***WARNING, MATURE CONTENT AHEAD!!!***

I could feel Gabriel's eyes on me as the last few grains of salt poured onto the floor. His brow was raised and his lips curled back in a lopsided grin-- but the King remained silent, watching and waiting patiently as he stalked his prey. As I shut the double doors to his room, Gabriel easily stood from the chair. Immediately the charade of weakness, along with the blanket covering his nudity fell to the floor.

My stomach twisted with arousal as my eyes travelled over every bulge of his incredible body. In the darkness of the forest it had been impossible to see. But I remembered the feeling of him inside of me. The power of him forcefully thrusting in and out. How I had screamed with pleasure as he filled me entirely. 

But feeling and seeing were two very different things.

Moving forward, I subconsciously licked my lips as his big hand struggled to wrap around himself and work his thick erection. I could feel my cheeks flush and my thighs clench as I gazed at the swollen head glistening with precum. I had to bite back a moan.

As I fell against his chest, Gabriel made quick work of shredding my clothes. The hand that had previously been stroking his own shaft, was now tangled deep in my hair. With both of our bodies returned to their natural state, Gabriel crushed his lips to my own as his hands roamed where they pleased. 

On a desperate groan, I leaned forward kissing him back. His steely hard passion pulsed between us, twitching against my belly.

"Please, Gabriel," I found myself begging. "I want to be yours."

His body shook as he pulled back, his eyes burning with desire.

"Are you sure?" He grated. His eyes glowing as he fought to stay in control. "My wolf wants his mate," he warned. "And once I start, I won't be able to stop."

With a nod, I gathered my hair back and leaned my head to the side.

"You have no idea what this means to me." Gabriel's voice sounded broken as his head nuzzled against the crook of my neck. "It feels like I've been waiting forever for this."

Suddenly his arms wrapped around me, hoisting me roughly to his chest. As his massive form tensed with need, his eyes turned feral and wild. It was erotic, and my body shivered against him, aroused.

My hands fisted his dark curls as his canines began to elongate. The King tossed his head back with a roar. His hips thrust forward and with a snarl his fangs sunk into my neck. As his mark began to scorch across the sensitive flesh, a scream tore from my lips. A moment later, euphoria exploded through my veins.

***

Gabriel slid out of me, his arms and legs untangling from my own. As I shivered from the loss of warmth, he tucked the large quilt around me.

"I'm going to go take a quick shower," he said, before gently placing a kiss to my head.

I nodded and smiled as I sighed contentedly back against the pillows. If I'd had the energy, I probably would have cat called him as I watched his muscled ass flex and dimple on the way to the restroom.

The water turned on in the shower and I could feel my eyes getting heavy. I had almost drifted off to sleep when there was a quick knock on the door.

"Coming!" I hollared.

Hopping out of the bed, I opened the nearest drawer and pulled on the first thing I grabbed out. As I scrambled to do up a few buttons on the shirt, I headed over to the bedroom's entrance. Thankfully, Gabriel was a large man, and his shirt covered everything from my tits down to my ass.

"Where is he?" Terry barked as he barged into the room.

I let out a slight gasp as he stepped completely unhindered over the magical barrier of salt.

"You've done some pretty ridiculous things before, but this--" Terry's voice trailed off as his eyes landed on the fresh trickle of blood on my neck. 

"You're marked?" Terry's voice raised as he stalked forward sniffing the air. "And you've mated? But how?"

Taking a step back, my eyes narrowed before I hissed. "I think that's hardly any of your business."

"Just tell me why you did it?" he challenged. "Why did you hex the King?"

With my hand still wrapped around the handle of the door, I stumbled back. "I didn't curse him," I snapped. "I thought you did!"

"Never!" Terry shook his head. "Isn't it obvious? I-- I love him!"

As his hand clamped over his mouth, I thought Terry's eyes had widened at his confession.

"Alexis!" Terry shouted in warning, but it was too late. A large hand suddenly wrapped around my neck.

With a towel tightly around his waist, the furious Werewolf King practically burst down the door as he ran out. "What the hell is going on in here?" He yelled.

"Retribution," Fergus announced, before shoving me into the hall.

Gabriel's eyes widened in horror as purple magic swirled from the palm of Bree's hand. The barrier she had promised would keep evil out, was now being used as an invisible force to keep the King trapped instead.

"Sabrina, what are you doing?" I hissed.

"Securing my place as Queen!"

My jaw dropped as both the King and I turned towards Terry.

"So you mean--"

"That's richt ye fud, 'twas me a' alang."

"It was just pure, dumb luck that he found me in the process."

I wanted to barf as Bree and Fergus shared a kiss. I had been so stupid, so blinded by her friendship. Everything we had shared, had it all been just a lie?

"Why?" I asked, the word catching in my throat. Tears clouded my vision as my stomach churned at her betrayal.

"The Vatican always knew Gabriel would never fall in line with their ideas, but as long as he was connected to his wolf, he remained too powerful to bring down and remove from the throne."

