Gabriel could smell her even before he saw her. He knew what room she was in before Grace told him. A part of him was very relieved that she had decided to take the job, not for anything else really, but the fact that he believed she was most suitable to the job.
He had told no one yet that she was his mate, not even his closest advisors. He could imagine the hysteria that would come with making a public announcement. Especially with the the fact that she wasn't human. How would the elders of his pack approach that? What would the other rivals think of? When they heard that he had a weak mate? A human mate?
No, it was best to keep Lori away from that, that was until he figured out what to do with her.
He had seen her and given her the ground rules, all the while noticing that something about her scent had changed, he couldn't place what exactly it was, but the scent was there.
She looked more relaxed now, although he could still see the shadows behind her eyes. How could he not? She just lost her son, she was probably still grieving his loss. It was probably hard for her to cope.
Gabriel was in his room undressing when his phone had rang. it was his second in Command, Draco. Draco had the habit of calling at weird times, with the worst news too of course.
Gabriel sighed as he dropped his shirt and picked up the phone.
"What?"
"Where are you?"
Draco demanded without any prior greeting.
"That's no way to talk to your Alpha Draco."
Gabriel growled lowly.
"I'm sorry. I apologize Alpha! But peace talks with the Sceptre Kun pack went haywire and Alpha Sabine had one of her men attack one of our own. Apparently she was angry that you sent a delegate instead of you coming over."
Gabriel hissed. That menace! That completely crazy woman!
He thought as he shook his head.
"We need your order. Do you want us to attack? I can have our wolves do serious damage to her new establishment, maybe that will teach her some lessons."
Gabriel sighed. He was not in the mood for conflict and Sabine, well, every werewolf in the Americas knew Sabine Reinhardt was always looking for a fight, he'd be stupid to give one to her.
"Stand down. We'll make a formal report to the werewolf council. Let them handle it."
Draco groaned, obviously displeased with his Alpha's orders.
"Do you understand me Draco?! Stand down!"
He ordered again and Draco sniffed.
"Yes Alpha. I will see you tomorrow morning at the house."
Gabriel shook his head. He couldn't let Draco meet Lori, not yet.
Draco would figure it all out in a minute. And while he trusted Draco, because of his unwavering loyalty and the blood oath he took to him, he was not quite ready to let him know yet.
"No. Not at the house, at the office. I'm leaving early."
He said, whether or not Draco knew that he was lying, Draco didn't mention it, he ended the call shortly after.
Gabriel sighed, he had been alpha of his pack for ten years! Ten whooping years! His parents had died when he was young, barely twenty. Strangely, he had been prepared for his role all his life, as if his father had somehow anticipated his death, he had prepared him to be an alpha, rigorously.
While other kids were going to bed early and doing normal kid stuff like playing, having hobbies and generally having fun, Gabriel was always training.
His father never run out of things to make him do, running, fighting, meditating, hiking, pushing his wolf form to limits that he didn't know was physically possible, learning how to half shift, fully shift and learning about his history.
He had been taught everything, most importantly he was taught how to rule. When he was younger, Gabriel never understood why his father was so hard on him, and he slightly resented him for not letting him know, for not letting him know that he had seen his death in the future and intended to prepare his son for the aftermath.
His parents died and Gabriel had to rise up to the occasion. He didn't become an alpha without opposition though, for the better part of two years Gabriel fought each and every one of the opposition, distant cousins who thought they had a better claim to being alpha of the pack, his father's beta, other alphas who believed he was weak and elder werewolves and the council who thought they could use him as a puppet. They all failed, horribly and they knew never to rise up against him ever again.
He walked towards his door, contemplating his next move, whether or not he would like to see Emilia before bed. He always did, he always put her to bed every night, but now, that would mean that he would see Lori, who from his hearing was rocking Emilia to sleep.
He waited for a long time after she had left the nursery and slightly opened the door. His room was not that far from the nursery anyways, which was why he was always on night calls, because Grace slept downstairs when she stayed over, a different wing in the house.


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