Chapter 76: Bared To You: Part Four

Gabriel parked the car on the side of the road, and the pair were already on a leisurely stroll through the forest. Their conversation had gone quiet since Luther's call, but there was no awkwardness; in fact, it was more of comfortable silence. Each was lost in their own thoughts. Esme didn't know what Gabriel said after 'what a silly question', but she presumed it was a nickname of sorts, just like how he calls her 'little wolf'. 
Esme glanced at Gabriel and felt the corners of her lips curl up. The light that filtered through the tree leaves shone on his features, making him appear more the ethereal being with his white locks, smooth marble skin and glimmering crystal blue eyes with those red specks. It was only his attire that made him appear more from this world, but still, she was awestruck. Although he pulled his shades down to cover his eyes from the sunlight that streamed across them, causing him to frown. 
To think she was walking in the woods on this sunny day with a vampire, and not just any vampire but the Vampire King. 
"Is there something on my face, little wolf?" Gabriel asked with a smirk, still facing the path ahead of them. 
"Haha, busted gawking at Gabriel!" Isana laughed in delight; she was also in a good mood considering the memories they were going through. 
Esme giggled and looked ahead; she didn't care about being caught looking at his face. Anyone else would do the same, especially on a sunny day where the sun just made him seem so surreal. "You know exactly what I'm looking at. I'm sure if you keep searching for compliments on your good looks, your head won't fit through the doors!" She teased, clasping her hands behind her back before skipping ahead of him and whistling. 
It was nice to feel so weightless; Esme didn't realise her past had been dragging her down all these years. When she returned to her new apartment, she wondered if she would still get nightmares. She scoffed; something as simple as letting stuff off her chest doesn't mean she would miraculously stop having nightmares.
Esme stopped and waited for Gabriel at the edge of the hill that overlooked the valley. It was the spot she had been to many times now, and she was still a little suspicious the vampire happened to suggest this place. But instead of staying on the hill overlooking the river, rock formations and seemingly endless areas of grass, she wanted to delve further into nature. There were always deer in the area, though they scattered as soon as Gabriel stood next to her.
Maybe they could feel a sudden predatory presence, one that seemed to make the birds go quiet. Gabriel did have a certain presence about him; even humans who came near him were very aware of him though they couldn't understand why except for his good looks. 
"Shall we continue?" Gabriel suggested as he gazed down at Esme, who was still eying the area with intrigue. 

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Esme smiled then set off down the hill. Her mind and body were surprisingly pleasant even as she started to manage through her thoughts of her past. Once they were at the bottom of the hill, Esme wandered to the river first and dipped her hand in, enjoying the fresh and chilling water passing through her fingers. 
"As time went on, I was better at predicting Ethan's moods swings and what even the smallest of things might set him off and harm me. It sounds pathetic considering I was.. well, I was a ruthless rogue before settling down in the pack. But that's just how things turned out, Ethan was.." She trailed off and started to draw patterns on the water's surface, not caring of the cold seeping through her fingers and sending goosebumps across her body. 
Feeling something was better than feeling nothing at all. 
Esme cleared her throat and stilled after catching onto the slightest scent of lavender in the breeze that swept through her hair. She turned her to the side in the direction she assumed it came from, but the valley was scarce of any creatures. Esme's lavender phantom was either in the trees on the hill, or they'd already left, and their scent was still in the air. Either way, she had to be vigilant. She glanced at Gabriel, who was still watching her play at the riverbed, seemingly unaware of what was running through her mind.
"Hmmm, the only problem with being outside is that I cannot guarantee us being alone," Gabriel muttered in annoyance. Esme stared at him, he hadn't read her mind, and she knew even with his vampire senses that he couldn't have picked up on the lavender scent, werewolf's sense of smell was more sensitive than a vampire's, even if he was the king, Esme still had tracker blood in her. Her nose was more sensitive than others. 
She wondered if Gabriel was merely making a passing comment. Still, something in his gaze said otherwise. Esme gulped and pulled her hand away from the water and stood up again. Wiping her hands on her jeans, she walked in the opposite direction to the lavender scent. "Anyway, I was granted more freedom to leave the mansion only with Ethan's permission each time. At first, I walked along the beach but having a guard, Delta Bryant watching my every move made me feel suffocated even at one of my favourite places to escape from.. Ethan," She whispered her mate's name in fear that he would magically show up. 
Esme felt a little silly, especially since she had the most dangerous man by her side right now, and now after being away from her mate, she was much stronger than she used to be.
"Let's hope we never see him again, though. It's one thing to believe we could take him out, as we easily could what with our.. skills. But it's another when seeing our mate in the flesh and the bond trying to lure us back to his side," Isana muttered bitterly, and at the mention of their bond, Esme's mark on her chest started to burn. She clenched her teeth together from the pain and looked away, hiding her face from Gabriel. 
"The thing is... just as things APPEARED to be getting better, they suddenly and drastically took a turn for the worse."

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