Thorns Of The Past.

'Red' First Meeting!

“Pain makes all of us see red…”

~Bloody Snow Pack, pack house~

Third person's pov

"What do you mean Gabriel is Rebecca's mate?" Evan asked shocked and Mark sighed heavily shaking his head in desperation.

He had just told him about what had happened or better what he had understood and he was so worried that he couldn't explain with details what had taken place in front of his eyes some minutes ago.

He was freaking out in the idea of Ryker and the others finding out that something was wrong! They all knew that Ryker hated his father although he had no idea what had happened. It was more than enough for him the fact that he could see the pain in his mother's eyes and that he was absent from their lives. His mother was a logical woman so she was right for raising them alone, it was his fault and he didn't need more reasons to want him dead.

That was what they were all scared about, his reaction! They would have to keep him away from Gabriel and it was going to be difficult because Ryker was a strong opponent and very clever man, an Alpha with pride and confidence.

"We have no time, Megan is going to try to delay the kids! We have to go and find Rebecca now! You know what is going to happen if the kids understand what is happening!" Mark said breathless and Evan nodded rushing to the door.

"This is a disaster! So Megan knew!" he muttered with Mark one step behind him and he groaned in agreement.

"Yes! She told me because Becks was too surprised, she was pale, she fell on her knees, for a moment I was afraid of her passing out on us!" he replied in hurry and Evan cursed.

"s**t! We are dead!" he exclaimed through his teeth and they got in the corridor running to the stairs like crazy.

Evan didn't have a very good feeling! He knew everything was being risked that moment and he was right for feeling this way because...

Megan was still running to the training shields when she saw Ryker with Blaze, Kira and Claire walking to her while laughing and teasing each other. The training was over and she couldn't hide her panic and disappointment! She had to delay them but her mind was stuck, she has already a really hard time thinking of her best friend with that man she hated till death and she knew that she wouldn't have been able to keep them away from the pack house for too long.

Ryker was the first one that noticed her and smiled but soon he narrowed his eyes worried watching her nervous expression.

He was a tall man, like the man she had seen a while ago and now she was sure from whom Ryker had taken almost everything! He was just like his 'father', brown hair and eyes, board chest and shoulders, tall legs, long, strong neck and a sweet skin's tone.

Next was Kira that jumped on Ryker's back catching him off guard because a while ago they were teasing each other and he laughed catching her as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Kira was the Gamma of the pack and 19 years old! She was always Blaze's best friend and when Ryker and Claire had joined the pack she loved them and they all became a team of four. She was Claire's best and most trusted friend and a very sweet girl, very supportive, logical and cheerful! She had a normal height and weight, long bronze hair and big, dark green eyes with a pale skin and full lips.

"Hey aunt! Did you miss us?" Claire yelled from behind them and Megan saw her walking with Blaze on her side and his one hand wrapped around her thin, waist.

These two were one of the best couples Megan had ever seen because they loved each other deeply, it was a pure love and friendship at the same time but the spark and passion between them were obvious! They were perfect for each other and strong Alphas that had everything it takes to lead the pack.

Claire was just like her mother but her eyes were light brown and not honey. She was a beautiful young lady with manners, kindness, mesmerizing gaze, sweet smile and shining eyes with a powerful yet calm aura.

Blaze from the other side had his father's dark blue eyes but his mother's light brown hair. He was tall as well but with not so board shoulders, his skin was pale like Claire's and he was a very handsome man! He was also quite appropriate most of the times like his father, he had taken his temper and professionalism, his manners and way of thinking and he was never losing his patience except if it was something that had to do with his family and pack's safety.

"Aunt?" Kira said worried when they got extremely close to Megan that was staring at them frozen unable to move or talk and Claire approached her passing by Ryker and Kira.

She knew this expression of hers, she was a tough woman that couldn't lose her composure or courage easily so something serious had happened.

"What is it? You are not alright!" Claire murmured with concern and the others joined her side with Ryker touching Megan's arm gently.

