Factors of Change

Wow! That was a wonderful first response to Chapter 1. Thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews! Many of you seem nervous that I might not finish this story, and you should know that it's your more than positive response that made me hurry up! This chapter comes up much faster than I first planned and I can't promise the next one will be so quick to come, but I will try to update as often as I can!

Once again thank you for all the kind comments, feedback and voting. They are all very appreciated.

Enjoy!

*****

"You gave him... what?"

"He

took

it," I corrected with a sigh. Laurie's eyes were as wide as saucers and filled with a good dose of desolation, and I struggled to save my dignity. "He turned around and took one from my desk, alright? What was I supposed to do? Rip it out of his hand?"

"What were you supposed... what happened to exchanging cellphone numbers?" She clicked her tongue and shook her head. "Her business card. Goodness, girl, now he can only call you at... at

work

."

"Lore, there wasn't any time. I couldn't...

move

, in any case, let alone run after him like a loon in the office to give him my personal number."

"Mmhmm, right. Alright. Maybe," she acknowledged regretfully. "But the

Alpha

, Lee... What if he doesn't call?"

"Then he just won't, and that'll be it." I doubted it, though. While he had acted amused and could make anyone do whatever he wanted - literally - Gabriel St-Louis hadn't appeared to me like someone who would mess with someone else's feelings. That might have been wishful thinking, though, and I tried to keep a damper on my hopes. My telephone had been silent for the rest of the day, after all. "I... I think he will. He might, I mean."

Laurie arched a delicate eyebrow at me. A natural omega, born from a family of werewolves who had lived on the Montreal island since the pack was first founded over three hundred years ago, she was one of the colleagues who had been the most welcoming to me at my arrival in the cable company two years ago. She had taken me out for lunch to tell me everything I needed to know about my new job, and we had become close friends very quickly. We had established, over the past few months, some sort of Monday happy hour that didn't include alcohol but gargantuan amounts of coffee. A pretty, petite blonde with pure blue eyes, Laurie had also been mated for several years and was mother to five young rowdy boys, and I suspected that Monday evening was also Desperate Escape night for the sometimes tired mother. Tonight's conversation had revolved over the excitement of the Alpha's visit at the office today, and I had told her about our private conversation. She was smart and quick, though, and I knew she would read right through me if I wasn't careful. "What makes you think that? What happened?"

"He... well nothing happened." I bit gently on my lower lip. "He looked interested, that's all. It felt that way."

"Felt?" Laurie's eyes narrowed slightly as she leaned forward over the table, sensing her prey. "What did it

feel

like?"

"Laurie... I don't know how to explain a feeling."

"Then tell me what he smelled like."

I froze and frowned at her. "I beg your pardon?"

She only smirked. "What did he smell like?" she repeated more slowly, as if I hadn't heard the first time.

I opened my mouth to argue, but gave up and answered. "He smelled... male. And powerful. And like... rain. What it smells like at the lake after a summer rain, on a warm day," I added, and her eyes narrowed. I ignored it, and shrugged. "Like pine and fresh leaves."

She snorted softly. "Is that all?" she asked gently, and I shook my head.

"Spices," I finished in a whisper. "Nutmeg and cinnamon."

"Sounds yummy," she said softly, arching an eyebrow at me.

I nodded. "I could have breathed it all day," I admitted, and we sat silently for a few long minutes. Laurie frowned and took a slow sip of her cup of coffee, deep in her thoughts. As for myself, I had drifted back in memory to remember the scent again.

"I didn't smell that," she finally said. I glanced up at her in confusion, and she shook her head. "He came into my office as well, and I shook his hand when I was introduced to him. I smelled his status as Alpha, of course, and a hint of the rain you mentioned... but no leaves, no pine, no spices. Are you

sure

it was him, Lee?"

"I'm sure," I said firmly. "I nearly fainted when he stepped closer. It was overwhelming."

She stared at me, her baby blue eyes widening. "Lee... do you realize what that means?"

I frowned at her in confusion, before what she was implying finally dawned on me. "Laurie, it can't.

I

can't. It's impossible."

She pursed her lips. "But you're describing it exactly. The shaky knees, the overwhelming scent nobody else can detect... Not being able to look away." She raised her eyebrows suggestively. "And he seemed to feel the same, from what you said. That's how it feels like to find your mate, Leah."

