Carlisia’s breathing had stopped along with her heart as she clamped both of her hands securely on her mouth so she didn’t give away her hiding spot which just so happened to be the cabinet under the table in the centre of the huge foyer.
Carlisia resisted the urge to sneeze as dust filled her nostrils. The door of the cabinet had wood work at the faint corner through which Carlisia peeked out into the foyer as she heard the click of the front door open.
She could feel herself go pale as Gabriel waltzed in looking intimidating as ever. He was shirt less with sweat trickling down his side and torso.
Carlisia looked at his dark hair sticking at his forehead and quickly snapped out of her thoughts as he cracked his neck and she could swear she felt a chill up her spine.
He still looked scary. Very very scary. Somethings never changed.
Carlisia clamped her hands on her mouth as Gabriel began walking towards the marble table abruptly when suddenly he stopped dead in his tracks and his eyes went wide.
He sniffed the air and Carlisia saw his eyes turn golden and he cursed loudly.
“FUCK! Carly!” He screamed and began to rush up the stairs taking two at a time most probably going to her prior prison.
Carlisia took a deep breath.
Should she hide or take her chances.
Carlisia looked at the stairs where he left through the hole and then back at the open doors.
What to do!?
She could feel the frustration setting in trying to search for an answer. If she goes out she might caught but if she stayed here she could be found and get caught.
She could hear things breaking and she closed her eyes. She could hear heavy footsteps retreating down. She felt like Gabriel was making a lot of noise so she knew he was coming. She was not going down without a fight.
Taking a deep breath Carlisia quietly took off the flip flops placing them beside her before she kicked the door open and quickly bolts towards the open door rushing out into the open just as Gabriel came into her view.
For a moment her eyes met with Gabriel’s before going to the surrounding beyond.
“CARLISIA!” Gabriel screamed hot on her heels as Carlisia ran into the forest barefoot gaining speed.
“Get back here!” Gabriel shouts his voice getting closer as she looks at the forest at a few distances beyond the clearing she was running on now.
She could hear Gabriel screaming her name but she didn’t care. She needed to get away from all of them. These animals.
Carlisia looked at the deep forest with determination. She didn’t care what lurked in it nor did she care of the consequences of being barefoot in there. All she cared about right now was to get away from Gabriel.
Trees began to come infront of her path slowing her down as she dodged them going into the forest. The dirt was getting harder and her feet were probably bleeding but there was neither going back or giving up.
Tears strolled down her cheeks as she ran urging herself. Breathing was getting hard but she couldn’t afford to slow down. Gabriel was too close even as she swiftly changed her path; he managed to keep up screaming at her.
Gabriel’s voice was getting closer and deep down she knew she was no match for him. He was faster, stronger and extraordinary.
She was no match for him.
But her determination was her key. Her hope. Her survival. Carlisia urged herself to go faster and faster, going deeper and deeper.
Her cardigan was torn up and there was most probably dirt on her clothes. But that barely mattered and she noticed that Gabriels voice had faded, check that, there was only silence. No voice at all.
Had she lost him?
Carlisia continued to run until curiosity got the best of her and she stopped in a small clearing with a stray log on the ground and an axe beside making her shiver a bit.
The sun was no longer scorching, preparing to set soon but Carlisia’s clothes still hugged her body. Sticking to it from sweat as she turned around and took a few steps forward retracing the path she had just ran.
Was this it? Has she seriously lost him?
A sense of relief began to flood over Carlisia and a smile made its way to her lips as tears of happiness now flowed.
She grinned looking at the path.
She had won.
For a few seconds she just stood there catching her breath in relief and everything felt so easy. Like this was nothing but a small stroll out.
A half hearted laugh leaves her mouth as she stares at the forest and begins backing up.
Time to go home
She thinks but suddenly her back collides with something. For a moment she thinks it’s a tree but why couldn’t she feel any barks on it and suddenly she knows what it is.
She is about to scream when a hand clamps on her mouth and an arm wraps around her waist.
“You know you shouldn’t have done that.” Gabriel says and Carlisia meekly screams into his hand and Gabriel sighs.
“I’m sorry but I can’t let them hurt you. I will remove my hand from your mouth but you need to come back with me ok?” He says and doesn’t wait for a response as he removes his hand from her mouth and Carlisia pushes away from his body, staggering back.