He really loved Megan, she was crazy and strong, she had an impressing temper and they were each other's weakness. For him, Megan was his biggest silent supporter, they were always agreeing and she was spoiling him secretly with anything she knew he liked.

"Meg? What is wrong? Where is my mother?" he asked her quickly and Claire stiffened hearing about her mother.

Megan cursed from inside her. Those kids were always thinking about their mother first. The only person they had been always asking about was her and she could understand them but right that moment she wished they hadn't asked her.

"Nothing is wrong! For Luna's sake! I just came here to... See if you were done with training!" She said doing her best to seem convincing and Kira shook her head confused.

"Are we late? Mark told us about my father's guest so... We did our best to finish soon!" Blaze spoke up next and Megan forced a smile in understanding.

"Damn these kids! They are always so... Appropriate!" she told her wolf that growled running out of patience with a bad feeling building up inside her heart.

"I was sure about it baby, I just wanted to come and tell you that your dad is for a walk with our guest so you don't have to hurry! We can wait before we go at the house." She replied quickly watching them ready to leave and Ryker raised his eyebrows thoughtfully.

"Are you okay? Why do I have the feeling that something is not alright?" he asked her and took one step closer to her getting suspicious that she had to be lying.

Megan opened her eyes widely in a try to seem annoyed and gasped. She put great efforts to maintain her 'calmness' and exhaled heavily thinking of a good 'lie' to say.

"I am fine baby, you know me and..."

"This is exactly why I am sure you are not fine! Do you know what? I am going to ask someone else to tell me, maybe Mark or my mother!" he interrupted her and began walking away with Claire and Blaze doing the same after they kissed her in hurry.

Only Kira stood in front of her with her eyes staring into hers inquisitively and Megan blinked her eyes after a while and began trembling breathless.

"What is happening aunt? Tell me, I know you are hiding something!" Kira told her through their link and that was what Megan needed to 'break'.

"Their father is here. He had no idea about them and Becky! We have to stop them, Evan is going to take him away and..."

"s**t!" Kira exclaimed and run to them with Megan following her.

She knew what was going to happen, she was the one Ryker and Claire had trusted their secret feelings and thoughts about their 'father' and the last thing she wanted was them to know. She was also worried about her aunt, she was a strong woman but she didn't want her to be in pain again! She didn't deserve it!

So she had to help Megan and earn time for the others to take that man away the sooner.

"Come on guys! Why are we doing this now? We are getting worried for no reason, you know Meg, she is crazy and full of up and downs!" she yelled reaching them and wrapped her hands around Ryker's elbow playfully.

"Did you hit your head or something? You know her so much so how can you say there is no reason for us to be worried about?" he asked her confused and continued walking dragging her behind him.

They kept on walking to the pack house and Kira decided to stop talking and telling them nonsense because she was going to make Ryker angrier and she didn't want this to happen. Her heart was beating fast inside her chest and Megan was shaking panicked realizing that there was nothing she could do to prevent them from finding out what was happening. She couldn't lie more, they knew her and she was in no condition to relax and try again to stop them.

Both of them were sure about the outcome but they couldn't stop Ryker or Claire and Blaze that had the feeling that something was wrong. They were just praying for Ryker to be calm enough in order not to kill his father and Blaze be logical to stop him with Claire self collected and confident.

Too soon they were all some meter away from the pack house where Becky and Megan had been with Mark when Gabriel had seen them and Ryker stopped while breathing the air confused. His eyes darkened almost immediately and Blaze froze next to him with Claire looking at Megan that had fainted dangerously with Kira gasping panicked.

"Where is my mom? She is not at home... Her scent..." Claire began and paused turning her head to the forest.

"And an unknown male's!" Ryker growled through his teeth, his eyes turned almost black and got ready to walk to the woods following the two weak scents but then...

"Father?! Aren't you with your guest? What the hell?" Blaze said in frustration the second Evan and Mark got out of the pack house in hurry like someone was chasing them.

They all turned to Evan and Mark that had frozen from the shock without breathing.

