Once again, thank you all so much for your wonderful feedback, comments and votes. I am truly addicted to getting them. Thank you also for any constructive criticism: I try to take everything into consideration. I'm glad you like my different take on werewolves, and hope you keep on liking this. This chapter still contains no sex (although no one has actually complained about it yet), but it does hold the promise of it. Soon. Don't worry!
Also, I want to thank Doctime for his generous help in editing this chapter. Merci, merci! I have to admit that I added bits and pieces to the chapter after he sent me the corrected version, so any mistakes I might have clumsily added are solely my fault.
Enjoy!
*****
My cellphone battery had died.
I cursed myself, as I stood in the packed metro train on the way home after work the next day. Keeping one arm hooked around the metal handrail, I stared down at the dark, blank screen of my useless cellphone. I had to admit that at first I wasn't too surprised that Gabriel hadn't called all day: a lot of people don't call immediately after a first date. A lot of people do, though. And now I was thinking that maybe he
had
called, and of course my phone was dead.
You didn't call him either,
an annoyed voice reminded me in my mind. I shut my wolf out, however, and stuffed my dead phone in my purse with a huff. She was right, though. I did have his number. And he had the excuse of being a busy man.
I quickly stepped out of the train and made my way through the small crowd and up the station stairs to reach the street. Rain was pouring outside and I hurried up to cross the street and reach my home. I dropped purse and shoes by the door as I went inside, and went straight to my bedroom to plug my phone in.
I watched anxiously as the phone came to life and the provider's logo popped up on the screen. "If he hasn't called, I will," I whispered to myself, waiting for the phone to load. Then it dinged, and I smiled as it told me I had a missed call and a voice mail. I pressed the button and brought the plugged phone to my ear.
"Hello, Leah," Gabriel's accented voice came, deep and calm; I shivered at the sound of it. "It is... almost five, so you probably are on your way home. I really am sorry I could not call earlier." There were voices behind him, sounds of people chatting, as if he was in a restaurant of some sort. "I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciated our night out yesterday, and that I would very much like to see you again soon. Please call me back, so that we can plan it, alright? I will speak to you soon." He hung up, and I glanced at the clock. Five thirty. Not too long. I pressed the call button, and held the phone against my shoulder as it rang, shrugging off my wet cardigan and tossing it into the hamper while I waited.
He picked up on the third ring. "Oui allo?"
"Hello Gabriel," I said, sitting down on my bed.
"Leah, hi," he replied, and I could hear the smile in his voice. He was still in the same loud place, but the voices faded slightly as he probably walked away from his group. "Have you gotten my message?"
"I just did. Thank you."
"What for?" he asked with a chuckle.
"I liked my evening too," I explained, leaning back to lie down on my mattress. "I would really much like to go out with you again, Gabriel."
"That is very good to know," he said slowly, and paused briefly. "When can I see you, Leah? Do you have any plans for the rest of the week?"
"Not much. I'm having lunch with a friend tomorrow." I suddenly remembered something. "Oh and some camping at the lake this weekend. Will you be at the compound?"
He laughed softly. "Where the pack goes, I go," he pointed out. "And pretty much the whole pack is at the compound on weekends. Yes, I will most likely be there."
I chuckled. He was right, though; with the coming of the nice weather and the summer approaching, every wolf that did not work on weekends would move their family to the lake for two days. Summer vacations would be spent there, as well. "Will I see you there, then?"
"It is only Wednesday," he pointed out. "I would like to see you before that." That was certainly a pleasing answer and was about to say something when I heard someone else's voice close by on the phone, raised in interrogation. The sound was muffled for a second, and Gabriel sighed. "I have to go, Leah. I am that sorry."
"It's alright," I reassured him. "Call me when you're not busy."
He laughed. "I should probably call you before that, or I never will get a chance with you. Have a nice evening, Leah."
