Howl (Howl Book 1) Read online

  "I love you, little girl." I kissed her forehead before standing.

  She stayed in her room as I left and went down the stairs. Lily was in the kitchen cutting her brownies. "I made you a care package." She told me, without glancing up.

  "You didn't have to." I reassured her, but was inwardly jumping with joy because I loved Lily's brownies. I didn't know how she did it, but it always seemed like there was double the chocolate in hers than anyone else's.

  She snorted, "You'd probably starve if I didn't."

  "I can cook." I defended, teasingly crossing my arms as I leaned onto the kitchen island across from her.

  Lily glanced up at me before stuffing a tuber ware container full of brownies, "You're staying with Gabriel. You'll be lucky if he and the guys don't eat you when they finish what's in the kitchen."

  I laughed and took the plate with a smile when she handed them to me.

  "Don't be a stranger." She walked around the counter till she was standing right beside me.

  I stepped into her embrace.

  Her hair smelled exactly as I remembered it. She smelled of strawberries and chocolate.

  "I'll come back soon." I whispered.

  "Good." Lily seemed to be having difficulty holding in her tears. I could see them bubbling across her pupils.

  I looped my arm through hers and we walked side by side like school girls until we got to the foyer, where Pavel was waiting. His arms were crossed and he was leaning against the wall half covered in shadows. At that moment he looked more like a Luperco than ever.

  "Did you run here?" Lily asked. I smiled, thinking it was funny that she automatically said run, instead of walk like a mundane would have.

  I nodded, "Yeah." I glanced through the nearest window.

  Blackness cloaked the streets.

  "I'll give you a ride." Pavel said quietly as he pulled on his leather coat. It hugged his muscles and brought out his dark hair.

  "Thanks." Then I frowned, as a strike of lightning flashed outside the nearest window; illuminating the sky and showing the rain that was still pouring down. "Do you happen to know where my sweatshirt is?"

  Pavel thought for a second before leaving the room without a word.

  "I'm assuming that is a yes." I mumbled under my breath.

  Lily pulled me into another hug.

  I clung to her and squeezed my eyes shut. I hated leaving. I wanted nothing more than to stay the night there with her and Claire. It was partly because I missed my mom. If I stayed here Lily and I could stay up all night with movies in the VCR and popcorn in our laps. She's help me wallow out of my pain and worry.

  The other reason was because I didn't really want to go home to a house full of men.

  I pulled away from her when I heard Pavel approaching.

  "It's dry." Pavel tossed it towards my chest.

  I grabbed it and was instantly greeted with warmth. I pulled it over my head and breathed in the spicy scent of burning firewood. I snuggled into the sweater and hugged the warmth to my skin.

  "Bye, El." Lily held the door open for us.

  "See you." I sent a small wave over my shoulder before slipping through the doorway. It had gotten colder, but the air was still thick was humidity.

  The door shut slowly behind us and with it went the light. We stood in the shadows of the night with the only real light coming from far off light posts and brief flashes of lightning.

  Pavel and I stood on the porch for a few minutes in silence. I didn't think there was anything to say, so I didn't make the first move to start a conversation.

  "Want to tell me why you ran away?" Pavel's voice was as smooth as the night.

  I gritted my jaw, "I wasn't running away."

  "But you were running from something." Pavel concluded. I saw him move out of the corner of my eye, but I could only make out his basic shape, unlike him, who could probably see better at night than during the day.

  "I just needed to get out." I paused while stuffing my hands into my sweater pouch, "Haven't you ever needed to do that?"

  Pavel made a sound in the back of his throat before saying, "Come on."

  With that he was off into the rain. The only companion I had was the heavy and sloppy rhythm of rain pounding onto the roof.

  I groaned, pulled my hood over my head, and took off towards where his truck was parked.

  I was half way there when the truck lights went on, because Pavel was already sitting inside. I ran after, glancing up and down the street, and dove into the truck as soon as I was beside it.

  Thankfully he had the heat on.