Ryker narrowed his eyes furiously, his jaw began clenching and his hands turned into fists in realization. It wasn't so difficult for him to understand that Evan's guest was with his mother somewhere in the forest, Megan had been lying with Kira trying to help her and Evan was about to 'save' the situation for an unknown reason.

He saw red immediately with Blaze next to him being frustrated but not that much as him.

Claire was also close to the 'solution' but Ryker's loud growl brought her back to reality and she snapped her head to his direction to see him running to the forest with Blaze behind him.

"s**t!" Evan said through his teeth and Kira rushed behind the boys with Claire doing the same leaving a pale Megan and a dizzy Evan.

"Come on! We have to run, we have to stop them!" Mark shouted more self collected than them and they blinked their eyes when they listened to Ryker's loud roar.

"MOTHER!"

~at the same time, forest~

"I hate you, I hate you! You destroyed my life once and now you came back again for more?!" Becky screamed and slammed her fists on Gabriel's hard chest with no resistance from him.

It had been only some minutes that they had been staring at each other in silence but Becky had lost the less patience she had left.

Gabriel had said nothing all that time, he couldn't, he was devastated, hurt, desperate, dizzy and heartbroken. He was incapable of believing she was alive, he was still trying to realize it! It was more like a dream for him, a dream that had come true because the only woman he had ever loved in reality was there alive and strong but at the same time she didn't want him, she hated him and he knew she was right...

Everything was his fault but now he could have a chance because nothing was done, he hadn't 'lost' her, she was there! Her behavior was breaking his already weak heart but he was ready to try, he had to! Stepping back was not an option for him anymore, not now that he knew he had hopes because she wasn't dead.

He was standing there staring at her in the eyes, tears were falling from his eyes, he wasn't trying to talk, he was breathing harshly and his wolf had paralyzed in his mind but for Becky it was way different!

She was angry, hurt and her rage had passed every limit. The man that had killed her, the father of her kids, the one she had loved till death and had betrayed her was there, in front of her!

It was the last thing she ever wanted to happen, it was the nightmare she was scared of and now it was true... She had never thought of it, she believed she would never seen him again, she had covered her trails perfectly, she had been to Italy for years isolated with the doctor's that had helped her run away help, she had come back to America after lots of years, she had stayed away from her previous pack and him but...

He had just found her by accident!

And she was feeling helpless yet powerful at the same time!

From the one hand she wanted to kill him for everything he had made her suffer but from the other hand she wanted to leave him run away and never see him again!

She was terrified of her kids understanding but she was also ready to defend them against him!

She was not the girl she used to be, she was a woman, a mother and father at the same time, a Luna for the pack that had hugged her!

She could make it and her anger yet complaint had taken full control over her and she was ignoring the fact that she had met him again and his touch before had had an effect on her.

"Go back to you pack and forget this day forever!" she screamed and continued hitting in mania him with her fists while he was almost sobbing without moving.

He wasn't going to stop her, he wanted her to break out all of her anger, she had every right to react like that, she was in pain and he had to show understanding although he was in pain as well.

Her hits, punches and screams were hurting him more psychologically than physically. He could feel her pain and it was a slow torture for him.

"Talk damn it! Move! Run away!" she roared slapping him after some time of hitting him and he left out a loud cry one step away from breaking into sobbing.

She took one step back the next second unable of breathing with tears running down her eyes and fell on her knees crying. Her face was red, her eyes were filled with tears, her shining hair was a mess but still beautiful and she was shaking uncontrollably on the edges of passing out.

She was too overwhelmed, her body wasn't obeying her and her head was hurting her with her heart aching more than ever.

She buried her face in her shaking hands and continued crying, it was the first time she was crying like that because now she couldn't stop herself from remembering! All those previous years she had been having too many duties and not time to stay alone and mourn and now she couldn't keep on denying her past.

Gabriel kneeled in front of her with his eyes never leaving her and wiped his tears quickly while he was fighting to breathe. He had to calm down and help her, she had to know his feelings, he needed to explain and ask for her forgiveness.

"I am so, so, sorry... I... I know I was wrong! I... am living a hell without you... Becky... I love you! I can die for you, just..." he began with pauses incapable of preventing himself from crying again but stopped when she slapped him screaming.