"You too, Gabriel." I hung up and looked down at the screen for a few moments, before I dropped it on the bed next to me and spread my arms open over the thick comforter. My cat Berenice instantly climbed on the bed and onto my stomach, curling up and purring like a Harley Davidson. I shut my eyes as I absentmindedly ran my fingers through her black and white fur, replaying the conversation and recalling the sound of his voice.
He wants us to give him a chance,
my wolf snorted softly, and I laughed. Heck yeah.
***
There was rarely as uneventful a day as Thursday. Laurie called in sick and cancelled our lunch, the hours ticked by as quickly as a snail on Valium, and my cellphone was as silent as the dead. I refrained from calling. I was eager, but he had said he would call, and I would give it a chance.
But the day went by without a call.
It was also, ironically, the best night sleep I got all week.
On Friday, I left work early to go home and plan everything for the camping trip I was leaving for the next day. I packed up a small bag of luggage, took out my camping material and placed everything next to my bedroom door, and was left with several hours to kill before it was time to go to bed. I had nothing left to do, and it wasn't ever dinner time.
I was reluctant to admit it to myself, but I was upset. I understood not being able to free himself on a weeknight, but it
was
Friday, and I had expected it to be a good time to go out. I knew I was being unreasonable and childish: he was a very busy man, with a lot of responsibilities. Less than two days was in no way a too long time not to call again, and there was still a chance that he might call me later in the evening.
I also felt as confused as before. I had spent the past 30 years hearing that when mates meet, nothing could get between them and they would be all over each other, having sex and biting each other instantly and moving in together on the next day. I undoubtedly felt drawn to Gabriel, in a way I had never felt drawn to anyone before. I had dated quite a lot in my human life, and had had one or two relationships that could be tagged as serious. I had been in love before and knew how to recognize the feeling. I knew that I wasn't in love with Gabriel; I barely knew him. I felt
something
for him, though, and that was need. The truth was that I longed to see him again, to bask in his scent, get lost in his eyes and feel his arms around me. I wanted to look up to his face and see the need I had for his presence reflected in his own features.
"Get a grip, Grey," I chastised myself. Gabriel would call, eventually, and in the meantime, I had to remind myself that I was a grown woman. If we weren't doing anything for dinner, then I would make it myself, and make it good. I grabbed my keys and my purse, and shoved my feet into flats to head to the grocery store.
About half an hour later, I covered my lasagna with aluminium foil and shoved it into the oven before closing the door with satisfaction. The smell of the warm bread I had bought at the bakery downstairs was still thick and homely in the air, and I eyed the door of my pantry, wondering if I had some red wine to accompany everything.
Living on my own, I rarely put a lot of effort into cooking for dinner. It left too many leftovers and generally wasted a lot of food, and it was depressing to eat it alone. I pursed my lips and set the timer on the oven as I considered calling Laurie, my best friend, to invite her and her mate over, when my phone suddenly rang in my purse by the door.
I hurried over to answer it, breathless. "Hello?"
"Allo, Leah," came Gabriel's deep tone.
"Hi," I replied, feeling absurdly relieved. "It's good to hear from you."
"I am so sorry. I wanted to call yesterday, but I was caught up."
"It's alright. You're calling now," I added with a smile. I was rewarded with a deep, breathless chuckle that made my knees water.
"Yes. And I will be done for the weekend, after the few phone calls I need to make. I know this is at the last moment again, but do you have any plans for dinner?"
I turned around and eyed my oven. I really had gone beyond myself to make that lasagna, and it was already starting to smell heavenly. I chewed on my lower lip for a moment, but quickly made up my mind. "Actually, yes, I do."
There was a slight pause. "Oh." He sounded so disappointed that I smiled. "I should really learn to make plans more in advance, I think."
"Mmhmm. I have a date with a lasagna," I continued. "Five different meats, spinach, homemade sauce, all this with fresh bread on the side." I opened my pantry, and was instantly relieved as my gaze fell on the small wine stand inside of it, seeing three bottles sitting in it. "And red wine."
He laughed softly. "Wow. I have never been turned down so deliciously."
I bit hard on my lower lip not to laugh. "Are you really being turned down, Monsieur St-Louis?"