  "Do you think Gabriel will be mad?" I asked once the lights flickered off and Pavel pulled us out onto the street.

  His only response was a sharp look in my direction.

  "Right." I answered my own question.

  Chapter Three

  I opened my eyes when I heard the tires go over the gravel of my driveway. The lights from the truck shone on the already bright house. It looked like every light in the house was on.

  My jaw dropped when the front door swung open and slammed into the wall behind it. Gabriel took a violent step onto the porch. His shadow stretched across the wood and the hood of the truck.

  "Can I stay at your house tonight?" I whispered to Pavel. I was only half joking.

  He laughed, "The longer you wait the angrier he's going to be."

  "But if I give him the night, shouldn't he cool down some?" I asked hopefully, while unbuckling myself.

  Pavel glanced at me.

  I sighed, "Right, that's everyone else." Gabriel was the one with anger management problems.

  I slipped out of the truck. The rain instantly began soaking my sweater, but I didn't rush on my way to my house. From ten feet away I could feel the death glare that Gabriel was sending me, and I wished that I had stayed in the truck.

  "Get inside right now, Elaine Jeannine!"

  I winced at Gabriel's tone… and the fact that I had just been addressed by my full name. I wouldn't have been surprised to find him foaming at the mouth.

  Pavel was already walking inside when I got to the porch. I glared at his retreating back, "Traitor." I hissed at him. I folded my arms over my chest and kept my eyes on the floor as I made it to Gabriel.

  Briefly, I glanced up to see Pavel shake his hair. Rain drops dripped onto the floor as he pulled off his coat and I heard him laughing as he went further into my house.

  Gabriel roughly grabbed my upper arm.

  I stumbled over my feet, and the only thing that kept me up was the hand that was leaving bruises on my skin.

  He shoved my ahead of him and pushed me the rest of the way into the house.

  "I can walk by myself!" I spat at the man behind me, but Gabriel ignored my statement and my tone. He kept pushing me until we got into the kitchen.

  I glanced at the kitchen table. A few members of the pack were sitting there, but none of them said anything to me. I didn't blame them. Most of the time it seemed that I was the only one who dared to stand up to one of the brothers.

  Gabriel pulled open the basement door and shoved me inside.

  I grunted and made a fast grab at the stairs railing before I went tumbling down.

  I didn't get to go down two steps before Gabriel took my arm once more. He hadn't turn on the light, so I was lost without his guiding hand, although I would have preferred finding my way down without him breathing down my neck.

  Finally we came to the basement floor. I put my free arm out, but didn't really feel scared. Gabriel was mad, but he wouldn't make me walk into a wall.

  I heard a click and then a door swung open and finally Gabriel flicked on a light. I, unfortunately, found myself looking into one of the Anger Management rooms. I had kind of been hoping Gabriel was taking me to the game room.

  "Alright," Gabriel slammed the door shut behind us. I was finally free of his hold and I took a few seconds to rub my arm where his hand had been. "I'm giving you twenty seconds to give me an explanation
before I completely lose it."

  I knew not to hesitate, "I went to Lily's house."

  For a second I saw his eyes flicker back to their regular deep hazel color, but they went back to gold after he blinked.

  "I didn't mean to be gone that long." I tried to reason with him instead of make excuses. "I apologize."

  Gabriel leaned back against the door. His broad shoulders were tense and the muscles along his bare arms twitched from the pressure he was putting on them as he crossed them over his chest.

  Shadows seemed to swallow him as he leaned there, even though the room was full of light.

  "Do you have any idea what you put me through today?" He spoke deadly slowly and a wave of heat ran down my body, "Anything could have happened. There is a battle going on not that far away from here, and you just take off! What if the battle moved? You could have been thrown into the middle of it!"

  "I can take care of myself." I snapped.

  Gabriel was in front of me in a second. He moved way too fast for me to register and I had to blink three times before I got over it.