"But it's impossible," I repeated weakly. In truth, my heart had started a crazy dance in my chest at the thought. I hadn't allowed myself to formulate the possibility, expecting disappointment, but having my best friend say it out loud sent my hopes flaring. "I was Turned, Lore. So was he. Turned wolves don't have mates."

"Turned wolves have never

found

their mates," she corrected. "They usually aren't elected Alpha of their pack, either. It wouldn't be the first time our young Alpha flushes the norm down the drain." She smiled at me as she took another sip of coffee, obviously pleased with herself, and her eyes creased in amusement over the rim of her cup. "You're right, you know. He'll call."

***

I came home late that night after my evening with Laurie. Despite it being a Monday and having to work the day after, I wasn't in a hurry to go to bed. I had a feeling I would have trouble falling asleep, and I wasn't wrong. I tossed and turned in my bed for two hours, trying in vain to free my mind, but it proved impossible. I finally got up around 1 AM and made myself some herbal tea, and stalked my apartment for a while before sitting down on the couch to browse on my computer.

The small dingle of my cellphone got my attention, and I picked it up.

"Are you sleeping yet?" asked a text from Laurie. I smiled and texted her back.

"Of course not."

"Camping this weekend?" came the reply. "Let the wolf out."

I nearly answered no, but hesitated, my thumb hovering over the send button. Camping with Laurie's family would be fun, and it

would

do me some good to let out my wolf for a night or two. That was what the Lake was for, after all.

Some old, traditional werewolf packs still live on compounds, away from cities. They make sure to be surrounded by forest and hidden from the humans' view, but with modern technologies like satellite imaging, they run the risk of eventually catching the eye. By living right inside large cities in an organized, modern fashion, most packs today make sure to stay hidden from the human eye by living right in front of it.

Of course, wolves don't run in the streets, and our hidden half does need to run often. Most urban packs, keeping that in mind, have a more traditional compound somewhere, in a discreet place where their members can occasionally join in celebration and run in their wolf form instead of living there permanently.

The Montreal pack owns all of the lots surrounding a small lake in the Laurentians, about an hour and a half drive north of the city. The pack started buying the lots around the small, recluse Lac Caribou from the moment they were made available in the end of the 19

th

century. It owned all of the land around the lake by the beginning of the 1900s, and built many small lake houses around it. From above and for the common observer, it looks exactly like any other lake in the Laurentides region: a lake surrounded by summer houses, a getaway for city people trying to escape during weekends. Wolves from Montreal and its suburbs go there, where they can either pick a room from the two dozen lake houses or so, or plant their tent and set up camp on one of the many available clear spaces around the lake.

While I had already made up my mind about staying in Montreal, the compound was one of the reasons that really convinced me to stay. The clear, deep grey waters of the cold lake, the distance from the city and most humans, the steep hills and mountains surrounding the lake and the feeling of the fresh wind through my fur as I ran across the hills were all reasons to settle down here.

With the nice weather we had had in the previous weeks, it would be beautiful at the lake. I wasn't sure if the higher members of the pack would be there but... Camping was definitely a good idea, and I replied so to my eager friend.

***

Thank goodness my shift was almost over.

I hung up the phone with a sigh, and glanced at the clock. Apparently only ten minutes had gone by since the last time I checked, and I reached up to pinch the bridge of my nose against a growing headache behind my eyes.

It had been a Bad Day.

I had spent the better part of the morning and the afternoon on the phone with angry clients who had just received a letter warning them of a raise of monthly fees. I had managed well with most of them, but my nerves felt raw and used, and my patience was waning.

I had tried not to hope for a phone call from Gabriel St-Louis, but each time the phone rang, a client, a complaint or a problem to solve turned out to use up my time and my patience. At the end of my shift, I was riled up and tired, but most of all disappointed that the Alpha hadn't called me, and angry at myself for even thinking that he would.

I had started to pick up my things to get ready to go home, so when the phone rang three minutes before 5, I rolled my eyes and grabbed the receiver with the definite intention of making it a quick one. "Hello, this is Leah," I answered automatically, unable to keep the edge from my voice. "How can I help you today?"

