***Gabriel***
Gabriel looked into Bethany’s eyes; she suddenly seemed so young to him, so fragile that for a second, he wondered if he was taking advantage of her. But then she wrapped her arms around him and rubbed her breasts against his chest, and he knew that he was lost.
He stepped away from her only long enough to spread the blanket on the ground, then pulled her back into his arms. “I’ve been thinking about his since the moment I saw you, but I never thought it would ever happen,” he said, then reached for the buttons on her shirt.
Bethany let him unbutton her shirt, but when he spread it open and began to slide it down her shoulders, she looked around and said, “Shouldn’t we go back camp?”
Gabriel pulled her into his arms and began kissing her neck. “There’s no one for miles around. I want to make love to you here under the moon and stars,” he whispered in her ear as he pushed the shirt off her arms.
Bethany sighed, completely lost, her body humming with pleasure as Gabriel kissed his way down her neck to her breasts. When her bra fell to the ground, she was only aware of the feeling of his mouth on her breasts as he teased her with his tongue and teeth.
Pleasure radiated out from her breasts to spread through her body, making her tingle deep inside and a throbbing need begin to grow. Gabriel kissed his way back up her chest, captured her mouth with his, and kissed her until she was breathless, then stepped back.
He stripped off his tee-shirt and threw it onto the ground, then unzipped his pants and stepped out of them. Standing naked in front of her, he felt pleasure wash over him as her eyes roamed over him, finally coming to rest on his swollen manhood.
Bethany’s chest began to rise and fall, desire filled her eyes, and then she stepped over to him and wrapped her hands around him. He gasped as pleasure rushed through him, spreading from his groin to fill his body with the most wonderful feeling, a feeling unlike anything he’d ever experienced before.
But he felt the pleasure building too quickly and stepped back. “Your turn,” he said, reaching for the button on her jeans.
She pushed his hand away, gave him a look that made his erection throb even harder, then slid her pants down and stepped out of them. They stood facing each other in the moonlight, each drinking in the sight of the other until Bethany took a step toward Gabriel and he pulled her into his arms.
The instant their bare skin touched, the air came alive with the passion that burst to life between them. Gabriel gently pushed Bethany down onto the blanket and laid down next to her, resisting the temptation to spread her legs and drive himself deep inside her. Instead, he leaned up on one elbow and looked down at her, then trailed one finger down her chest and around each swollen nipple.
He let his eyes follow his finger as it traced a path down her body, then gently spread her legs to trail that finger up and down the insides of her legs. Bethany spread her legs even farther, her breath coming in short gasps of anticipation as his finger got closer and closer to her heat.
When he finally slid his finger between her folds, he found her hot and slick, her button throbbing and swollen. Only a few gentle strokes of his finger brought her hips off the ground, and cries of pleasure erupting from her mouth as she tumbled over the edge and into ecstasy.
She clung to him as pleasure rippled through her, nails digging into his shoulders, hips thrusting up to meet him. Beyond all hope of control, he slid between her legs, pushed them farther apart and let his throbbing erection rest just at her opening until she opened her pleasure-filled eyes and looked at him.
He could feel her heat and desperately wanted to drive himself into her, but he knew enough to know that it might hurt her. When her eyes finally met his, he said, “This might hurt for a minute, sweetheart. I’ll try to be careful.”
Going as slowly as he could, he slid inside her until he met resistance, then covered her mouth with his, and pushed deeper. His body screaming with the pleasure of being so fully buried inside her, he waited as her body adjusted to his, her muscles tensing then relaxing as the pain faded.
When she carefully lifted her hips, he pulled out of her slightly, then slid back in, making her gasp and her eyes get big. “Oh, Gabriel, I...” but her words were cut off by a moan of pleasure as her body began to accept his, her juices making them both slick as he slid in and out of her throbbing core.
He felt the pleasure building deep inside him, felt that tight knot that filled him begin to grow and knew that he could only hold on a little longer. But then Bethany reached around and grabbed his butt, pulling him deeper inside her, ground her hips into him as she crested again.
He couldn’t stop the cascade of pleasure that took him then, as Bethany’s body gripped and squeezed him. With one final thrust, he emptied himself inside her, his body trembling and shaking with the intensity of his pleasure. Spent, he collapsed on top of her, his body still shaking, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
Bethany was limp beneath him, but her breath was just as ragged, and he knew that he should get off her, but he couldn’t move just yet. Finally, he managed to roll onto his back, gathered her up next to him, and stared up at the sky as his breathing returned to normal.
“That was more incredible than I ever imagined it would be,” he said when he could finally speak.
Bethany ran her hand over his chest, picked up her head from where it had been resting on his chest and looked up at him. “I never dreamed that it would be so...” but she didn’t finish her sentence. Instead her mouth came open in surprise and shock.
Chapter Thirteen
***Bethany***
“What’s wrong?” Gabriel asked, suddenly alarmed.
Bethany couldn’t answer at first, her shock at what she was seeing momentarily making speech impossible. “Look,” she finally said, pointing to the shine.