  "No! You think you can because in training you can win." A growl escaped his lips, "Haven't you ever thought that the guys were taking it easy on you?"

  Slowly, the color drained from my face and my throat closed up.

  That thought had crossed my mind before, but I always shook it off. I saw the looks on the guy's faces when I took them down. They were ashamed, hurt, and limped when they walked away from the ring.

  "That's not true." I couldn't help but whisper.

  "You have no idea what it is like on a battlefield!" Gabriel ignored me and took a step forward so barely an inch separated us. "You would be killed within seconds."

  I growled and shoved him back, but he didn't move. "You're just trying to twist this all around so you're right and I'm wrong! Both of us know that I can fight just as well as most of the males in this pack!"

  "Maybe in this pack," Gabriel grabbed my arm again and cruelly pushed me back. My back slammed against the padded wall and I grunted in pain. "But, those barbarians don't fight like we do."

  "Then teach me how they fight." I locked my eyes on his and forced my tone to remain soft.

  Gabriel glared down at me. His eyes looked like boiling pits of gold magma and my eyes burned from just looking at them. It took all my will power not to lower my gaze from his.

  I could feel rage coming off of him in waves and it was making my own anger fuel.

  Gabriel let out a slow growl. It wasn't exactly angry, but I couldn't place the emotion that I saw in his face.

  "Go upstairs, Elaine."

  "But…"

  "Now!" He face twisted in rage as he roared his command and I subconsciously tried to take a step back, but I was already as far as I could go.

  The anger management room was cloaked in large, hard, dark blue gym mats and was there for everyone's protection. Not only was it like coming into a baby proofed bubble, but it was there to keep the pack's temper under control. There were quite a few werewolves that were like Gabriel, who hadn't mastered controlling their tempers.

  There were even anger management counselors. Michael was the best, because he could take control of any situation, but my parents were the head counselors – which was why the rooms were in our house.

  Counselors worked with getting anger out physically and mentally. Most problems werewolves were having come from something emotional, but came out violently because that was the first instinct of a werewolf; to get rid of the problem or threat permanently.

  Gabriel dropped his arm to his side and I was freed from my cage. I didn't move right away. I tried to re-meet his gaze, but Gabriel refused to acknowledge my attempts. Finally I gave up and slipped out from in front of him.

  I paused at the door, "It's not like I got hurt." I told him, "I don't see why you're so angry at me."

  "Just go upstairs, Elaine." His tone was somewhat softer, but I didn't miss the way his shoulder blades tensed as if readying for a fight.

  I shut the door, being careful not to slam it, and ran up to the kitchen.

  "How was your run?" Cassiel was leaning against the wall just inside the hallway with a smirk planted firmly across his lips.

  I just glared at him, while rubbing my arm, and stormed out of the room.

  CL

  I clutched my stomach as another rumble took over my senses. I felt like my stomach was eating itself. It was like a hollow pit, and was doing nothing except make me feel sick and keep me awake.

  The clock hanging on my wall read past midnight.

  I groaned loudly, this time out of annoyance. I knew that I was being stubborn. The kitchen was full of food and snacks, but I wouldn't go. I knew that once I stepped out of this room I would be bombarded. Either Gabriel would find me… I shuddered. There was no way I wanted to talk to him already.

  Or I'd be listening to the night's recap by Martin and Odolf, who I assumed had gotten home alright.

  "This is all Gabriel's fault." I grumbled under my breath; knowing full well that he could probably hear me even though his room was all the way on the other side of the house.

  Then I heard the front door open and close. I sat up in bed and waited, but seeing as I wasn't full werewolf yet, I couldn't hear anything.

  My eyes snapped open when I heard something tap against my window.

  I slipped off my bed and walked across the room. The curtains were thrown back and I could see someone standing in the lawn just off the porch. I squinted my eyes, and sighed with relief when I saw it was Cassiel.

  I quickly formulated a plan and pushed open my window. Thankfully my dad kept this house in top condition, and it didn't squeak.

