Lone Wolf Rising (Paranormal Romantic Thriller) (The Winters Series) (22 page)

‘
He’s
far from perfect!
’  The wolf needed to get her opinion in on the conversation.  Rebecca simply shook her head and decided to ignore it.

"Come on Rebecca, you know Gabriel made his first play.  You can’t be blind to that."  Lucky ran a shaky hand through his hair.  "He’s a good guy, Becca.  You’re fortunate he chose you.
  He’s the same age as us, strong, and a born leader.  The two of you will make a powerful union.  My nanna would say you were written in the stars
."
  Lucky nodded his head sadly.  "But forgive me, that’s why I punched him.  Gods help me, I was jealous.  I know my commitments. I know I have no rights..." he shook his head in an effort to clear his head.  "It would be so much easier to believe you bewitched me because what’s happening, this…" he pointed at her and him.  "This can’t happen for so many obvious reasons." 

Rebecca felt like
 he had physically slapped her.  "Okay, so all I heard was that we both feel the same attraction and that’s the only reason why this..."  She pointed to both of them.  "This should happen." 

She took another step towards him and his eyes pleaded with her to stop.
  In the internal battle he was having, she could see he was losing and it broke her heart.  "Let’s just go to class."  He smiled sadly.

She didn't need a classroom, she needed air.
  She turned and ran towards the entrance of the school.  Her wolf heard his footsteps fall in behind her but she couldn't stop.  If she didn't get to the air she felt like she was going to die. 

She burst through the doors, flew past the parking lot and only stopped when she reached the tree line that marked the end of school property.
  When she turned around Lucky was there.  He approached her and she threw her hand up.  He slammed into an invisible barrier, a wall of air that separated them.  Rebecca shook her head as she tried to catch her breath.  "You’re wrong, Lucky."

"Becca, what did you do?"
  He flipped himself up from the ground after the invisible barrier had knocked him down and placed his hands forward.  They laid flat against the barrier as he tried to find a hole in the wall. 

Rebecca took deep breaths as the air filled her lungs and strengthened her.
  "I just need some air."   And she needed space.  She needed time and space away from all the supernaturals including the wolf in her mind.  She needed to regroup but she couldn’t even get that because the wolf was constantly talking to her, constantly influencing every decision she made; constantly flipping her emotions on and off, into anger, sadness, and happiness.  Dianna was right.  It was like having a second personality that becomes so integrated into her body that she could not tell where one starts and the other ends.  The wolf, the responsibilities, the challenges, the strangeness, the danger was beginning to suffocate her.  Her world was turning upside down and she couldn’t seem to find a way to place it right again.  She wondered if it would ever be right again.

If the wolf had her way, she would be marrying Gabriel and having multiple werewolf pups.  If Rebecca got her way she didn’t know what she would do.  She only did all of this because she wanted to avenge her parents.  But now, she had to question the logic behind that decision as well.  Everything was spiraling out of control. 

‘
Breathe, young one. It will get better
.’  The wolf tried to calm her down, but, frankly, Rebecca was tired of her voice and simply ignored her.

"Rebecca, why can't I reach you?"
  Concern dripped from Lucky’s words.  "What’s happening?" 

But Rebecca ignored him as well; her attention drawn to that familiar feeling of
being watched returned.  It made her feel dirty and sent ice through her veins.  She stood up straight and turned her eyes to the scan the school grounds. 

“Becca, what’s going on?”  Lucky cursed as he kicked at the air shield she had created.

Rebecca’s mind raced as she continued to scan the horizon.  The wolf sent a distress call out to anyone that was listening as the feeling of dread began to consume Rebecca.  "I’m looking for the person who has been spying on me."

Chapter Fourteen

~"I love
 the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection.  'Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscious approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death."

~Thomas Paine
 
 

Rebecca

Lucky turned around, standing protectively in
 front of Rebecca. Ready to fight with lightning speed, he drew his brass knuckles.   Thanks to their training yesterday she knew where his other weapons were located if they were needed.  Apparently chivalry was not dead after all.  Rebecca rolled her eyes and would have punched him in the arm if she could have broken through the shield.  "Can you please remove this stupid barrier?"  She kicked it out of frustration and it blew her backwards landing her flat on her rear.  "Ouch."

"Becca
, I didn’t create the shield, you did; which, by the way, should be impossible for a werewolf."  He shook his head, confusion floating in his eyes.  "How did you do it?  If I didn't know any better I would say you used air elemental magic
?"

"If I thought you did it, wouldn't it make sense that I don't have the answer to your question?"
  The sarcasm in her voice made him turn irritated, worried eyes in her direction.  Thankfully, she managed to pick herself up and leaned against the tree behind her for strength before he saw her flat on her backside. 

"Well, may I suggest you get rid of the shield while I find your spy?"
  He returned the sarcasm which got him Rebecca’s famous death stare in response.  Unfortunately, his back was turned so he couldn't appreciate its full effect. 

Rebecca concentrated on the air barrier with absolutely no idea how to make it go away.
  She pressed against it softly, and it still kicked back, but not enough to hurt her this time.  Rebecca knew it was only there to protect her, but what was it protecting her from?  Lucky meant her no harm; well, accept to her heart.  Surely it wasn’t created to keep her from a broken heart, not that she’d known Lucky long enough to get attached that much.