Gabriel sat up and looked behind him at the rocks, then gasped when he saw that they were glowing brightly. “They’re brighter than they were last night,” he said, getting to his feet.
Bethany grabbed her clothes and put them on against the cold of the night, grabbed Gabriel’s and followed him over to where he was standing by the rock shrine, a look of wonder on his face.
When she stepped up next to him, he turned and looked at her. “I’m scared to hope what I’m hoping, but the light is definitely stronger now,” he said, taking the clothes from her and putting them on, still staring at the rocks.
Bethany wasn’t sure what to think; the light had dimmed until it was barely visible, but now it was burning bright and strong, lighting up the night like a beacon. “Do you think it’s because of...what we just did?” Bethany asked, feeling her face heating up in embarrassment.
Gabriel pulled her up next to him, put his arm around her shoulders, then looked down at her. “It has to be,” he said, kissing her quickly on the lips, then crushing her to his side.
They stood staring at the shine for a long time, both overwhelmed with gratitude that for now, Gabriel would remain human. Bethany watched the glowing light, almost transfixed, then had the overwhelming need to say something, or do something to show her gratitude.
“Shouldn’t we say thank you or something?” she finally asked in a whisper. “I mean, this didn’t just happen on its own.”
Gabriel shook his head. “No, it didn’t. It’s magic. I can feel it; can’t you?”
Bethany nodded her head. “It feels like electricity or something. Like there’s something powerful in the air,” she said, unable to describe what she was feeling any better.
“I just wonder who or what is responsible,” Gabriel said, his voice full of wonder.
Then the air around them began to stir; the light got brighter, then went out completely. They both gasped, suddenly frightened, but then another light appeared next to the shrine, and a misty figure appeared.
Bethany clung a little tighter to Gabriel, who pushed her slightly behind him as the figure materialized into the figure of a Cherokee medicine man. His head was co
vered by an intricate headdress made of feathers, and his face was painted black, giving him a fierce look that made her heart pound in her chest with fright.
But he only stared at them, and she noticed that under the scary paint, his face was kind. In fact, she was sure that he was smiling at them, that he was pleased with what he saw. She glanced up at Gabriel and was sure that he felt the same thing; he was smiling at the medicine man, his body completely relaxed now.
The forest, which had been full of the sounds of night creatures, suddenly became quiet as the medicine man raised his arms and began to speak. “I am responsible for the gift you’ve been given, Gabriel. I’ve watched you since the beginning, seen the goodness inside you, seen you struggle to walk between two worlds much like I used to.”
Gabriel gasped and dropped to his knees and bowed his head. “I’m thankful for your gift,” he said.
The medicine man turned to Bethany. “And you, young one, have more power than you realize, power that is just waiting to be unleashed, but you must use that power wisely, or it will destroy you,” he said.
Bethany’s heart was hammering in her chest at the spirit’s words, and fear began to creep in, but then Gabriel stood and took her hand in his. The medicine man smiled at them, then began to fade, but before he was completely gone, he spoke again.
“The path you travel will not be an easy one, but together you can do far more than alone. Gabriel, my gift to you was just the beginning of what is possible, but there is always a price for magic, a price that often requires sacrifice. Here you are, the man you always wanted to be, but away from this sacred ground, you will return to your true form.”
The figure of the medicine man evaporated into the night, and for a second, it was dark, only the stars illuminating the plateau, but then the shrine began to glow again. They were both silent, staring at the light that pulsed like the beating of a heart, steady and strong but just as fragile.
Finally, Gabriel took her hand and led her away from the shine and back to camp. Neither spoke, the power of what they’d just experienced too much for words, but once Gabriel had zipped the tent closed, he pulled her into his arms and held her for a long time.
There was so much she wanted to say, so many questions she wanted to ask, but the power of the experience left her tongue-tied and unable to speak. She’d never believed that she had any power, not growing up the way she did, but she felt it now, felt it singing and swimming through her blood.
She looked up at Gabriel, who had the same stunned look on his face, and felt a new feeling beginning to blossom inside her. A feeling of hope, a feeling that life was going to give her exactly what she always wanted: someone to love her and someone she could love.
It hit her then, like a bolt of lightning out of a clear sky, that she loved Gabriel. Loved everything about him, and that even if he were a wolf, she would love him. The intensity of the feeling made her head spin, and her knees began to buckle, then the world faded to black.
***Gabriel***
Gabriel felt Bethany’s knees begin to buckle and caught her before she hit the ground. Scooping her up in his arms, he carried her over to the bed and carefully laid her down, calling her name softly. His heart was pounding in his chest, panic beginning to surface when she opened her eyes and smiled at him.
“Are you okay?” he asked, smoothing the hair back from her face, thinking that it was the most beautiful face he’d ever seen.
She nodded her head, then said, “I just got overwhelmed by everything.”
They were silent for a long time. Gabriel wasn’t sure what to say, how to tell her that he was happier right this minute than he’d been in his entire life. He wanted to tell her how relieved he was to discover that he could stay human, even if it meant he’d have to stay on sacred ground.