  "Come down," Cassiel called up to me; while still keeping his voice low so we weren't caught by the neighbors… or Gabriel.

  When I sat on the ledge of the sill I felt something dig into my stomach. I frowned and pulled it out.

  I could have kicked myself.

  All that time I was laying there, starving, and I had Lily's brownies with me the whole time.

  I mentally chided myself, but put the container back into my pouch. I'd eat it once I got down to Cassie.

  I pushed myself off the sill and sunk down so I was sitting on the porch. The tiles beneath me were hard and uncomfortable, but it didn't really bother me. I was used to it. The roof was practically my favorite hide out.

  "Shit, what the hell are you doing?" He was hissing like a scared teenager, who knew he was about to be caught out past curfew.

  I motioned for him to shut up, because if he didn't stop swearing I wouldn't be able to hold in my laugh.

  We grew up on very old fashioned homes; seeing as most out the adults was raised before the 1800's. That being said, we weren't really allowed to swear. Naturally, we did, but we still got soap suds in out mouths and lectures ringing in our ears whenever we did it in front of our parents; especially our dads.

  Cassiel was staring at me like I had two heads, but I could see his hidden smile in the shadows. "I meant for you to come down the stairs."

  I chuckled as I slid down the side of the roof like I was on a pool slide and grabbed hold of the gutter before I went tumbling down. I had done that before, and it wasn't something I ever wanted to experience it again.

  I held myself up with the gutter gripped in my hands and reached down till my feet found the banister.

  Then I jumped.

  "You know, I shouldn't be as surprised as I am." Cassiel told me as he came back up the stairs.

  "You're the one who told me to come down!" I was laughing at his expression.

  Cassiel shook his head, "I meant by the stairs, you know, like a normal person."

  The fact was Cassiel and I used the window in our exits a lot. It wasn't that we were huge outlaws or anything, but Cassiel and I enjoyed breaking a few rules every now and then. It gave us a rush.

  Putting something past a werewolf, especially an old werewolf, was harder than driving a st
ick. They heard everything! So breaking a rule was definitely worth it when we got back without an angry werewolf breathing down our necks.

  I sighed heavily when a growl erupted from my stomach and pulled out my brownies.

  "You've been holding out on me." Cassie grunted, but not in an angry way, as he eyed my chocolate.

  I grinned and pulled open the container. I was immediately greeted with the fresh and moist scent that had been locked into the tuber ware, "I was going to share with you… eventually."

  He laughed and took a seat on the steps, "Yeah right! You were keeping the goods all to yourself."

  I sat down next to him as I bit off half of the first one.

  "But that's okay." He glanced over at me before closing his eyes as if trying to go to sleep. "I ate your Captain Crunch."

  I gaped at him with my mouth half full. I swallowed the brownie in one gulp, "You finished all of the Captain?" Original Captain Crunch: My ultimate comfort food.

  He laughed, "I'm just kidding."

  I huffed.

  "Sean ate all of the Captain." With that I smacked his shoulder. He exploded with laughter and hit me fight back.

  Our laughter slowly died down and silence replaced it. I was grateful, seeing as it gave me time to eat. I still couldn't believe I locked myself in my room all that time, with a rumbling stomach, and I had these with me the whole time!

  "Okay," Cassiel turned, pressing his back against the banister, "I need to talk to you about something."

  I snorted, "The last time you said that we winded up stealing your dad's jeep and going on a two day road trip."

  Cassiel broke out into a grin, "Hey, don't complain, that was awesome!"

  "I got grounded for two months for that!" I whined.

  "Fun always comes with consequences around here. I thought you knew that already." Cassiel mocked me.

  I rolled my eyes, but grinned.

  We sat there for a few minutes. The silence was heavy and I knew that my friend had something he really wanted to tell me.

  "Just say it already." I ordered.

  "Don't get mad at me, but I wanted to talk about Gabriel."

  I let out a melodramatic groan, "You've got to be kidding me."

  "Hey! I said don't get mad."