Chapter Twenty-six

**OLIVER'S POV**

Ihadn’t known what to expect when I had decided to follow Gabriel back to his pack…to his people. Maybe I didn’t have any expectations in mind. As soon as we crossed into his pack, his people flocked to him, children clinging to his feet and squealing in excitement. It was endearing to see that he was loved, and in the deepest part of my mind, I wondered if they would love me too. My hands dug into my pockets and I rocked myself on my heels, smiling awkwardly at the quick inquiring glances that were fired my way.
As we journeyed through the pack, I was greatly reminded of Crystal Cove and smiled to myself as I could see how Gabriel so easily fell in love with the place. Quaint houses made of mahogany wood lined the streets surrounded by thick canopies, and small shops were scattered between them. After what seemed like an eternity, we finally made one final turn into Gabriel’s.
As we approached the door, the image of a small, smiling elderly woman seated on the porch came into view. Her head turned towards us as we neared her.
“Who is that?” I asked.
“I heard you had returned,” the elderly woman said. “About time, don’t you think?”
The elderly lady rose slowly to her feet, holding on to her sturdy, wooden cane for support.
Gabriel laughed. “It’s great to see you again, Shanice,” he said, as he reached down to hug her.
“And you…” she said, turning to me. “We’ve been expecting you. Took you long enough…”
I and Gabriel exchanged confused glances. The elderly lady’s gray eyes pierced mine, her small smile never leaving her face. Both hands held on to her her cane as her fingers tapped a rhythm on the knob.
“I…I don’t think that we’ve met before,” I said, letting out a nervous laugh.
“Shanice, you’re freaking him out,” Gabriel said humorously in a bid to quell the rising tension.
Shanice smiled even wider and strode over to me. Her gray eyes roamed my face, her smile widening with each second. I shifted on my feet, becoming increasingly uncomfortable with her piercing gaze on me.
She turned to Gabriel. “It’s nice that you finally decided to bring with you something valuable from your travels.”
Both Gabriel and I stared at Shanice in shock. “What?!”
She waved us off. “You didn’t tell me what your name is, young man?” She said and cocked her head to the side.
“Oh,” I stretched my hand out to her. “My name is Oliver.”
“Oliver…” she said, testing my name on her tongue. “We’re going to meet again, Oliver. Very soon…”
I and Gabriel watched solemnly as she began to walk away, she came tapping on the gravel as it supported her weight. Confusion and shock reigned inside me, and in my head, the wheels turned at alarming speed.
“What the fuck was that?” I asked Gabriel who was also looking on in surprise.
He turned to me and shrugged. “I don’t know. She’s always being weird.”
I followed him into the cozy house, my mind still on the gray-haired lady.
“She has an unusual shade of gray eyes.”
“Yeah, she’s blind.”
“What?!”
Gabriel laughed. “You didn’t notice?” He asked, his eyes twinkling in amusement.
I shook my head stared out the window, and watched silently as she disappeared around the corner.
“She’s really strange…”
Gabriel nodded and joined me at the window. “Yeah. She’s been that way since I rescued her from my father’s pack years ago. But she’s a sweetheart. You’ll love her when you get to know her.”
“She creeps me out.”
Gabriel threw back his head and laughed heartily. “She creeps everybody out.”
“The people from your father’s pack…are they all here?” I asked absently. In truth, I wanted to hear more about Gabriel’s father.
Gabriel cocked his head to the side. “Yeah. Where else would they be?” He asked humorously.
I laughed and scratched the back of my head. “Silly me…”
Gabriel laughed pulled me into his arms and placed a soft kiss on my lips.
“Welcome to my home. I hope you love it here.”
I smiled. “I know I would love it here.”
Regardless of the inquisitive gazes of his people, and the weird old lady, the ambiance spoke cam to my souls in a level that even Crystal Cove had failed to. The second I had crossed into his territory, I had felt an odd kind of peace, and all thoughts of New York and its drama had felled from my mind. I scoffed as I remembered how my father had barged into my condo after he heard the news of Shawn’s death.
“Come,” Gabriel said, his voice breaking through my thoughts. “Let me give you a little tour.”
I followed Gabriel through the house, smiling at the décor that was simple and yet unique to Gabriel. He opened the back door and led us towards the thick forest that sat behind his house. The tall canopies cast a shadow over the backyard with sunlight streaming through the gaps in the leaves. In the distance, I could hear the faint sound of running water.
“Is there a river close by?” I asked.
Gabriel looked at me and smiled. “Come.”
Gabriel led us through a footpath that brought us to the river. I gasped as I beheld the beauty of the water. The water sparkled under the rays of the sun. A sudden feeling of déjà vu overcame me as I continued to stare at the flowing river. Inside me, I could feel the strength of the goddess overflowing and moving my body in a certain direction.
“What’s going on?” Gabriel asked.
I stepped into the water, my body now under the control of a force greater than me, and turned around just as the goddess led me to. Upriver, erected on the edge of the flowing water, was a small cabin. Standing in front of that cabin was Shanice looking right at me with a wide smile on her face.