Red & Silver

Chapter 30: Unexpected Secrets

"This is better than I imagined!" Gabriel exclaimed, his face twisted into a wide, manic grin. His eyes, once warm and inviting, now held a wild, crazed look that sent shivers down my spine. "Now you're truly worthy of being my wife."

"Wh-what?" I mumbled, disoriented and hurting. This was not the Gabriel I knew, the man I had once felt safe with. What the fuck was happening? So he clearly stole the box from my grandmother, but why? Did he... did he have anything to do with her death? The thought chilled me to the bone.

Before I could say anything, Gabriel sat down on the floor next to me and gently placed my head onto his lap. He started caressing my hair, his touch both soothing and disturbing at the same time. His gentle strokes were laced with a hidden, sinister intent.

"Red," he said softly, "you should behave, and if you do, nothing will happen to you. I will protect you. The others won't understand, but I see the beauty of what you are." His words sent a wave of fear and bewilderment crashing over me. Why was he saying these things? What did he want from me?

His gesture was both soothing and sinister, like a snake lulling its prey into unsuspecting submission. I couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible was about to unfold, but I was too weak to protest or resist him. All I could do was lie there helplessly, with his fingers threading through my hair.

"Red, I have to confess something," Gabriel's voice suddenly turned serious, but the madness in his eyes remained. "I've always found werewolves fascinating, ever since I was a kid, you know? No matter how hard I trained or how strong I became, a werewolf could always outmatch me."

His fingers continued to stroke my hair, sending shivers down my spine. Was he seriously telling me that he admired werewolves? What kind of sick person would say such a thing? My mind raced with confusion and disbelief as he continued.

"It was so unfair, you know?" His tone was casual, as if discussing the weather instead of his obsession with werewolves. "I always dreamed of becoming one myself, so when Beatrice let it slip that it was possible... I had to find out how." He paused, looking down at me with a twisted grin. "I knew you were the key, Red, but I never imagined you were a werewolf."

Gabriel burst into laughter, a maniacal, crazy, dark laugh that chilled me to my very core. It was at that moment I knew, without a doubt, that he was completely mad. My heart pounded in my chest, fear clawing at my insides like a ravenous beast.

"Isn't it perfect, though?" he asked through his laughter, his eyes wild and unhinged. "Together, we can be unstoppable."

Terror gripped me, tightening its hold around my throat. I needed to escape, to get away from this monster who wore the face of the man I once loved. But how could I? There was no way I could overpower him in my current state, and even if I managed to get free, where would I go?

As his laughter subsided, a sinister glint sparkled in his eyes. The weight of his insanity bore down on me, threatening to crush my spirit and smother any hope I had left.

And all the while, his fingers continued to stroke my hair.

As Gabriel's maniacal laughter from before still echoed in my ears, panic surged through me. I had to find a way out of this nightmare. My eyes darted around the room, searching for anything I could use as a weapon. That's when I spotted it—the silver box that started all of this. It was within arm's reach, sitting precariously on the edge of a table.

"Red," Gabriel suddenly said, his voice low and menacing. He grabbed me, forcing me to sit in front of him on the floor. His hands gripped my shoulders tightly, his fingers digging into my flesh. "You can help me now."

I tried to keep my fear at bay as I looked into his wild, crazy eyes. He continued, "We only need to find some wolfsbane flowers and wait for the next full moon. Then you can bite me, and I'll transform into a werewolf. Imagine it, Red! Together, we won't just rule over these pathetic Hoods. We can rule the entire world!" His face twisted with enthusiasm, his breaths coming in short pants. "What do you say?"