Burning

Chapter SIXTEEN

It was hard to hide her disappointment. When she heard her name called in this literal den of wolves she was expecting to see her friend but it was a stranger that approached. His blond shaggy hair and pale eyes gave him a distinctly Cali surfer dude look. At least it was an attractive stranger coming to meet her. Gabby righted herself, glancing at Mariah for some kind of cue but the woman gave her nothing to work with.

"Yes, I'm Gabby. I apologize I don't know your na-"

"Mariah, what the hell is this?" He had walked straight past her.

"Matt, keep your voice down. It's still early."

"Everyone is awake and you know it. Three pack members are dead and you come back here with a human? That's who you saved?"

Gabby hoped the look she gave Mariah to freaking do something was subtle enough. Whether or not Mariah got the message she was surprisingly nonchalant about half of the room beginning to actually growl.

"If you know her name, you'd know she's the one who saved my apprentice AND most recently almost every Roamer in the University Den. They were all notified to move out beforehand thanks to this-"

Gabby couldn't remember the last time she'd endured a noogie "-cute little creature. She tipped us off that the church was on the move."

Matt stepped back. "Is that true?"

Gabby chewed on how to respond. "As I said, I wish I was able to help everyone but its not always possible."

Matt still had his eyes narrowed when another person- or- wolf, came over. She looked to be in her mid fifties and her eye lids were puffy from crying.

"I d-didn't know we had a-any humans that didn't hate us. Thank you." The woman licked her on the cheek. Gabby did her best not to wince as she tried to absorb all of that information at once. Now they were surrounded, but only part of the group seemed to be of the same mindset of the first woman. Some of them felt like they were circling prey. Gabby was mumbling thank yous, your welcomes and condolences just as fast as she could feeling a little dizzy. It took Mariah much longer to become sick of the interaction than Gabby hoped it would.

"Back off back off! She's not here to see you all anyway! Who knows where Sheira is?"

"You're really going to take that thing to see Alpha Sheira." A woman wrinkled her nose. She had not gotten out of her seat.

Mariah stalked up to her. "I am. And as usual, you're going to sit there and mutter to yourself like old church ladies. Now, do you have an answer or were you just airing out your tongue again?"

Gabby was more worried about the young man sitting beside her. He at first seemed terrified but she was wrong. It was anger. Disgust. When their eyes met, she backed up to stay behind Mariah. She was alarmed to see Matt take a seat near the pair actively sending waves of hatred towards her. Then she noticed he wasn't sitting with them, but a group in front of the same fireplace. These ones looked more curious then angry. One of them with a round face and smile even gave her a quick wave. The guy and girl next to her studied her with an alarming intensity.

"I do!" The girl who waved raised her hand. The girl next to her rolled her eyes and mumbled something. Her hand went down and she stood up. "They are in the 5th conference room."

"Great. Lets go." Mariah headed out of the lobby to Gabby's incredible relief. She turned to say something and noticed the girl trailing just behind. "Annie... why are you following us."

"Oh well you said lets go..." she tucked her chin. To Gabby's surprise Mariah shrugged.

"Whatever but you probably can't come in."