A love unspoken

Chapter One

Running through the trees, the white wolf, who’s fur was only marred by a black patch on her right ear, the only visible sign of the ending of the curse that had plagued her ancestors and thus brought the end of the female line of pure white fur wolves.

Coming to a halt, the wolf sniffed around the small opening, breathing in the forest scents, taking a quick look around herself, determining that she was indeed alone before throwing herself on her back and rolling in the deep moss with free abandon, low growls of contentment coming from her chest as the hard ground scratched her fur.

A small snap broke her enjoyment, rolling onto her feet, she took up a defensive stance, her eyes penetrating the thick forest gloom, her snout sniffing for the scent of who was near her.

The empty forest is all that stared back at her, leaving her feeling agitated, not even the smell of a rabbit or fox grabbed her.

Shaking her head she made to advance further into the forest when a loud voice echoed through the trees.

‘Gabby!’ the voice boomed impatiently, ‘you better get out here before mother finds out you are by the border on your own again’

Huffing, Gabriella spun on her hind legs and chased her way back to the loud voice, stopping just shy of the edge where she shifted into her human form, grabbing a dress from the stack of clothes that where stored in a waterproof bag in the branches of a nearby tree. Slipping it over her head, she brushed out her waist length curly blonde hair with her fingers before stepping out into the open.

‘You don’t have to shout you know Nate’ she scolded, glaring at her older brother angrily, ‘mind link? You know, that thing that means you can talk to me without anyone else . . AKA mom . . hearing you’

Nathaniel chuckled, ‘ahh but if I hadn’t have shouted you would have taken your sweet time getting back here wouldn’t you’ he replied with a grin.

Rolling her eyes, Gabriella sighed, ‘haven’t you got anyone else you could annoy? Like maybe Henry?’ she asked.

‘Why would I want to annoy my little brother when I have you right here little sis?’ Nathaniel asked with a smirk, reaching out and pinching her cheek affectionately as she swatted his hand away annoyed.

‘I cannot believe you are going to be Alpha one day, remind me to change packs when mom decides to step down’ Gabriella grumbled as she started making her way back to the pack house, kicking her bare feet through the grass as she walked.

Falling into step beside her, Nathaniel threw his arm around his younger sister’s shoulders, with two years between them, the siblings were like chalk and cheese to look at. Gabriella at eighteen years old, followed her mother’s looks with her blonde hair and blue eyes, Twenty year old Nathaniel being a carbon copy of their father with his rugged good looks that caused the she wolves to fawn all over him, short brown hair and chocolate colour eyes.

Their youngest sibling fifteen year old Henry, was a mixture of their grandfather Aaron, having developed his black hair but still had the striking blue eyes of his mother’s genes.

‘You are going to regret not bringing shoes’ Nathaniel remarked as he held his sister to his side.

‘That’s what you think’ Gabriella retorted trying to push the warrior off her as he laughed and just held her tightly, ‘ouch!’ she suddenly screamed, bouncing up and down before jumping back off the sharp gravel onto the grass.

Looking at the gravel driveway that seperated her from the pack house Gabriella gulped as she raised her eyes to her smirking brother who was rocking backwards and forward on the heels of his shoes watching her.

‘Nate’ she started, trying to keep her voice polite

‘Yes Gabby?’ Nathaniel replied, his smirk widening

‘Can you help me get across to the pack house’ Gabriella sighed.

‘What is the magic word?’ Nathaniel teased as he cupped a hand behind his ear.

‘Just help me’ Gabriella growled angrily.

‘Nuh uh, mother would be most upset if she learned that not only were you near the border without protection you had also forgotten your manners Gabby’ Nathaniel scolded playfully.

‘Please’ muttered the she wolf barely audiably

‘Sorry? didn’t quite catch that sister dear, did you say something?’ the warrior continued mercilessly.