"YOU ARE A f*****g LIAR! I HATE YOU! SHUT UP! STOP LYING!" she roared and grabbed his shirt's collar shaking him with power outraged.

Her face was now inches away from his, their eyes were burning each other's, her expression was wild while his was broken. They weren't breathing nor moving, she was still holding him and he was staying like a statue too lost in her to react.

"BECKY!" Megan's strong, desperate voice sounded breaking the silence and both of them jumped up.

Becky's heart began beating again and Gabriel stiffened surprised but once some more voices sounded Becky took a step back panicked and began trembling.

Ryker...

She could listen to him growling with Blaze also screaming, Claire telling them to hurry and Kira asking from them to calm down as Evan and Mark was yelling for them to stop.

Their scents began getting strong, their voices, the noise of their footsteps and even their breaths were betraying them and Becky turned pale and wiped her tears in hurry.

They were almost there and she had to think of something or else they would have big problems!

She turned to Gabriel that seemed to be very confused and run her hands through her hair. She had to tell him to leave...

"Run! Go! Go to the pack house from this direction, take your car and leave back to your pack! Hurry!" she told him doddering and he narrowed his eyes shaking his head negatively.

"I don't understand... What the hell? Who are they and... It's Evan and Mark and..." he began but she raised her hands to stop him.

"Just leave! GO!" she said through her teeth and turned to walk away to stop the others but he blocked her way scared of losing her and grabbed her from her arms tightly.

"Gabriel, let go of me!" she cried out getting panicked and tried to set herself free but he tightened his hold even more and pulled her closer.

"You can't leave me, not again, I won't lose you!" he shouted breathless in despair and tried to hug her but she fought him back with mania.

They were scared, both of them but for different reasons. Becky was terrified and wanted to leave and prevent her kids from meeting him and Gabriel was horrified of leaving her again, he couldn't lose her!

She wanted to run away again but he wasn't willing to let that happen!

They had no other choice than to 'fight' but the battle was not fair because of Gabriel's power, he had the hand above.

"Gabriel, go! Stop holding me, I have to leave, we are over!" she said quickly struggling even more and he wrapped his arms around her body trapping her.

"I love you, I need another chance, I will do everything right this time, don't leave me!" he screamed and tried to kiss her but she turned her head away and his lips touched her quite wet cheek.

She managed to kick his leg with power the next second while he was still trying to kiss her with mania and he groaned in pain. He was caught completely off guard and stopped holding her so she quickly turned to leave but he gained his power and run behind her.

"You are not leaving me!" he roared and grabbed her arm with so much power that she cried out from surprise and pain when a loud roar sounded and the next second...

"DON'T TOUCH HER!" Ryker roared appearing from the small slope behind Becky and like a flash pushed Gabriel away and hugged his mother that was ready to pass out.

"MOM!" Blaze and Claire screamed in union and run to them with Kira behind them.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?" Ryker roared again staring at Gabriel that was frozen with Blaze joining his side.

"Are you alright mom? Who is he? What happened?" Claire asked worried and Ryker softened his hold around her once he got sure that she was fine.

He looked at her in the eyes with Claire touching her cheek and Blaze turned again to Gabriel that was too shocked to react with the word 'mom' playing in his mind again and again.

He had forgotten what Evan had told him about her, all he could think about was her and now... She had two kids?

"I asked you something!" Ryker screamed again and took one step to Gabriel with Blaze doing the same while Claire and Kira pulled Becky some meters away.

She was away too pale and dizzy, she was shaking, she seemed to be in her own world from the turn things had taken, she couldn't speak and that was why Claire and Ryker with Blaze knew that something serious had happened. That was the reason why the boys had lost their mind and the way Ryker had found them, his mother's screams and Gabriel's roars were enough to trigger their anger even more.

"Gabriel! Ryker!" Evan cried out panicked and jumped between them with Mark standing in front of Blaze that seemed to be in the same state of mind with Ryker.

