Ending What Never Was

CHAPTER 14: ENDING WHAT NEVER WAS
~ Gabriel’s POV ~

Before she was out of sight Tanner started up on me.
“Gabe! When did you two become official?”
“We are not official; I just didn’t want to embarrass her by pushing her away. I wish she hadn’t kissed me here. I told her we would take things slow and see where it went.” I said deflated. I rubbed my face with my hands to try to relieve some stress. Then I picked up my fork to begin eating.
“Well, she makes things look like it’s really heated between the two of you.” Said Tanner.
“It’s not.” I spoke.

I looked back over to Harper who was almost done with her food. There was an emotionless look on her face as she seemed to be deep in thought. “So, Harper, how was your night?” I said trying to get off the subject of Sam. I also wanted to see how she was settling in. She raised her eyes to look at me. Her mood seemed to be lightning.
“I slept well, thank you. I didn’t know what time training was, so I tried to catch you or Tanner here in the dining hall before you left for the field.”
“Yeah, we are usually already on the field deep in training by now, but we are behind on our schedule today. I thought I would give you a couple of days to adjust before inviting you to train.” She smiled and picked up her tray to empty it. She really didn’t have to do that. The dining staff was responsible for cleaning off the tables. The fact that she wanted to go out of her way to help was just adding to my attraction to her.
“I have been out of training now for weeks. I am ready to get back. It will also give me a chance to get to know more pack members.” Harper said with excitement written all over her face.
“Alright, I am looking forward to seeing what you got.” I couldn’t help myself but run my eyes up and down the length of her body. I was right, it's a full C cup in the front. A section of her midriff was showing between the gap of her sports bra and workout tights. Heat flooded my body.

I realized I was staring. Mika excitedly jumped and howled in my head. I looked back up to Harper’s face and couldn’t miss the cute blush that had graced her cheeks. I do affect her.
“We want her. We need her! Make her ours, now!” Mika’s voice blasted in my mind.
“Mika, I can’t just throw her over my shoulder, carry her to my room and have my way with her.”
“Give me one good reason why we can’t.” Shaking his head in agitation and pawing at the ground.
“Maybe because she doesn’t want that. Plus, that is just not how I do things. I am not even sure we need to pursue things with Harper. She has been through too much, she needs time.” I spoke.

Mika scoffed and disappeared into the darkness of my mind. Probably laying down to pout somewhere. Knowing I affect Harper so much, it wouldn’t hurt to flirt a little right? Ok, I have to be a good guy and end whatever it is that Samantha and I have first.
“Gabe, are you done? We need to get to the field?” Tanner asks, standing up from his seat.
“Yeah, you guys go ahead. I have something I need to do, and I’ll meet you there. Let everyone know we are running late but to go ahead and meet on the field in 10 minutes.”

I jumped up from my seat grabbing my tray and putting it away in the bin to be cleaned. I ran toward the door. I hope Sam hasn’t left yet. I really want to have this conversation with her in person. Outside the packhouse I caught Sam talking with one of her close friends about to get in her car to leave.
“SAM!” I yelled trying to get her attention before she had the chance to leave. She heard my voice and looked over to me and smiled. She said something to her friend and started walking toward me. We met in the driveway.
“Hey, I didn’t know you would miss me so soon.” She laughed and playfully smacked my shoulder.
“Sam, we need to talk.” I said with a serious face. She knew it wasn’t a good conversation because the smile on her face melted into a frown.

She didn’t say anything and waited for me to speak first. “Sam, this thing between us…it just feels forced. I like you; I do. You're beautiful and smart, but I can’t drag you along if I don’t see things going anywhere between us. I am sorry I don’t want to hurt you.” Her eyes filled up with tears.
“Gabriel, please give us a chance. I know it will work out. You haven’t given us enough time.” She threw herself into my chest wrapping her arms around my neck. I hugged her back and then gently pushed her away. I looked down into her eyes.
“I am sorry, I really am, and I tried but I just can't keep this up Sam.” Her facial expression turned to hurt as she lowered her head and turned to walk back to her car.
“You will regret this one-day Gabriel.” She said in a low whispering cry. “You have to see that we should be together.” I watched her get in her car and start to cry harder. Her face fell into her hands as her friend patted her back to comfort her.

