Before she was quite ready to face Gabriel’s family, they had left the highway and driven deep into the hills. The forest closed around them, and the landscape became more and more rural until, at last, they pulled up in front of an ancient-looking brick house. It stood two stories and sprawled into two wings from the main building. Black shutters framed the windows, and Ivy was growing up the sides.
Gabriel parked the truck and went around to help Honorera down from the passenger seat. Before her feet hit the ground, the front door of the house flew open, and people tumbled out. Honorera shivered in fear and hid behind Gabriel’s broad back.
"Hello Mum," Gabriel held his arms out to his mother, but Elena simply brushed him aside.
"I don't want you right now. Where is she?"
Gabriel pulled Honorera out from behind him. "Honorera, this is my mom. Elena Shepherd."
"Oooh!" Elena clasped her plump hands in front of her breast, "Aren't you just adorable! Gabriel, she's precious!" Without warning, she grabbed Honorera into a bone-crushing hug. "Welcome, welcome home my dear, we are so glad to have finally found you."
Honorera looked to Gabriel with a rather frightened and shell-shocked expression, but he only smiled and nodded in encouragement.
After the small, round mother came a teenage boy, who looked like an immature version of Gabriel. He was smaller, thinner, and still had that gangly teenager look, but he grabbed her up and lifted her right off her feet like she weighed nothing. "Yay! A sister-in-law! Now Gabriel will stop being such a mopey douche!"
"Ryan!" Gabriel growled.
"What?" he asked in feigned innocence. He pulled forward a pretty blond girl, "This is my mate, Chrissy."
Chrissy offered her hand and a warm smile. "Hi there. Welcome. It will be so nice to have another girl in the house."
Lastly came a tall, stern-looking older man. He was stiff and reserved as he watched his family embrace the newcomer. Honorera realized this must be Gabriel's father. The resemblance was strong, but the senior Mr. Shepherd was cautious as he extended a hand. He was cool and polite, but very intimidating. "It's nice to finally meet you, Miss Talbot."
Gabriel drew her against his side and led her into the house. The inside was warm and homey. In the foyer, a great staircase curved up to the second story. The foyer opened into a large sitting room, with an assortment of black leather couches arranged around a large screen TV. The whole family followed them through the house, and into the kitchen, which appeared to be the heart of the home, and where everyone naturally congregated.
The family peppered her with questions faster than she could answer, and she felt herself growing smaller and smaller. How old was she? Where were her parents from? What rank was her father in the pack?
She put her head down and felt her face burn with shame. She was intensely aware that she was totally out of her league. This was a really nice family. A warm, loving family. What was she supposed to tell them about herself? That her mother had abandoned her, and her uncle had the prestigious rank of Town Drunk? And of course, when she told them she was only 18, there would be disapproval. She was much too young for a man of Gabriel's age and status.
She definitely didn't belong here. Coming to meet them had been a bad idea. She felt panic rising in her throat, and she wanted, needed to run... she needed the forest.
Gabriel was distracted, arguing with his brother over something trivial, and she began backing slowly toward the door...her heart beating hard in her chest. When they suddenly noticed her retreating, she turned and ran, as fast as her legs would take her, back out the front door. She heard Gabriel calling after her, but she didn't stop. After a quick survey of her surroundings, she headed straight for the tree line behind the house.
It didn't matter that the trees and the forest were unfamiliar to her... this was her sanctuary. She ran fast and far and deep, until she found a massive white pine, with thick strong branches spiraling up into the sky. She scrambled up the trunk until she found a comfortable crotch to wedge herself in, twenty feet off the ground. She felt herself shaking and her eyes welled up with tears.
She was ashamed of herself for running away. Why couldn't she act normal, just for a little while? Now she had embarrassed herself in front of Gabriel, in front of his family. What would they think of her? They must think she was crazy, and they would be right.
She felt the tree whispering to her in wordless, comforting thoughts. She sighed and relaxed into the branches. This was all wrong and so weird. She almost wished she could go back to the trailer, back to Foster. It was a horrible life, but at least she understood it. She knew what to expect and how to survive.
"Honorera?" Gabriel had followed her scent into the woods. He stopped near the tree and scratched his head. "Baby, I know you are here. Please, come talk to me."
She hesitated. If she stayed silent, and stayed hidden, would he go away? And if he went away, then what? She'd followed him here blindly, and she didn't know where to go.
"Hey baby girl, please come down." he implored gently. "I'm sorry, I guess I should have introduced you a little more slowly. I know we are a loud, overwhelming bunch."
She climbed down, and slumped into a sitting position against the trunk, miserably hugging her knees to her chest. Her face burned with embarrassment. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, "I acted like a freak."
"You aren't a freak, love. I'll explain, and they will understand. You just aren't used to this kind of family. Don't worry, you've done nothing wrong."
She sniffed and caressed the gnarled roots of the tree by her leg. "I can't answer their questions, Gabriel."
"They will stop asking," Gabriel said firmly, and a little fiercely. He sat down next to her and took her hand, the one that had been strangely petting the tree. "Please don't run away, Honorera. I promise I will keep you safe. I know my family is a little much, but they love you, and they will also protect you with their lives."
She looked perplexed. "Why would they do that? They don't even know me."
"Because... you are my mate. You are family now too. And someday soon, you will be my Luna."
She frowned at him. "What's a Luna?"
Gabriel sighed. "One thing at a time, okay? I'll explain more later."
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After some time, Gabriel and Honorera emerged from the woods. Gabriel avoided his family this time, and lead her up the big, curved staircase, and down the hall to his room. He swung open the door. "These are our rooms, Honorera, whenever we want to stay in the Pack House."
Honorera wandered in. Someone had already collected their things from the truck and placed them neatly at the foot of the bed. The bed was a big, king-sized, four-post bed. Everything was decorated in shades of blue and grey, very bland a little dull for her taste. But it was a very nice room, with everything one could need, including a private bathroom and a walk-in closet.
"Does everyone live in this house? The whole pack?" She asked, wide-eyed.
Gabriel chuckled. "No. Most pack members have their own houses in the surrounding community. Occasionally, members will live here for a while, but mostly it's just my family. My father is the pack leader. We call him Alpha. His second in command, Young Lim, lives in the east wing with his wife."
She nodded as if she understood...but she didn't really. She'd heard about "Alpha", "Beta" and "Omegas" in wolf packs, but she didn't really see how that would apply to a group of humans. And if there was a hierarchy of citizens, she would rank at the very bottom, and that made her uncomfortable. She definitely had no business with the alpha's son!
Gabriel fully believed that some higher power, some destiny, had tied them together. He called it "the Moon Goddess". But she was so confused, it seemed the deity had made a mistake.