Megan run and pulled Becky in her arms with her eyes on the five men that were standing some meters away from them and Kira took a step forward when Ryker growled ready to attack Gabriel that was still speechless with a shocked expression while staring at Ryker.

"Who is he? Who?" Ryker asked Evan outraged and Evan gasped not knowing what to reply.

"Calm down my boy, he..."

"How can I when this son of a b***h has touched her against her will?" Ryker roared cutting him off and this seemed to wake up Gabriel that growled warningly.

He had no idea who was the young man behind him, he was so lost he had thought that he was Becky's son from another man, he had no patience to observe him and he had no problem to kill him.

"Watch your mouth when you talk about me kid! I can kill you right here and now! Who are you to talk to me like this?" he screamed taking one big, threatening step to Ryker that didn't seem ready to step back.

In fact, it happened the exact opposite thing! He got more furious and Blaze took his side and his eyes turned black.

"I am her son you bastard! Who the hell are you? WHO?" Ryker asked losing the last sign of patience he had and Gabriel exploded unable to hold back for more.

"HER MATE! YOU CAN TELL ME NOTHING!" he roared and the next second Becky fell on her knees.

Ryker blinked his eyes like Blaze, Evan and Mark stiffened nervously getting ready for the big outburst of the two young men, Kira held her breathe with Megan hugging Becky that was crying breathless and Claire...

She locked her eyes on two specific men, her brother and that man, her mother's mate.

And just then she knew... Her heart stopped beating, she almost stumbled, her eyes got filled from tears and her skin shuddered.

They looked alike!

That man was...

"Mom... They are... He... It's him!" she said instinctually and they all turned to her in union.

Gabriel noticed her for the first time and gasped. Things got clear in his mind suddenly and he took a step back trying to believe his eyes.

"Becky?!" he whispered and looked at her and then again at Claire that was gasping in despair with her eyes locked on his.

"Claire..." Kira muttered worried and touched Claire's back with her not reacting.

"It's him, isn't he?" Blaze asked in realization while observing Gabriel for a while and turned to Becky that stood up slowly with Megan's help and wiped her tears with determination.

Everything was over now, she had to accept it! She couldn't stop them from finding out the truth! Claire had already realized it like Blaze and Ryker... He was too clever, he was just lost and dizzy.

She took some steps forward, passed by Claire and Kira and stopped next to Blaze and Mark. Her eyes were traveling from Gabriel to Ryker and she took a deep breath thinking of a good way to stop everything, take her kids and leave.

She had to take them away...

"Becky... They are... Min..." Gabriel began while trembling overwhelmed and putting all the pieces together but Ryker jumped on him catching everyone off guard and they fell down with Ryker on the top.

He had had enough and the fact that his 'father' was standing in front of him made him see red. He hated that man, he had promised to kill him, he wanted nothing to do with him and he was going to keep his promised.

"We are not yours! You are no one! For us you do not exist!" he roared as he began punching him and Evan, Blaze and Mark rushed to separate them.

"Ryker enough!" Becky shouted terrified joining them.

"NO! LET ME KILL THE BASTARD!" Ryker roared louder and Evan with Mark dragged him away with Blaze getting in front of him.

He knew his 'brother' better than anyone, he knew what he was capable of, how strong and stubborn he could be and he was sure that he was determinate.

Deep inside his heart he had the same opinion, he also wanted to kill him but...

He didn't want Claire and Becky to get more hurt and he didn't want his hands to get covered with Claire's father's blood! So he needed to stop Ryker and only he could...

"Brother, calm down! Listen to me, he is going to leave, we won't see him again, I promise you, just..."

"NO! HE DIES TODAY! HE TOUCHED HER, HE HAS HURT HER!" Ryker cut him off and Gabriel stood up weakly with Becky joining Blaze's side.

"Listen to me baby, do it for me, let's go back home now, forget about it!" she said with a trembling voice and capped his face with Mark and Evan still holding him tightly.

Ryker got lost in her eyes, for some seconds everything stopped for him, they all fainted. It was only he and she! His heart was beating fast from pain and anger at the same time. His mother was still hurt, it was the first time she seemed broken, all the previous years she was strong but now...

