd stay for a little while for Gabe's sake.
We sat down, and a few minutes later, Samantha joined us with two milkshakes in her hands. She gave one to each of us before sitting across from me. She messed with the front of her apron, fidgeting and betraying her nervousness.
"I'm so sorry for what I did," she blurted out. "I know you must hate me, Ella, and I don't blame you. I was wrong to lie about my relationship with Gabe. He's never been more than a friend, even when I wanted more." She looked at Gabe briefly before returning her gaze to me. "You don't deserve to be lied to or taken advantage of, and I won't do that ever again."
Under the table, Gabe reached out and grabbed my hand, squeezing it gently. I kept my eyes on Samantha,considering how to respond.
"I can understand why you did it," I said carefully. "Honestly, I thought something was going on between the two of you anyway. Otherwise, I probably would have brushed it off when Gabe said it wasn’t true. But no matter what, I should have trusted him, and that was my mistake.”
Samantha visibly relaxed. Her eyes darted between Gabe and me as though she was seeing us together for the first time. Her eyes were tired and more than a little sad.
"I hope you'll consider me a friend," she said. "Both of you."
I wasn't sure about all that, but it was a kind gesture, and I could tell she meant it sincerely. At least now, moving to Tumblewild would be a little less awkward. Trying to avoid another member with a pack this size wasn’t exactly easy. More importantly, I knew her saying that meant a lot to Gabe.
"Thanks, Samantha. We should be going, but we'll see you at the pack run tonight, right?"
She nodded and refused to take Gabe’s money for the milkshakes. I smiled to myself when he left the money as a tip anyway. He was a good guy, and that wasn’t the negative thing I used to think it was.
“So that wasn’t the worst thing ever, right?”
My smile turned to a scowl, but I had to admit it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.
__________
The first ones to run were always the alphas. Sometimes the pack runs started with a speech or special event, andother times the alphas just took off into the woods, trusting that the rest of the pack would follow. Mariam begged me to use this run for our mating ceremony, but we didn't want that.
Or, rather, it wasn't what I wanted.
The idea of having a ceremony with the whole pack present was my own personal nightmare. Since Gabe and I weren't the beta or alpha couple, hosting such a huge celebration was unnecessary. Instead, I imagined our day as something intimate with just a few of our friends and my sister there. Plus, Jeremy wasn't around to help officiate me joining the Tumblewild pack. While it wasn't absolutely necessary that he be present— video calling was an acceptable alternative— that tradition was important to me, too.
That didn't mean we were going to put off the mating bite, of course. Gabe's eyes continued to linger on the tender area right above my collarbone, making my pulse race and my sex throb. The restraint it took to avoid biting me, especially during sex, was taking a toll on him.
I could feel Neil's mark even more during those times, and it was annoying, like a scratch I couldn't itch right. Whenever I touched it, Gabe's gaze would darken even more.
Not for long. I stood next to Gabe now, waiting for Mariam and Trace to lead us into the woods. They had already shifted and were circling each other playfully. Then, without warning, Mariam bolted into the trees, and Trace let out a howl before chasing after her.
The rest of the pack bayed in return as members began shifting and racing to join them. My wolf shook out her fur,stretching to feel the earth under her paws. Gabe caught her eye, and she gave a hearty howl of her own. I thought she would make Gabe chase her, but Gabe's wolf turned and left her in the dust before she could take off.
Two could play that game. My wolf refused to follow his trail and set out in a different direction. She had a streak of mischief in her that loved giving Gabe's wolf a run for his money, and I was more than a little amused to find out how long it would take him to realize she wasn't following him.
Until then, I was relishing in the call of the outdoors with the rest of the pack.
There was something magical about the smell of the forest - mossy and peaceful - that called to me. The light of the full moon illuminated my way, and I savored every moment, feeling my wolf's fur ripple with excitement as she leaped through branches and vines. Every now and then, there would be a loud howl from one of the wolves as they played and reminded each other of the inherent hierarchy within the pack.