‘Fine, Please ass hole, will you carry me over the gravel to the pack house’ Gabriella snarled stamping her foot on the ground and then howling in pain, hopping around on one foot from the piece of gravel that had been hidden in the grass underneath her.

Finally relenting, Nathaniel picked her up bridal style and walked back to the pack house, placing her carefully on the step before bending down to check the sole of her foot where a small mark was showing.

‘You’re going to have a nice bruise there in about half an hour’ Nathanial said giving her a smile, ‘you better go put some ice on it’ he added before helping her into the house and toward the kitchen.

Helping her to hop onto the counter, Nathaniel walked over to the giant fridge freezer and started to poke around until he pulled out some ice that he carefully wrapped in a tea towel before placing it against his sister’s bruised foot.

Hissing in pain, Gabriella flinched away as Nathaniel grabbed her foot, ‘quit being a baby’ he muttered, pressing it harder against the cold.

‘What has she done this time?’ came the exasperated yet amused voice of Riley.

‘Hey daddy!’ Gabriella said pulling out her best cutesy, daddy’s little girl face, giving him a wave as the older warrior entered the room and walked over to inspect his daughter’s foot.

‘What happened?’ he asked trying to stop the smile pulling at the side of his lips.

‘oh nothing I was . . ‘ Gabriella began before Nathaniel cut across her

‘Running out in the woods on her own again, didn’t bother to go back for her clothes, just grabbed something from the spares and tried to walk on the gravel without shoes’ he said smirking as Gabriella’s face turned beet red.

‘Nate!’ she gasped, horrified, ‘you sold me out?’

Nathaniel shrugged, as he imitated her high voice, ‘mom! Nate knocked over your favourite perfume and broke it!’

Folding her arms, Gabriella stuck out her chin obstinately, ‘that is not the same thing! You broke something, that does not equate to telling them I was in the woods alone’ she growled back.

‘Two weeks of cleaning the pack house toilets Gabby’ Nathaniel replied, ‘two weeks! Do you know how gross werewolves are?’ he asked shuddering at the memory.

‘OK you two!’ Riley interrupted rolling his eyes, ‘Nate, go see your mom, I think she wants to discuss the encroaching Rogues with you, Gabby, you and I will talk about you yet again putting yourself in danger’ he said, fixing his daughter with a steely gaze

‘But dad!’ Gabriella started desperately

‘Would you prefer we take this to your mother?’ Riley asked raising an eyebrow, immediately shutting the teenager up.

‘Uhh no, we can talk about it daddy’ she replied making her eyes all big and innocent.

‘Don’t even try it pumpkin’ Riley said as he helped her down off the counter and into one of the chairs, ‘i’m not going to fall for your little girl routine’

Huffing, Gabriella dropped into a chair, ‘fine, get it over with’ she grumbled watching her father take a seat.

Sighing, Riley ran his fingers through his hair, ‘sweetie, you know the Rogues are encroaching on our land, you need to be more careful’ he said sternly.

‘I know daddy, i’m sorry, it’s just Gia really wanted to come out for a stretch’ Gabriella replied giving her dad a pleading look.

‘Which is fine Gabby, but you have to have two of the warriors with you when you run in the forest’ Riley said anxiously ‘if the Rogues grabbed you, we would be heartbroken’.

Heaving a sigh Gabriella nodded, ‘i’m sorry daddy, I won’t do it again, i’ll make sure Daniel and Vaya come with me next time’ she promised.

‘Ok, get going to your room, i’m sure you still have studies to do’ Riley said giving her a hug. Pulling back he added, ‘and do not tell your brother I let you off with a stern word, he will be straight up to your mother and I will not be throwing myself under the bus for you when her wrath breaks through. I love all my children, but daddy also likes his manly bits and mom will rip them off if she thinks i’m being soft on you.’

Laughing Gabriella got to her feet, wincing slightly but pleased she could already put her weight on the bruise. Kissing her father’s cheek she hobbled her way out of the room and up the stairs to her bedroom.