Chapter 26
Gabi’s POV
It has almost been a week since I accepted Derek’s rejection, and I feel better now than I did when I had to reject Derek. I did feel a weight off of me, but my heart still hurt a little from losing Derek. In my head, I knew it was the right thing to do, but my wolf was still sad about losing her mate. She was taking some time to herself, and I really understood why she was so upset. I loved him too, he just didn’t want us, he wanted land and a bigger pack, and was willing to take the cost of it, crushing us to do it. Tala retreated so she could heal alone, to get past the pain on her end. I understood and let her be, she was going to heal on her own. I had spoken to her last night, before bed, and she was better too. She mindlinked me and told me, “I was never angry with you Gabi, it was always anger at Derek. His wolf, Hunter, had told me that he insisted that Derek claim us. Hunter knew I was here, and knew that we were not an Omega, but Derek refused to listen”. I am not upset with you or Hunter at all, it was Derek who made the bad choices, and now he will have to live with his bad choices.
I was excited because Luna Liz was coming today. Von and I were going to go with her to find me an evening dress for the event we are going to tomorrow. We are leaving first thing in the morning, and we have to be packed up tonight and ready to leave at 6 am. If Heath had anything to say about it, we would be out of here at 545 am, because he likes to be ahead of time. He told me that the trip is a little over 2 hours, but he plans to make it in less than 2 hours. That allows us one-stop, if needed for a bathroom break. Heath, Von, and Luna Liz had asked to speak to Wyatt and Everly Wilson, the Alpha, and Luna of the Crimson Shadow pack at 9 am and were approved for the meeting. They hadn’t mentioned to the Wilson’s yet what it was concerning, but they knew it was serious with three high-ranking wolves asking to meet with them. I already knew it was to find out about my real parents. Luna Liz had told me to make sure I packed my baby blanket and outfit, as proof, but that she already knew with my wolf looking the way she does, that we already had all the proof that we needed. They are all kind of mysterious about it, but I didn’t care, because tomorrow I would get to see my birth parents and I was both nervous and excited about meeting them.
Von had taken me to get my hair done for the first time in my life this week on Wednesday, to help me cheer up. I told her it wasn’t necessary, that my mom used to cut my hair at home with scissors from the junk drawer every 6 months and I just put it up in a ponytail anyway. She told me, “Um, honey, no I am not hacking at your hair with the junk drawer scissors. I have a lady, and she made an appointment with her best girl, well besides her, in the shop. I think you will look great with some long layers, and some highlights and low lights. We will let them decide tomorrow when we show up at the Salon”.
They had done exactly what she had said, and I have to admit, I loved it. It had a lot of movement to it, and it looked glossy, shiny, and healthy. We also went and had manicures and pedicures and then we had a meal, before returning to the pack.
Heath took one look at me, and was like, “ Von, why did you change Gabi? She was perfect, to begin with” but smiled and then winked at me to let me know he was just teasing me.
“I just had them paint her natural nails, Heath, she doesn’t have a set on, she can still handle all her weapons properly, with no problems. I think that she should just leave her weapons at home. Aren’t you having two of the team come with us anyway?” Von asked him and I looked over at him in surprise, I thought it would just be the four of us.
“Just in case, yes, Alan and Hudson are coming with us. Easton was originally going to come with Alan, but it was his and Angela’s 1 year anniversary of being mates, so he was out. Jameson had already made plans for a date several weeks ago. Hudson’s only plans were Netflix, so he was free. Alan had already volunteered, as he told me whenever you need to be backed up, he had you. So, it looks like you two are working things out. The best part is that they both had to get tuxedos to come to this event. They were not happy about having to get measured and Alan had to have a custom shirt and jacket made to fit him”, Heath told me and gave a laugh. I laughed too, because I know how much Alan hates to be uncomfortable. He loves his basketball shorts and workout clothes. This is truly going to be so much worse off for him than it is for me, and I started laughing harder.
“Gabi, the reason that they are coming with us is because we don’t know who your friend or foe is there. We don’t have the complete story yet, so I need you to stay with Alan, or Hudson, if you are not with me, for the night. OK? I need you to help me make sure that you are safe. I will tear that place apart if something happens to you little one”, Heath tells me, and I know that he was completely serious when he said that.