"Hmm, let me think," said a deep, accented voice. My heart skipped a beat as I processed it, reluctant to acknowledge its owner, but then he chuckled softly, and my heart soared. "It sounds like you are having a bad day. Perhaps I should be the one helping

you

."

"Alpha St-Louis," I said, and couldn't keep the smile off my face as I sat back into my chair. "How do you propose to help making my day better?"

"It depends." I could hear the smile in his voice as well. "I have a favor to ask, first. Sort of a condition to my... help."

"What is that?"

"Call me Gabriel. Please." He pronounced it in French, rolling the R deliciously. Warm blood surged up to my face, and I thanked the telephone for hiding my blush.

"I think I can certainly do that," I replied, and tried it on my tongue. "Gabriel."

There was a slight pause on the line, and then a soft, breathless chuckle. "That will certainly do," he said in a lower tone. "Do you have any plans for dinner, Leah?"

"No," I answered, and felt my heartbeat quicken noticeably. "Nothing in particular."

"Could I interest you in sharing it with me, then?"

"I would love to," I breathed instantly, and shut my eyes as he laughed softly. I needed to find a way to make him laugh more often. "When?"

"I'm on Peel St. and should be out in about 15 minutes. I could pick you up downstairs at your workplace, in the lobby."

I looked down at my attire automatically. I was dressed rather conservatively for work, with a tight black skirt that reached a bit above my knees, a white blouse and my best black leather pumps. Granted, it was one of my favorite blouses and it had a rather plunging neckline, but it was still work clothes, and not what I would have chosen for having dinner with Alpha Gabriel St-Louis. Besides, Laurie would kill me before I reached the lobby if I tried going out on a first date dressed like that.

On the other hand, it all came down to the choice between seeing him in fifteen minutes, or planning something later and risking it being cancelled - or him not calling again. He

was

the Alpha, and a man in demand; I was sure he dealt daily with emergencies that went against his plans. Something told me I had to grab on the opportunity, or risk having to wait much longer. My heart had made the decision for me before I even reached this conclusion, though. "It sounds like a great idea," I agreed. "I, hum... Nothing fancy, I hope? I mean... I only have my work clothes..."

"I know a good little place. And no," he said with a chuckle, "nothing fancy. What you have on now will be perfect, I'm sure."

We exchanged a few polite farewells before hanging up, and I stared at my telephone for a good 10 seconds before I shot out of my chair and into the hallway. "Laurie!" I breathed as I stopped in front of her office. She looked up at me in surprise. She had been shrugging her jacket on and was obviously on her way out, but she stopped and looked me over, arching an eyebrow in confusion. "He just called," I simply said, and her mouth dropped open.

"Oh," she let out, and then her eyes widened. "Oh! Lee!" She giggled - really - and sauntered over to me. "Did he ask you out? When?"

I bit my lower lip. "In fifteen minutes. He's picking me up here."

She froze, and let her gaze slowly sweep down my figure down to my feet. "Hmm," she simply let out. I sighed in frustration.

"I'm sure I look fine," I grumbled as I looked down. I brushed a hand against my flat stomach, smoothing the fabric of my blouse in an attempt to calm myself, though my blood pressure was rising dangerously. "He said it wasn't anything fancy."

"Says the

rich

guy," she pointed out, rather unnecessarily. "But yes, you always look good. Just..." She pursed her lips in thought for a moment, and turned around to grab her purse from her desk. "Come with me."

I followed her down the hall to the ladies' room, she fumbling about blindly in her purse, me glancing nervously at the clock. Once we got there, she stationed me in front of the full-length mirror and proceeded to fix me. After some quick makeup freshening and a small argument about the length of my skirt, she reached up and undid the top button of my blouse.

"Much better," she decided with a nod.

I glanced in the mirror.

Better, but

... "Should I lose the nylon stockings?" I asked, brushing a nervous hand against my stomach.

"Goodness, no, keep them," she said, her eyes widening, and tilted her head to the side. "Try taking down your hair, honey."

I reached up and patted the loose, fragile bun I had managed to trap my hair in that morning, and gave her a wry smile. "I can't

try

that. I'll never be able to put it back up if it looks awful."

