The Fragility of Fate ✔️

32 | Run

Gabriel

Any doubt of her guilt that lingered within me had vanished as the scent of her fear gave her away well before she opened the door.

Despite my initial anger at her betrayal, I was conscious to rein it in. I'd never so much as entertained the thought of laying a hand on a woman, and I wasn't about to start now. I liked to think that my ego wasn't so bruised that such actions could bolster my own feelings of inadequacy. This was about protecting Miesha, nothing more. The past was in the past.

Still, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hurt by her actions. Part of me still hoped we were wrong, no matter how fruitless such a summation was.

Her knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts, tearing my gaze from outside the window.

Eyeing her as she entered my office, I felt like I was seeing her for the first time. Where I once found myself drawn to her doe-like eyes and the scarlet waves that reached her waist, now I could see what was underneath it all. It was simply a mask.

I couldn't even bring myself to offer a small smile.

"Eliza."

Shutting the door softly behind her, it was as if she didn't want anyone to know she was here. Ironic, I thought. Did she think she could avoid any repercussions from this? That the pack wouldn't find out?

"Gabriel." The simplicity of her reply gave nothing away despite the fact she knew exactly why she was here.

Turning from the door, her eyes focused on the dampened cloth I had in my hand. Showing my contempt, I tossed it to her whilst I remained perched on my desk.

Her eyes widened. Cocking one eyebrow, she shook her head briefly as a silent display of apparent confusion. Stepping forward, she held the cloth up as if to hand it back, but I was having none of it.

I held her gaze and waited, but we were at an impasse.

"Wipe that shit off your neck."

I could see her stiffen, her internal struggle evident as she played her next move.

"Do not fucking bother wasting my time Eliza. Do it now or I will."

Fuck it. I couldn't even bother waiting for whatever bullshit she was going to spin. Standing up I walked straight to her, matching each of her backwards steps with mine forward until she was against the wall.

Snatching the cloth from her hand, I scoffed. "Stop making this more difficult than it has to be Eliza."

Her words were laced with panic as they flurried out before me, "It's not what you think Gabriel, I swear."

Pushing her hair to the side, I sighed at the inevitable.

"I hope it was worth it. For your sake if nothing else, I really fucking do."

I drew the cloth to her neck and wiped.

Turning her head away from me, she closed her eyes. With each passing stroke, her breath lodging in her throat before two clear and distinguishable marks made their way to the surface.

Tossing the cloth to the floor, any reverence I once had for her became instantaneously extinguished.

Rubbing my thumb across her mark it was clear this was no hallucination.

Keeping her cornered against the wall I couldn't help it, "Has this been here the whole time?"

What I really meant was had she knowingly been fucking her mate's brother?

A frenzied nod gave way to stifled whimpers as she lent into my chest.

"Gabriel, please. He forced me. I had no choice. If I didn't cooperate he would have killed me. I am worried he still will." Her words turned into pleads as she desperately clung for mercy, "Please, you have to help me."

Pushing her away, I couldn't hide my contempt. "Get the fuck off me Eliza."

Feeling my wolf pace with impatience at the betrayal, I stepped back knowing I was on the verge of losing all sense of rationality.

"Do you have any fucking idea what you have done?! Have you no shame? You have tied yourself to a monster!" Seething at her audacity, I bent over my knees, momentarily winded by the realization before me. "What did he promise you Eliza? You'd be Luna of this pack, huh? You'd lead together?!"

I choked on the prospect, the thought of facing her making my stomach furl. Losing trust in my own reactions I battled for control as the bristling of my skin threatened my wolf's impending overture. Stifling internal rumbles, I cemented my feet to the floor, grasping my desk as I willed him down.

"No Gabriel I swear. He wants you dead. I am simply a means to an end, just like Miesha!"

Flinging myself around, beads of sweat tremored against my furrowed brows as my rage quaked the space between us, "You are nothing alike! Nothing!"

Her sobs continued to wrack her body, "Please, please believe me! You have seen what he is capable of!"

Our bitter exchange continued with no end in sight, "You conspired to kill her Eliza, my mate! Your Luna!"

Spitting out between gritted teeth, I kept firing, "I treated you well Eliza and you gift me with this betrayal!?"

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

Her wails were meaningless. Her false piety a ruse that had gone on long enough.

Shaking my head in disgust, I launched towards her, stopping but a hair-length away from pinning her by the neck.

My fingers linger so close that each breath from her swept against my fingertips, but I refused to make a move and touch her. "What does it feel like knowing what Jacob did to Miesha? That is the person you have signed away your life for..."

She was frantic in her response. "I... I... didn't know, I swear! That all happened before he marked me! He didn't tell me I swear it!"

"I swear it," I mimic, sneering as the walls rumbled in anticipation in their own attempt to goad me further. "I should rip that mark clean out from your neck but then I would be no better than your mate. No better than you."

The disgust I have for her taints the air, she knows how I see her.

Dropping my hand, I step away, refusing to play into this game any longer. "I am true to my word Eliza. I will not ever hurt a woman... but I cannot promise what awaits you when you leave these walls."

Her gaze meets mine for what I know will be the final time before my parting words are issued, her face mute from expression as she realizes the same.

"You have about ten seconds if you want to make it out of here alive Eliza. I suggest you run, and I suggest you run now. "

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