“I will stay with one, or all of you. I will even wait to go use the restroom with Von or Luna Liz too, so I shouldn’t have any issues” I said to him, but since I always usually have issues, even I don’t believe it when I say it. Neither did they, as they both got a good chuckle out of it.
“They put your room between the one that Von and I are in with a king bed. Your room will be one with two full beds in it, and Liz will be staying with you. Alan and Hudson will also have two full beds in their room and their rooms will also connect, so if you have any problems, just link one or all of us, and we will come. Liz will be with you, so you should be OK in your room for the night. The Wilson’s have a pretty big packhouse and since we had asked to meet early before they made plans, we were able to get the extra rooms.
Luna Liz arrived at noon, and Heath came with us to the mall. He stayed outside the store we went to and watched people pass. He was a really big guy and when people noticed him sitting there on the bench, they all gave him a wide birth. Heath exuded confidence and it made him smile for the people to be so scared of him as he sprawled out, relaxed, on the bench.
Von found a nice gown in a sequined gold color with thin straps crisscrossing across her back, and she looked like a glowing goddess in it. I saw Heath notice her showing it to us just outside the dressing room, and he got up and went into the store straight to her and took her into a heated kiss. I blushed and looked down, and when he put her back on her feet she said, “I guess this is the one”. Luna Liz and I both agreed with her. Heath went back outside to the bench. Von said she already had the perfect golden heels for it at home, and Luna Liz was next to look for her dress, and Von helped me to look for one. Luna Liz and I both went into our dressing rooms to change into our gowns. We both came out and gasped at the other's dress. Luna Liz had a white gown that had rhinestone straps on it, and they went down to the low back of her dress. The back went into a very deep V and stopped short of her butt, and she looked really hot in it. I couldn’t believe how good she looked in it. Like if she weren’t already mated to Alpha Monty, she could totally pick someone else up tomorrow night hot. Luna Liz gave me a huge smile, and I realized that I had actually said the words out loud. Von was laughing her ass off and she totally agreed with what I said too.
My dress was form-fitting and a sapphire blue. It made my eyes stand out and it was stunning on me. I felt like it was a little too revealing, as the strapless sweetheart neckline clearly showed the swells of my breasts, and my ass was outlined on the other side. It had a leg slit on the right side of the dress, and I did like that, as I thought about wearing my thigh holster. I could still get to my gun, but as tight as this dress is, someone looking would notice it. The back of it was normal, and not low like on Luna Liz’s dress, but it was more skin than I had voluntarily showed anyone, and I told them that. They both told me it really wasn’t bad, and that I needed to trust them as other girls there would be wearing a lot less. I didn’t really care what others were wearing, I just wanted to be comfortable in it. I could see Heath looking at my dress from his bench and him frowning, and I saw Von's eyes shadowed over, showing that she was mindlinking with someone.
“We are getting this one, I don’t care what Heath says. He is overly protective of you, and this is a very nice dress. It shows off your assets without showing off too much, but I have to say your butt looks great in this Gabi. All your hard work has given you a killer figure, and there is no harm in occasionally showing off what you have worked so hard on perfecting”, Von tells me, and we go back into the dressing rooms to change back into our clothes. Von has me try on my first pair of heels, and I am clumsy in them. Even with my good balance, I struggled at first. I looked at Von and she said, "It gets easier, and your legs are going to look fantastic in them.
I got better as I practiced at home in them, as I wore them to pack my stuff up. My dress was in my garment bag, and I had packed my new black shoes at the bottom of it, inside of a gallon bag, as I didn’t want the nicest outfit that I had ever owned to get dirty from the bottoms of my new shoes.
I laid down and prayed to the Goddess that tomorrow goes smoothly. That I can find my parents, and we can take it slow. I don’t necessarily want to live with them. I would honestly miss Heath and Von too much and would be homesick.
I cannot believe I said that, I have only been here three and a half months, and I already think of Heath and Von as my parents. I love them both and they have done nothing but invest in me and build me up. They are always wanting to do something for me, they show me every day how much they love me, and they want to take care of me. I am really successful in my life right now, because they both have the utmost confidence in me, in my abilities, and in the choices that I make. They both love me so much and build me up every single day. I am almost hoping that this is a wasted trip as I want to stay here, forever. I don’t want to have to go to the Crimson Shadow pack to live. I will tell them both in the morning what my decision is.