Filed to story: Sorry Alpha I Am Wolfless Novel
Right now I could see a war going on in Joaquin’s eyes. He was silently fighting himself. I could just imagine what he was telling himself. Probably things like ‘no don’t go, don’t leave her side’ and then he would counter that with ‘but we have to finish the room for our children, it is our duty, our responsibility’. I don’t know why I imagined Joaquin talking to himself in a third person pluralized state but I did. It was kind of funny. Maybe it was his wolf he was arguing with, in that case it would be two versions of the same man so he could be using the pronouns we and our. This whole train of thought running through my head almost made me laugh hysterically, but I managed to stop myself.
I could see Joaquin was about to say something, my mind instantly thought that it was going to be a refusal. I wanted to step in and stop it before he could deny me my suggestion though, I thought it would be best for us. We needed to see a semblance of normal return in some little ways.
“If I may.”
Gabriel butted in right before Joaquin and I started talking at each other. It effectively stopped any small disagreement we were about to have so that we could both turn to look at the smiling and elegant looking man that was on the other side of the table. I noticed that there was a hint of laughter in Gabriel’s eyes, did he truly know why I wanted Joaquin to leave? Knowing him with his extra senses it was highly possible that he did.
“Yes, Gabriel?” Joaquin looked at him with a hint of skepticism.
“I will remain by Queen Riviana’s side as her ever vigilant assistant. I will make sure that nothing ill befalls her. This will allow you to do what you need to do. Also, since you will only be right across the hall for the majority of the time, you can come back in a hurry if anything were to happen. I encourage you to check back in frequently as well, to quell the unease that will undoubtedly grow within you.”
“Do you think it is absolutely necessary that I go, Gabriel?” Joaquin asked the question in his formal Alpha King tone, it was a voice that scared most people but Gabriel wasn’t one of them.
“Yes, Sir. I truly do believe it is in the best interest of you both to do this. I think that if you were to accomplish something apart from each other right now you will find that there are fewer things that the two of you need to worry about.”
“You think we’re both worrying too much?” Joaquin didn’t seem happy with that assessment.
“It’s not that you are worrying too much, Alpha King.” Gabriel made sure to show proper respect. “I believe the issue here truly lies with the fact that you are allowing the worry to dominate you at the moment. You are stronger than that, Joaquin, I truly believe that.”
Gabriel was truly insightful at the moment. I think he knew more than he was letting on at the moment. But what I was focusing on more was the fact that Joaquin seemed to be wavering. He looked like he wanted to say that he didn’t want to go, didn’t need to go, but there was a part of him that was dying to finish up the nursery for Reagan and Rika.
“Hahh.” Joaquin sighed softly as he hung his head for a moment. “I know you’re right. You both are. I don’t really want to go but it is important to get it all finished. I don’t want to be left with an unfinished nursery when the babies arrive.” Joaquin was smiling when he finally lifted his head. “You are far too convincing, Gabriel. You would be very useful in negotiations.”
“Thank you for the wonderful compliment.” Gabriel smiled at him. “I will make sure I keep you informed of Queen Riviana’s actions for the rest of the day. Please, go about the business that you need to accomplish.”
“Yeah, yeah. I know. She wants me out of here because I fret over her too much.” Joaquin laughed then and leaned over toward me, his arm still around my shoulder and his other coming around to rest on the arm of the sofa. “You just don’t know how much I love you.” He pressed his lips to mine for a heated moment.
When Joaquin pulled away he sauntered out of the room looking pleased with himself. Clearly he was happy to be working on the nursery and to have gotten his kiss goodbye.
“GAH!” I yelled my frustrations to the ceiling.
“Is there a problem?” Gabriel looked surprised by my outburst.
“Yeah, he goes and kisses me like that when my self control is already at its limits.” I responded honestly without thinking and immediately blushed at having basically implied that I wanted to throw Joaquin down and ravish him.
“Ah, yes, I think I have worked out that particular issue for myself. Please forgive me for having stepped in earlier.” Gabriel looked slightly embarrassed himself, as if he didn’t want his Queen to know that he knew she was a horny slut when it came to her husband. Well, I am pregnant with Joaquin’s twins, I think it was obvious that I wanted my husband in that way.
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Riviana
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While I was sitting there thinking about what was going on and the fact that the very intuitive Gabriel was gaining this intimate insight into my personal life I was struck by an idea. Gabriel was very knowledgeable. There were things that he knew that no other person on the planet might know or remember. I could ask him something that had been bothering me since I woke up in the hospital the other night.
There had been a few things nagging at the back of my mind. Some ideas and thoughts that I didn’t want to contemplate more than I had to. And Griffin’s words to Joaquin about my condition had not made things easier for me to deal with or understand. So, why not take the opportunity that I was given to ask this very well informed man all of my nagging and burning questions while we were alone.
I figured it was best to ask Gabriel when no one else was around. If Joaquin was here when I brought up my fears and suspicions then he would most likely become ten times worse with his fretting worry.
“Gabriel?” I called out to him, my head tilted back and to the side so that I was both looking up at him and showing him that I was curious about something.
“Yes, my Queen?” He placed a fist over the left side of his chest and bowed slightly, a show of deference and respect that the Sentinelle was known to give only for the Luna Queen and Alpha King.
“I have some things I would like to discuss with you, now that we are not burdened by prying ears.” I made it clear that this was a private discussion that I did not want to be shared with anyone else.
“I will promise to keep any and all secrets for you my Queen, unless it is detrimental to your health. That I must immediately share with the King.” Gabriel bowed further forward at that. I could tell that he was apologizing for not being able to hide everything that might be discussed in this room. In truth, I could always demand that he keep every word I say a secret but I didn’t mind if he discussed my health with Joaquin, that was something that was necessary.
“That is fine, Gabriel. I will not command you to do otherwise. I know that would just cause you undue distress.” I nodded at him and he finally straightened up, understanding that I was not going to force him to do something that he would not be comfortable with.
“Thank you, my lady.”
The way that Gabriel spoke to me often made me think of some period drama that was set in the sixteen hundreds, or sooner. It was funny but I kind of liked it, but only when it came from Gabriel. I had a feeling that was because speech patterns with this sort of inflection came naturally to him. He was almost seven hundred years old after all. I wondered for a moment if he would ever be capable of finding himself a mate. Would anyone want to marry the oldest living werewolf? That would make for an interesting story to tell their children one day.
While I pushed those thoughts away I moved on to what it was that I really wanted to talk about. The true reason for opening this discussion between us.
“Please Gabriel, have a seat so that we may talk. I do not want to look up so high just so that I can look you in the eye.”
“Yes, my lady.” He smiled softly before he sat smoothly in the soft armchair that was sitting across from me. “Now, Queen Riviana, what is it that you wish to discuss with me?” He knew that I was going to ask him something very important.
“I wanted to know, Gabriel, if you knew about any instances in the past where a pregnancy might not have been fully compatible with a shifter. Specifically with a werewolf.”
“That is a very loaded question, my Queen.” He looked a little like he didn’t want to answer that question completely.
“Loaded in what way, Gabriel?” I needed to hear what he knew. I needed to know if there was something wrong with the babies because they weren’t meant to be.