This all happened because Gabriel m
ade a play for her, stupid wolfman.  She hadn't had very much experience with the male half of her species but she was beginning to see a trend; Neanderthals, the lot of them.  She pushed the thoughts out of her mind.  None of this was helping.  Rebecca closed her eyes and centered her breathing.  Her only focus was on releasing the magic that suspended the air. 

"I don't see anyone out here.
  Are you sure we’re being watched?"  Lucky asked turning toward her with a worried look on his face.  He pulled out his phone and made a phone call when he saw her concentrating on the barrier.  It was interesting; she could almost see him even with her eyes closed.  "Hey, I think we need a little magical assistance."

"Where are you?"
  Rebecca heard a familiar female voice on the other end.  Unfortunately, she couldn’t give the voice a name. 

"You better not be calling my grandmother."
  Rebecca warned, opening one eye halfway.

He ignored her as he went on.
  "At the school, northwest side, at the tree line." 

"I’ll be right there."
  She hung up. 

"Natalia!
  You called our neighbor?"  Rebecca opened both eyes and fought off the urge to kick the barrier again.  "I really don't trust her."

"I do.
  Besides, she owes me.  The only other option was your grandmother and I know you don't want me to call her."

Gabriel jogged up from behind Rebecca, "you rang?"

She spun around and glared at him.  Her wolf found it difficult to be angry with him which only reinforced her theory the anger was from her.  "What’re you doing here?"

He shrugged and leaned lazily against the same tree she used a few minutes ago to rest on.
  "You called and I came.”  

"I most certainly didn’t call you!"  Rebecca sounded appalled by the notion.

He looked at Lucky and gauged the situation.  It wasn't Gabriel who spoke, it was Lucky.  "You’re his alpha, Becca.  Were you thinking about him?"

Rebecca looked at him.
  "Yeah, I was thinking how this whole situation was his fault."

"And you swore fealty to her?"
  Lucky's glare was full of menace and directed towards Gabriel.

"You know I did.
  I marked her with my protection."

"The first step to the mating process."
  Lucky's jaw muscle started ticking.  "By the Gods, Gabriel, what were you thinking?"

"Her wolf connected to me.
  I make no excuses for that.  It’s the way the world works."  He wound his arm around Rebecca’s waist and pulled her against him. "I know you’re only here as a protector but you can leave, she’s safe with me."

Rebecca pushed him away.
  "Like hell I am!"  She started pacing, "what is all this talk about my wolf and mating?"

‘
Mine!
’ The wolf panted in her mind.

‘
Seriously?
’

‘
Yes
.’  And with that the wolf abandoned her to focus on Gabriel.

‘Now who needs to get her hormones under control?
’  Rebecca muttered sarcastically in her mind.  The wolf didn’t answer.

Lucky
 touched the invisible wall which was obviously still there.  Hurt passed through his eyes when he looked at Rebecca and they both realized at the same time that Gabriel wasn’t blocked from her but Lucky was.  "It looks like your choice was made for you."

Gabriel looked between
 Lucky and her.  "Wait, are you two really dating?"

They both looked down at the ground, unsure how to answer that question.
  

Gabriel frowned.
  "Gods, Lucky, you’re my best friend!   Had I known.  But you know the rules.  You’re a stickler for the rules and would never break them."  He shook his head and in that moment Rebecca finally saw vulnerability in him that she never knew was possible.  It made him look human.  "This line of thinking will get both of you killed."  A fierceness she hadn’t seen but somehow knew existed in him came to the surface, he was a wolf after all. 

"Can we discuss this later, when we get rid of this shield?"
  Lucky asked coldly. 

Gabriel sniffed the barrier, which he could feel from this side.
  "It’s made up of elemental magic.  What witch did it; I’ll find her and bring her to undo it."  He looked between both of them again.  Rebecca worried her hands and Lucky ran his through his hair.  "Look, guys, I’m trying to help.  Whether you like it or not, our wolves are connected which means we’re connected to each other.  My wolf is fiercely protective, that means I need to keep you safe."

"I think
 Rebecca did it." Lucky said sadly.  "She was feeling threatened."

"And trapped."
  She added, "I had an overwhelming need for air."

"She ran out of the school and I followed.
  When she turned, I was behind her and she slammed up the barrier between us."   Lucky finished the story.

"What you’re saying isn’t possible.  Wolves have no control over the elements.
  Only witches control that area of magic.  It helps maintain balance."  Gabriel glared between them with narrowed eyes.  "Just tell me who it was and I’ll get them." 

"They’re telling the truth, and it’ll remain a secret between the four of us, agreed?"
  Natalia came up behind Lucky.  She waited for all three of them to agree before continuing.  "I figured you were air."  She said with approval as she examined the air barrier. 

"How’s this possible, Natalia?"
  Lucky asked.  Rebecca could tell they were good friends by the way he looked at her with respect.  That one look made her reconsider her first impression of Natalia.  Maybe she was better than she originally assumed.

Natalia shrugged and pushed her black glasses up on her nose as she dug through her backpack.
  "Strange things happen when two powerful lines come together."  She looked to her left and paused.  It looked like she was listening to someone, but no one was there.  Then she nodded her head.  "Your great grandmother is here.  She was also an air witch and she’s impressed with the command you have with the element."  Natalia smiled at Rebecca.

"
Bethany?"  Rebecca had never met her great grandmother but she heard amazing stories of how she bravely helped people despite the consequences; by non- magical means of course.  In fact, if she remembered the story right, it was the husband of one of the women she was helping that eventually killed her.  The man spent the rest of his days in an asylum for the criminally insane.