I hate things had to end that way, but it is better to end things now than to let it go for later. The more her feelings grew for me the harder it was going to hurt her later. I turned around to jog behind the packhouse and make my way over to the training field.



~ Alpha Thane’s POV ~

“Alpha Thane, there are fifteen women and twelve men left. The children have already been dealt with. The men have all agreed to submit to you. The women agree to serve as needed.” I looked around; we have burned down this entire village. I took a deep breath, sniffing the air. The smoke from the flames thick and black was billowing into the night sky. The screams of the pack members in this village who refuse to submit to me have become silent.
Blood dripped from the tips of my partially shifted hand after I ripped the heart straight from this alpha’s chest. His Luna was on her knees at my feet. One of my guards held their young daughter in a restrained position as she cried for her father. She must have only been around 11 years old.
“Luna of this pack, tell me where the stone is, or your daughter’s screams will pry the location out of you.” She looked at me. Sorrow resting on her young face. She turned to her daughter.
“It will be alright, Jerrica.” She was trying to calm her daughter with no success. She turned back to me,
“You have taken everything from us. I will tell you the location but let my daughter go first.”
“There are no deals to be made here Luna. The location now, or you watch her die.”

I walked over to her daughter making my way around her in slow circles. The girls’ cries got louder.
“Enough Thane!” The Luna yelled. “Behind the pack house there is a door beneath a large rock. It leads underground. It’s a tunnel that opens into a large room. You will find the stone there.” I mind linked my Beta the directions to make sure it was there. “Thane, you know that in the wrong hands the destruction of our world is almost certain.” I laughed at her. My Beta brought a chest and laid it at my feet.
“Open it!” I demanded Luna. She walked to the chest and pulled a necklace from around her neck. It was a key. She inserted the key and turned it. The sound of an old lock opening was heard by all who were near the chest. She slowly opened the chest revealing a stone that was glowing red with yellow like it was on fire. “The terminal stone. Finally, I have found it.”

I picked up the stone and when I did, a surge of immense power flowed through me. My wolf let out a ground shaking howl that vibrated my lungs. I stood straight up pitching my head back as my body forced a scream. My beta and some warriors who were standing near me all backed up unsure what was happening. The feeling of an overwhelming amount of power ripped through my body, feeling like I was being torn apart. Once the stone had finished merging with me. A power heard of only in legends was flowing from me.

My wolf was mutated. He stood upright on two legs. His muscles were evident even under his dark gray fur. He illuminated a red glow that simulated flames that flowed from his body. My wolf and I share the same power now. We are not limited in either form. No wolf or pack will be able to stand against me. I walked to the Luna. Standing in front of her I leaned down, so we were face to face.
“Now Luna, you know that this stone has already fallen into the wrong hands. I will be the destruction of your world as you know it. All packs will bow to me. Any alpha or pack who stands against me will be slaughtered.” My warriors were heard throughout the still burning village. Their voices rang loud celebrating this moment. The Luna looked at me pleading tears in her eyes.
“Thane please, I have done as you ask. Let my daughter go.” I looked at the warrior who had the girl restrained.
“Turn her loose. Let her run and tell everyone of what has happened here tonight.”

The girl ran to her mother and threw her arms around her neck. Loud cries of the two echoing in the night. The Luna pried her daughter’s arms from around her neck.
“Jerrica, I love you so much. You must run now. Don’t stop until you have reached the safety of an ally pack! You know where to go. Tell them the legends are all true! Go, now! And don’t look back!” The girl turned and ran, never stopping to look back as I shifted my hand and with one swipe her head rolled to the ground.
“Now find my mate!” my voice boomed into the night.