Chapter 14

GABE

Never in a million years did I think I would be brave enough to step up to my brother and his friends, not once but twice in a day. When they started to come after Mila, I knew I had to do something. Luckily, I grew about a foot, and my weight was almost evened out in some places. When I brought up my reason for wanting to stop the bullying, my Uncle Aaron gave me great advice.

“Well,” Uncle Aaron began, “you need to stand your ground and show no fear. They feed off it. Show them you’re not afraid to stand up for what you believe in. Once they see the strength you have within, they’ll realize they can’t win.”

“And that’s it?” I asked, trying to absorb his words.

“That’s a start,” Uncle Aaron smiled. “Just remember, Gabe, true leadership isn’t just about commanding others. It’s about inspiring them and showing them what it means to be strong. Soon, others will see and respect that, even for Mila.”

The memory of the conversation made me smile as I quickly ran up the stairs of the orphanage Mila grew up in. It used to be the original pack house but my father gave it to his old housekeeper, Nanna Gertrude as a gift. It was the place he grew up in before he built another house with my mom. Nanna Gertrude turned it into an orphanage. I guess growing up around kids made her hate the quiet.

I made it to the rooftop in record time and laughed imagining how my dad would love to see me flying up these stairs right now. I was a tall kid but I also had a lot of weight. My dad tried to put me in as many classes and activities as possible to get me to slim down, but it just wasn’t happening. Honestly I didn’t care much about it, but he saw it as a sign of weakness. If I was going to be Beta of the pack one day, appearance was crucial to my parents.

“Gabe, over here.” Mila waved her hand to a spot she cleared out for us. 

The meteor shower was going to start soon and we both saved up enough to buy a telescope just for this. I ended up paying most of it, not wanting to take the meager earnings she made from cleaning the packhouse. I knew she was falling on rough times, but even still, Mila always had a smile on her face. A really beautiful smile. 

“Do you think the clouds will clear in time for us to see the comet?” Mila asked, looking up at the sky while I set up the telescope.

“The weather says so, but I would enjoy the company either way,” I said, satisfied with the blush on her cheeks.

“Gabe, you’re so corny, you know that,” she giggled before giving me a side-eye glance. “What happened when you stayed with your uncle?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “I guess I could tell you,” I said, moving to sit next to her. “Or better yet, show you.”

Mila opened her mouth to say something until she realized how close I was. If I was going to do this I had to commit. At least that was what my uncle told me. So I leaned in, and happily, she followed suit until she quickly turned away.

“Look,” she said excitedly. “It’s starting.”

I watched her look through the telescope and I couldn’t help but watch her. Just being around her made me happy, and I wouldn’t change a thing about it.

“Gabe, you have to see this. It’s so beautiful.”

“Yeah, you are,” I said more to myself.

“Did you know that finding your true mate is more rare than meteor showers?” she asked while leaning back, staring at the sky, and I felt my heart flutter. “Makes me wonder if I would be lucky to find mine.”

“Is that… really important to you?” I asked. “I mean, what if you decide on a chosen mate if a person isn’t your true mate?”

Mila thought about it for a moment before smiling. “I guess, if the person is right, then yeah, I wouldn’t mind a chosen mate if they don’t mind me.”

“Well, my mom says that every Jack has his Jill.”

“Or another Jack or a Jack and a Jill. I could never understand polyamorous relationships. It seems like it would be exhausting,” she laughed.

“Lucky for me, I just need one,” I said, placing my hand over hers. She looked at me with curiosity. “And I wouldn’t mind being your Jack.”

There! I put it out there and now all I had to do was wait for her to reciprocate. She looked up at the sky and didn’t say anything for a while. The only comfort was the fact that she didn’t move her hand from mine and she was blushing.

“I don’t,” Mila started, keeping her gaze on the sky. “I don’t want to ruin the mood, Gabe, but what you’re asking is… impossible. Your parents would never let you date someone like me. I have no family, no money, no status, no…”

“I don’t care about those things,” I said, intertwining our fingers and holding up our hands. “This is what’s important. I’ve been thinking about this for weeks now, maybe more, and I think this is the perfect time.” 

I’ve been practicing this speech for months now, and I still sounded like a robot.

“Gabe…” 

“Mila, I really like you,” I finally got out. “You are the coolest girl I’ve ever met. You’re smart, sweet, absolutely beautiful, inside and out, and I’ve always liked you more than just a friend. If you don’t feel the same way, then tell me. I promise I will understand and–”

“Gabe, breathe,” she laughed before giving my hand a squeeze. “I like you, too.”

My eyes widened with relief and joy. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this happy before. I felt almost weightless.

“So, should we commemorate this moment?” I asked, hoping she would suggest the same thing I was thinking.

She smiled and stood up with a purpose. For a moment, I thought I might have pushed this too far and she was going to leave when I saw a hand in my face. I looked up to see her smiling.

“Well, if you’re going to kiss me, you might need to get up on your feet.”

I grabbed her hand and stood up in front of her. I must have had at least a foot on as she stared up at me. We stood there awkwardly, neither one of us knowing what to do exactly. I knew the fundamentals of kissing, but the execution was a bit strange. 

“I think I should place my hands here,” she said, hesitantly placing her hands on my shoulders, “and you placed your hands on my waist for support.”

How did she know all of this? Did she kiss someone before me? Dammit! She was probably more experienced than me. What if I fuck this up? What if she runs away from me? These thoughts paced inside my head as I nervously wrapped my hands around her waist. Her laugh broke me away from my thoughts, making me think I was doing something wrong.

“All those romantic shows make this seem so easy.”

I wasn’t really focused on what she was saying. My body was registering the fact that she was pressed against me. It was like the sophomore year dance all over again, minus my stupid brothers and his idiot friends. This was better than getting my first snowboard for Christmas. Hell, it might be better than Christmas itself. Ok, maybe that was too far. The wind picked up a bit, and she shivered, so I pulled her closer against me.

“Is this okay?” I asked. 

She blushed and nodded. “Yes this feels… good.”

Oh man, she wasn’t lying. She felt… good in my arms. So damn good. Time slowed as I cupped her face, brushing my thumb over her lips. We both leaned in, our breaths mingling, and finally, our lips met. At first, the kiss was soft and tentative until I moved my hand to the back of her neck, pulling her closer as the kiss deepened. 

It was everything I’d ever imagined and more–a perfect moment that felt both right and thrilling. Despite what my parents might say, I was determined to fight for Mila. Maybe I can convince them that love and character are more important than status and wealth.