“Don’t ever touch me!” She says and looks as Gabriel’s eyes begin to change color but they flick back to original as he puts his hand up in defense and takes a step back.
Carlisia’s eyes travel around, looking for a way to out run him but there was nothing.
“Don’t even dare.” Gabriel says calmly as he eyes her already knowing her intentions.
“Could you blame me? The last thing I remember is you chocking me!” She says with tears streaming down her face.
Gabriel facial features change into pain and sorrow.
“I am extremely sorry for that. My wolf, it got the best of me. I have been meaning to apologize to you for that for a week however you were unconscious.”
“Week?” Carlisia asks and Gabriel nods.
“Induced coma. Better recovery.” He says and Carlisia shakes her head in frustration.
“Can’t you see that I don’t belong with your kind?” Carlisia says softly after a few seconds of staring at him.
“I don’t care what my mom or Ben or Ruben or Elijah think. They don’t know me. I can make decisions for myself and I decide leave. Please just consider it at least.” Carlisia adds desperately when Gabriel doesn’t answer her.
Gabriel sighs and looks at her with sincerity,
“We need to get going.” Gabriel says not answering her.
“Pleas-” Carlisia begins to say but before she could finish her sentence she was thrown over Gabriel’s shoulder like she weighed nothing.
She screamed at the top of her lungs as Gabriel chose to ignore her screams and began to stroll the path she had ran at mere minutes ago.
Carlisia screamed and screamed until her throat was dry.
“No one can hear you, anyone that might help you at least. You’ll notice people don’t defy me.” Gabriel says knowingly in hopes to strike a conversation with her but he was surprised when he heard a sob instead, followed by another and another.
He had made the girl of his dreams cry yet again.
The sound of her sobs were weighing on his heart like an anchor making him stop abruptly and gently placing her on a stray log, hearing a soft grunt from her in response, before sitting beside her, watching her sob again.
He suddenly feels this extreme emotions and it takes him only a second to realize that they were in fact Carlisia’s emotions channeling him through the mate bond, being so close to each other.
They were strong. Pain, anguish, helplessness, fear.
He sometimes forgot how strong human emotions were. Werewolves never had such strong ones mainly because many of them were suppressed by their strength and blood thirst.
It had always been like this.
Gabriel is brought back to reality as he doesn’t hear any more sobs but quiet sniffles. He looks at Carlisia who wiped her tears then was cupping her face in her hands as she took deep breaths to calm her down.
Gabriel wanted to comfort her but he didn’t want to scare her away so not thinking he just placed his hand on her back and gently pat-and-stroked it and to his surprise Carlisia looked at him with her blotchy eyes.
Gabriel thinks that she might say something but she doesn’t. Instead she looks at him with helplessness as more tears fall from her eyes and her lip began to quiver before she finally whispered.
“Are you going to kill me?” She asks and Gabriel’s heart shatters but he forces out a intended-to-be-friendly-but-not-so-friendly laugh.
“And take a beautiful girl away from the world. No, that would be cruel.” He says smiling hoping that she might smile too like she used too every time he met her before these circumstances but she doesn't even bother.
“I won’t ever hurt you. I know you are scared and you feel captive but this is for your good. I cant blame you for your fear, hell, I hurt you so bad and I am so very sorry for that but I need you to look through this and be co-operative. I am dealing with this issue with quite fluency and as soon as its safe ill take you back to your home, if that’s you want ok? Untill then I’ll make sure your needs are fulfilled.” Gabriel says extremely softly and Carlisia looks at him for a moment when a smile comes on her face and before he could comprehend what happening she hugs him.
Gabriel feel the hole in his heart fill up from her faint happiness and he begins to feel it affect him too.
“Thank you.” She says.
“-But can I have my cell phone back?” She adds and he nods.
“Anything you want although we’ll talk about the boundaries later.” He says and she nods before looking at the sky.
The sun was already setting and it was getting dark and Gabriel noticed that too because he stood up and looked straight at her.
“Come on. It’s getting dark and these woods aren’t that welcoming to foreigners.” He says holding out his hand which Carlisia takes willingly.
Time to face facts.