She couldn't hide from him and that got him even madder!

He wanted to take revenge for everything she had suffered but... What if he was causing her bigger pain?

"Baby... For me, please! Let's go!" she repeated in a lower tone than before and he nodded timidly.

He couldn't deny her... He wanted only the best for her!

"You can't leave me!" Gabriel spoke up devastated again and Blaze turned to him wildly with Ryker getting angry again.

He was shameless!

"Gabriel, stop it!" Evan said through his teeth pointing Ryker that was again ready to attack him.

"No Evan! I won't lose them, they..."

"SHUT UP!" Ryker screamed and Blaze jumped on him but Becky blocked his way in time and he froze.

"Listen to me carefully! Stay away from my family because next time I am going to kill you or I won't stop my brother from killing you no matter who the hell you are! Stay away from them!" Blaze warned him one step away from shifting and Gabriel screamed opening his mouth to say more when...

Claire couldn't take more!

"ENOUGH, ALL OF YOU!" she roared using her luna tone and Kira wrapped her arms around her to prevent her from falling.

She was pale and she was shaking uncontrollably, a panic attack was very possible of making its appearance considering her condition.

They had never seen her like that!

"WE ARE LEAVING NOW!" she continued without taking breath and Becky run to her panicked.

"Baby!" Blaze exclaimed forgetting everything and even Ryker run to her getting free from Evan and Mark's hold.

"It's fine sweetheart, it's okay!" Becky said gently and hugged her kissing her forehead.

"I want to leave..." Claire replied weakly sniffling and Blaze with Ryker walked to them and hugged them both with wary.

Gabriel's eyes were filled from tears while observing them all together, his heart tightened in pain.

He had a family, it wasn't only Becky! Those kids were his and he had no idea till some seconds before. He was a father, she had run away while being pregnant to his pups, she had raised them alone and now...

He had found them out of nowhere!

And they loved each other like crazy, they were one! His daughter was just like her mother, she was the one in the first photo and the second one was Becky's and then it was his son that...

Was like him! The more he was staring at him the more he could see the similarity!

Evan walked to him slowly with a sympathetic expression, Mark and Megan approached Kira that had given the others some space and Becky broke the hug with the three of her kids and smiled at Claire emotional.

It was time for them to go, Claire couldn't take more, she was more vulnerable than ever because her father's absent had been always hurting her. Now she was feeling like drowning.

"Come baby! Let's go..." Becky said with affection and wrapped one arm around Claire that nodded relieved but still frustrated.

Blaze joined Claire's free side and Ryker did the same thing taking his mother's side and the four of them began walking away together while holding each other.

Megan and Mark took Kira and followed them in silence and Evan tapped Gabriel's back gently.

They were both observing Becky disappearing in the forest with Ryker, Claire and Blaze and Gabriel left himself free to express his feelings.

He broke into sobbing and slowly fell on his knees.

The ground under him was disappearing, everything around him was fainting and the only thing he could see was three specific figures.

His mate and their kids...

"Are you okay?" Evan asked him worried and he shook his head confused.

"I have a family..." he said instead of answering Evan's question because that was the only thing that mattered him and gasped.

"They are..." he continued after some seconds in silence in a try to take even the shortest breath.

"MINE!"

************************

Hello everyone!

That was an emotional chapter, I know but it had to happen!

So what do you think about this quite intense chapter? How do you feel about Becky and Gabriel? What do you think about Ryker’s reaction? What about Claire and Blaze? Do you feel sympathy for Gabriel? What is going to happen next?

I am very curious to know your opinions and thoughts and I need to thank you for everything. I hope you liked this chapter and you will gradually start loving the story. So far everything is quite confusing but in the next chapter most of the things are going to be explained.

Plese if you want to help me from now that is still the beginning and you are looking forward for more, commend and let me know your opinion and thoughts, or share the story.

I will see you again in the next chapter (unless you are reading my other books). Until then stay safe, smile and have fun!

Love you all very much,

Marie!