"

Advienne que pourra

, then," she said with a chuckle, and reached up for the pins in my hair. She pulled them all out before I could stop her, and my curly brown hair spilled down over my shoulders to frame my face. She reached up and fluffed it gently, fixing a few curls. "I don't even know why you're so stubborn about keeping it up," she said softly, her fingers tucking a lock back. "You look gorgeous, Lee."

"Thank you so much," I said, with feeling. I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and said goodbye, and she waved to me as I grabbed my purse and headed for the elevator.

Don't be late

, my wolf said excitedly.

Don't be late!

The elevator seemed to go down twice as slowly as usual, and I nearly ran out of it when it finally reached the lobby of the building on ground floor.

I hadn't made Gabriel wait, thankfully. He was just walking in through the glass doors as I stepped out of the elevator. He came in with another man, who I thought was one of his betas - Cedric? Or was it William? I couldn't remember. Did they follow him everywhere? - and didn't notice me right away, so I could look at him at leisure.

I was more than relieved to see him dressed rather upper casually as well, in black slacks and a pale grey shirt; he had what I guessed to be his matching black suit jacket hung over his arm, but wore no tie. The dress shirt fit snuggly around his chest and wide shoulders, complimenting his lean shape. His dark blond hair was a bit messy, probably mused from a day of running his fingers through it, and fell into his eyes again, even as he reached up and smoothed it back. His scent reached me through the crowd of people circulating in the lobby, but both men had a serious look on their faces as they spoke, so I hesitated to step closer right away.

As if he had read my thoughts, he lifted his head suddenly and his pale gaze scanned over the crowd until his eyes fell on me. He smiled instantly, all sternness evaporating from his features and freeing a hoard of butterflies in my stomach. I smiled back at him and, before I even realized I'd moved, found myself walking to him. "

Bonjour

, Leah," he greeted me with a nod when I reached the duo.

"Hello, Gabriel," I answered, and turned to the other man. He really was one of the two men who had accompanied him on the Alpha's visit the day before - I recognized him as the one who had walked into the elevator with him. He was about an inch taller than Gabriel, with shiny black hair cropped short. His face bore the lines of a long groomed pack enforcer but, despite the thin scar that ran across the line of his jaw, he was very handsome, with surprisingly homely features and warm, chocolate coloured eyes most women would love to get lost in. Those were creased in amusement at the moment, and he immediately held out his hand to me.

"William Griffin," he said with a mischievous smirk as I shook his hand. "Pleased to meet you again, Miss Grey."

"The pleasure is all mine," I replied, and slid a look to Gabriel. He smirked back, and William cleared his throat.

"I'll be in my car, boss," he simply said. He gave me a short, polite nod, and turned on his heels to leave us.

Gabriel watched him go, and I took the opportunity to look at him. He either hadn't shaved that morning or was one of those men whose beard grew quickly, I thought, as I noticed the pale but rough stubble on his cheeks. He had high cheekbones and a long, straight nose; it was definitely more the profile of an aristocrat than that of a ruthless warrior. His full mouth twitched slightly as he watched his beta walk through the door, showing the wrinkle of a small dimple in his cheek. I smiled and felt better at the sight of it. An aristocratic prince he might be, but at least he was one who smiled often. He suddenly turned his head to look at me, interrupting my thoughts. "Are you ready?" he asked, and offered me his arm. "Do you need anything before we go?"

"Only if you're certain I really don't have to go home and change," I replied, and slid my hand in the crook of his elbow. It was terribly warm and I could feel lean, firm muscles beneath the soft fabric of his dress shirt. My wolf whined hungrily, and I barely refrained from squeezing his arm. Oh dear. "You said it was nothing fancy."

"Nothing fancy," he repeated with a shake of his head. "It's very casual, I assure you. You're nearly overdressed." He smirked down at me. "Not that I'll complain."

I could feel a traitorous blush creeping up my neck and was thankful when we reached the doors and he looked away from me to reach for the handle. He led me outside into the dimming sunshine and I followed him down the sidewalk to a small, expensive-looking black sports car that was parked on the side of the road. I repressed a whistle as he leaned in to open the passenger door for me, and I smiled at him. "Only two seats? I sort of was hoping for a chauffeur."