Suddenly, all the hopes and dreams he’d had for so long seemed to be coming true, and he could see a future with Bethany. He could see them living here in a little cabin, just the two of them, together for the rest of their lives.
But then he realized that he couldn’t ask Bethany to make that kind of sacrifice. She needed to be out in the world living the life she was supposed to be living, not stuck here with him, separated once again from life.
As much as he loved her, as much as he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, he knew that someday she’d want to leave. Even worse, she might grow to hate him for making her live such a secluded life, and that more than anything would break his heart.
Lying there with her in his arms, it became clear to him that as wonderful as the gift was, it might become a curse, and he promised himself that he’d never let that happen. Tomorrow, he’d let her go back to the farm and tell the family; it was the surest way to end what was happening between them.
He was already grieving his loss, but Bethany didn’t belong with him; she belonged with someone who could give her a normal life. A life full of all the normal things: children, friends, and family. A life that would never be if she stayed with him. Jessie and Dillion would agree with him, and see that she left but if she refused, he’d just walk away, shed his human form, and lose himself in the mountains for a long time.
Bethany stirred in his arms, then leaned up on one elbow and looked down at him. “Are you okay? You’ve been quiet for a long time,” she asked.
Doing his best to banish the thought of losing her from his mind, he reached up and stroked her cheek. “I was just thinking about how lucky I am,” he said, then pulled her head down and kissed her.
Tomorrow would come soon enough; they still had one more night together. One more night than he’d never thought he’d have, and he wasn’t going to waste it. When the sun came up in the morning, he’d face what he had to do; tonight, he was going to enjoy the gift he’d been given.
***Bethany***
Bethany was sure that she’d never been happier in her life. She and Gabriel had barely slept the night before, but it had been worth it. She’d been a bit sore that morning when they’d gotten out of bed, but by the time they finished breakfast, she felt like she could take on the world.
That was until Gabriel said, “I think you should go back to the farm and bring everyone back up here.”
She stared at him in shock, a bit hurt that he was already ready to give up their time alone together. But then she realized that they had all the time in the world; they hadn’t talked about it, but the medicine man had made it clear that as long a Gabriel stayed here, he’d remain a man.
As much as she wanted to believe that it didn’t matter to her, she knew deep down that she wanted him in his human form. It was selfish, but she wanted him to be able to wrap his arms around her, wanted to feel his skin under her fingertips, and she wanted him to be able to make love to her.
It was then that she realized that they could make a life here. Jessie had survived for years mostly on his own in these mountains, and they could do the same. She had a feeling that her brother wouldn’t be happy with the idea, would think that she was limiting herself too much.
But she didn’t care what he thought; she’d found where she was supposed to be, and the man she was supposed to be with. The rest of the world didn’t matter to her; she wanted to be with Gabriel, and if that meant they were alone, they’d find a way to make it work.
“Are you ready for that?” she asked.
“The longer we wait, the madder they’re going to be, and Michelle is going to tell eventually,” he said, shrugging his shoulders.
Bethany knew that he was right, but she didn’t want the spell they were under to be broken. “Do we have to?” she asked.
Gabriel got up and walked over to her, and for a second, she thought that he looked sad, but then he grinned at her. “The sooner we get it over with, the sooner they’ll be gone,” he said.
There was something about his smile that seemed off, but she pushed the feeling away and grinned back at him. “Okay, I’ll leave as soon as we clean up from breakfast.”
Chapter
Fourteen
***Gabriel***
Gabriel had done everything he could think of to distract himself from wishing that he’d never sent Bethany down the mountain. If he’d been able to, he’d have gone after her long ago and brought her back, then never let her leave again.
Instead, he was pacing around the campsite, fussing with things that didn’t need fussed with. He should have been worried about what his brother was going to say when he saw him, but he was more worried about Dillion, who he was sure was going to be furious with him.
He couldn’t blame him. Bethany was his sister, and he would have felt the same if the roles were reversed, especially under the circumstances. But as soon as he could, he’d let Dillion know that he was giving Bethany up, letting her go so she could live a normal life.
It was going to be the hardest thing he’d ever done, but he had no choice; he couldn’t be selfish. He still hadn’t decided if he was going to stay off the plateau, was having a hard time with the thought of giving up his human form as well as Bethany, but if he had to, he would, for her sake.
He had no idea how he was going to explain all this to her, how he was going to make her walk away from him. It wasn’t going to be easy, and for a few brief moments, he thought about trying to hurt her enough that she’d walk away but knew that he could never do that.
Instead, he’d have to rely on Jessie and Dillion to do his dirty work for him, a thought that made him pace even faster. Either way, Bethany was going to be hurt, and he hated that thought and the fact that it was his fault.
Feeling even worse than before, he turned and looked at the trail wishing he could just disappear when he saw a flash of color in the trees. Then Dillion came striding out of the trees, Bethany on his heels, followed by Jessie and Sophie and the rest of the family. Kara and Danny were the last to emerge, the baby riding on Danny’s back and laughing at something in the trees.
Her White Wolf: Wolves of Gypsum Creek (A Paranormal Romance Story) Page 8
