Chapter 14
Rhea pov
Gabriel is sweet, and I can tell throughout the meal that at times he was even nervous, though he wouldn’t admit it, and I’m too much of a scaredy wolf to ask. I don’t think I’d enjoy any moment I spent with him, but I find myself starting to relax. Even if it’s only slightly.
It turns out that dessert was a chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream, and I couldn’t be happier, it was my favourite.
“My father always said too much cake would make me fat, but when I was younger, I still wanted to eat it for pretty much every meal.” I smile, taking a big bite. “It never stopped my brothers from sneaking me some.”
“It’s sounds like your brothers were good to you.” Gabriel comments, listening to every word I say, “were you close?”
I nod, unable to stop myself from frowning, “we were, I miss them all the time.”
I don’t know why I tell him that. He doesn’t need to know that I miss my family, in fact, he’s probably already guessed that I do. He isn’t stupid. Far from it.
But I’m not stupid either, and I know he’s trying to soften the brick wall I’ve built around my heart. It won’t happen. Il forever hate this vampire, and all other vampires.
I want nothing to do with them, but because of the stupid treaty, I have no choice. I have to be here, otherwise he could murder my entire family.
I’d never be able to love with myself if anything happened to them because of my choices.
I just hope Alora comes up with a plan soon, one that won’t get everyone I love killed.
It seems hopeless and rocky right now, but maybe one day I’ll see home again.
“I will take you to them.” Gabriel says slowly, catch me off guard. “But only when you learn to follow my rules.”
Does he mean that? Would he take me to them?
“I’m trying to follow the rules.” I admit, it wasn’t a lie, but I wasn’t exactly being good for him. “But you have to give me some sort of freedom, I’m a wolf, we aren’t meant to be kept inside all day.”
Doesn’t he understand?
He looks at me confused, “That is what you want?” He asks, “you want to be able to go outside?”
I nod, placing my fork back onto the plate, the cake long forgotten, “Yes, I used to go outside all the time. I’ve always hated being stuck inside.”
“Then you shall have your wish, Rhea.” He says coldly, leaning back in his chair, his own cake forgotten. “But not alone.”
It might not seem like much, but to me, those words meant everything right now, I’ve been stuck inside since I got here, I don’t want to spend the rest of my life trapped.
I may have to marry this man, but that doesn’t mean I have to live in misery, does it?
“I’m happy to take someone with me.” I say softly, trying not to show too much of my excitement.
Perhaps I was afraid he’d take it away if he knew it made me happy, but then again, Gabriel didn’t seem like that kind of person.
“Then starting tomorrow you can take a walk around the grounds, and if you behave, in a few weeks I might even let you go to town with an escort.” Gabriel nods to himself, as though the deal is already set.
He doesn’t seem like the kind to make deals, but here he is, making a deal with me to make me more comfortable in his home.
“Why don’t you come with me?” I ask, playing with my nails, “it would be nice if you showed me around, unless you are busy of course.”
Stupid girl. Why would you even ask him that?
He doesn’t want to spend time with you, he just wants to get you pregnant with his monstrous child. Ugh. What have I done? He’s going to laugh at me.
Gabriel stares at me for a moment, “you want me to come with you?”
“You don’t have to, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked-“
“No. I want to.” He says far too quickly. “I want to come with you and show you the gardens.”
I smile, he almost seems normal in that moment, nervous to ask the girl he likes on a date. But that’s just a fairytale. He doesn’t like me, and I don’t like him. We are only here together because he kidnapped me against my will.
He stole me from my family, I can’t forget that just because he makes me a nice meal and feeds me cake.
He’s hurt me, and I’m sure he’ll do it again, because that is who he is. He’s a vampire. A monster.
I shouldn’t want to be anywhere near him, I should want to hurt him the way that he has hurt me, but I don’t. I’m not a violent person, not by any meaning of the word. But when I get mad it’s like I’m completely different.
I don’t even recognise myself sometimes.
“Thank you.” I say, clearing my throat. “Thank you for dinner, it was lovely.”
He nods, slowly standing, “let me walk you back to your room, you must be tired.”
He may as well have said -let me take you back to your cage for the night- fuck. I need to clear my head.
The more time I spend with him, like this, calm and almost Normal, the more I want to be around him, and that is dangerous.
Gabriel isn’t the sort of man I should want to be around, hell, he isn’t even a man. He’s a vampire. He’s undead.
He’s everything I should hate.
He takes my hand, gently caressing my fingers as we walk, my legs and back aching. I used to fit, Healthy, but since coming here my health has declined significantly. I’ve never been this sick, not in my whole life.
Maybe it’s the wolfsbane, I’ve never had it before coming here, perhaps it has made me sickly. Alora said it was affecting our bond, that must be why I haven’t heard her. I feel her, but she won’t speaking to me.
I’m so lost in my own mind that I barely realise when we’ve made it back to my room, the entire palace is a blur of corridors. I’ll never learn them all.
He opens the door for me and helps me inside, my energy completely gone. I’m exhausted. I could sleep for a year.
He lifts me into his arms, shocking me, and he carries me towards the bed.
When he places me down, he covers me with the blanket and kisses the top of my head. “I’ll see you tomorrow, wolf.” He says, smiling at me. “And we’ll go on our own little adventure in the gardens.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “I look forward to it.”
If wasn’t a lie. But my chest clenched in pain, what is this new feeling building in my chest?
I hate him.
Don’t I?
Gabriel turns of the light when he leaves, and all I can think about is how nice he was to me.
“Finally, alone.” A voice calls, red eyes peering at me in the dark.
I scream.