"Sae they offered me security." Fergus picked up where Bree left off. "A position in authority as lang as I hulped bring him doon."

With a wicked smile, Bree wrapped herself around Fergus. "But that's not even the best part, is it baby?" I felt sick as she rubbed up and down his chest like a rabid bitch in heat. "Now that Gabriel has killed Jackson, they've promised Fergus that he can be the new King."

As I turned to look at Gabriel, he was literally seething with rage. His fists clenched and unclenched as he paced back and forth like a lion at the zoo. With the murderous glint in his glowing blue eyes, I knew it was only a matter of time.

"I thought we were brothers," Gabriel growled. "But this-- how could you do this?"

"How cuid ye choose such a weak Luna?" Fergus snarled back. "She drugged me twa times--" he trailed off. "And human. Who wants tae be human whin we were meant tae be superior!"

As Fergus' gaze settled on me, a chill went up my spine. Gabriel's fists beat on the invisible barrier, but nothing could stop the Beta now.

"Don't do this!" Gabriel's voice cracked with emotion. "I'm ordering you to stop!" He roared.

The King's Alpha command shook the very ground that I laid on, but Fergus was lost, no longer listening to any direction.

"I've bin waiting tae dae this fur some time." The Beta's lips curled back with an evil grin. "Yer such a hackit wee bitch," he muttered. "And noo that yer human, it'll be even easier."

"Human?" I could hear Terry question from inside the room.

"That's right," Bree smirked. "Jackson forced the cure down her throat right before he was murdered. But you wouldn't know anything about that, now would you?"

"Murdered?" Gabriel angrily grit. "He was trying to rape my mate!"

"That's not what the Vatican is planning to tell everyone," Sabrina smiled.

With the angry ginger looming over head, I knew my end was near. I whimpered as he lifted me up, but I regretted nothing. Well, maybe there was one thing.

Fergus' strong fingers around my throat made it nearly impossible to breathe, but I needed the King to know. As I watched Gabriel helplessly beat against the force field, tears flowed freely down my cheeks.

"Gabriel!" I yelled. My fingers dug into Fergus' hand as I tried to gasp for air. "I'm sorry it took me so long to come around!"

"Alexis." Choking back tears, Gabriel croaked out my name. 

Suddenly, I  screamed out as purple electricity shot towards me from Sabrina's palm. As the voltage entered my body in one spot and exited out another, I thought my spine was going to snap in half as my back arched in tremendous pain.

Gabriel howled in frustration, his face oddly mimicking my own. But just because he couldn't get out the door, didn't mean he would give up. As his fingers curled into a giant fist, the King pounded against the wall with all of his might. 

"Hurry up!" Fergus nervously licked his lips as chunks of concrete began falling to the floor. "Mibbie I shuid juist gang ahead 'n' snap her neck."

"You can't!" Bree shouted. Her eyes widened as the hole grew nearly large enough for Gabriel to escape. "The Vatican needs to think it was my aunt that killed her, remember?"

As another bolt of electricity danced across my skin, I watched as Gabriel took a step back before hurtling himself into the hall. Plaster and concrete exploded around him, while his massive shoulders heaved. And when the dust finally settled, his eyes flooded with an animalistic rage.

At the sudden threat to his own mate, Fergus howled before tossing me aside. As Gabriel barreled towards Sabrina, the Beta attempted to intercept the attack. He wasn't nearly as fast or as strong as the Alpha King though, and before he could even take another breath, Gabriel had ripped the traitorous Scotsman apart.  

Sabrina tried to shrink in on herself as Gabriel turned towards her next. Without a mate to protect her now, she attempted to save herself. As she blasted the King with her magic, his lips curled back in a sadistic smile. It was like her magic didn't even affect him as he continued to advance.

With both palms raised, Bree struck the King again with all of the of magic she could summon. Smoke rolled off of him, and with a laugh Gabriel grabbed the witch by her neck. As his hand transformed into that of his beast's claw, his sharp nails easily pulled the head from the rest of her body. Bree and Fergus were dead.

I tried to sit up, but that only resulted in me screaming in pain.

"Terry! Get out here!" Gabriel barked as he rushed over to me.

As his arms went to pull me against him, I yelped loudly and he released me. Just the slightest touch, or the tiniest movements caused me great pain.

"Alexis."

As I turned towards the King, I could see the torn look on his face. He needed to comfort me, hold me in his arms-- something.

But I was dying.

And everyone knew it.

My body shivered as I laid on the floor. Darkness starting to consume me. As Gabriel howled to the moon, I grabbed for his hand.

"I think I'm in love with you too."

*A/N- Whew! That was a tough chapter to write and after this, there's only one left. Obviously, the big question is how will Gabriel handle the Vatican now. But if you have any other concerns, or you feel I need to tie up any loose ends, please tell me in the comments. As always, I am very thankful for each and every one of you and I hope you've enjoyed this story so far. Until next time!*