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Gabriel's Gift (Sanctuary Series Book 4)
Gabriel's Gift (Sanctuary Series Book 4)
Gabriel's Gift (Sanctuary Series Book 4)
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Gabriel's Gift (Sanctuary Series Book 4)

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Best Selling Author introduces a 'new adult' paranormal romance.
River's Recruit: Book 1 of The Sanctuary Series
River's Remorse: Book 2 of The Sanctuary Series
River's Revenge: Book 3 of The Sanctuary Series
Gabriel's Gift: Book 4 of The Sanctuary Series (coming Summer 2015)

LanguageEnglish
Release dateAug 10, 2015
ISBN9781310850219
Gabriel's Gift (Sanctuary Series Book 4)
Author

Charlotte Abel

Charlotte Abel is a full time writer that lives near Boulder, Colorado with her husband Pete. When she's not reading or writing, she enjoys hiking, bicycling, archery and dog sitting. Previous careers include: dance instructor, jewelry designer and glass artist. "Enchantment," a paranormal coming of age romance, is her debut novel. She plans to publish "Shattered," a romantic thriller set in the remote Sawatch Mountain wilderness of Colorado, in the early spring of 2012.

Read more from Charlotte Abel

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    Book preview

    Gabriel's Gift (Sanctuary Series Book 4) - Charlotte Abel

    Book Four of The Sanctuary Series

    Charlotte Abel

    This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite online book retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

    This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

    Copyright © 2015 Charlotte Abel

    All rights reserved.

    CHAPTER ONE

    Lazarus

    THREE WEEKS AFTER SANCTUARY OPENED, a servant of Solomon’s beta mate handed Lazarus a sealed letter just as he was exiting the outhouse behind the enforcers’ barracks. The man had obviously waited to catch Lazarus alone. As soon as the letter was out of his hands, he took off in a dead run.

    Lazarus decided it would be in his best interest to read the letter in private, so he slipped back into the outhouse and broke the seal.

    Lazarus, son of Solomon,

    I hereby request an audience with you three hours past the call to rest on the night of the next full moon. Go to Deborah’s enclave in the whore house. Come alone and be sure no one learns of this meeting.

    Sincerely,

    Agatha, daughter of Malick and Adam’s daughter, beta mate of Solomon

    Agatha outranked Lazarus so he had no choice but to obey. He’d already planned to avoid the full moon shift by visiting the whorehouse. He just hadn’t planned on spending it in Deborah’s enclave or with his father’s beta mate.

    He made a point of arriving a few minutes late. Not enough to be blatantly disrespectful, but enough to show the woman he didn’t appreciate being summoned like a common servant.

    Deborah greeted him, gave him a flask of wine, then pointed at her bed. Wait here. I’ll go fetch Agatha.

    Lazarus popped the stopper on the flask then thought better of it and leaned his back against the wall. No whore was going to tell him where to sit and he wasn’t about to partake of anything that might have come from Solomon’s household. This whole meeting was probably a trap.

    How can I be so stupid? Lazarus pushed off the stone wall just as Agatha parted the heavy drapes and slipped inside.

    He handed her the wine flask.

    She rolled her eyes, lifted the flask to her lips, and took three sips then handed it back to him.

    Lazarus took a long pull then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. What do you want, Agatha?

    I want you to help Lilith escape to the surface.

    Are you crazy?

    Her life will be hard, but at least she’ll have a chance to survive.

    Father will never let her leave Sanctuary.

    Solomon believes she’s dead.

    Why would he think that? Lazarus’s palms grew slick. What are you up to?

    He starved and tortured her for three months then tried to force her to merge so he could sell her to the whore master.

    And? Sweat beaded on his brow.

    She failed.

    No. She’s not… Lazarus dropped his ass onto Deborah’s bed. He couldn’t bring himself to say it out loud. Lilith was only his half-sister, but her omega brand would mark him just as much as it did her. It would stain all of Solomon’s line.

    It wasn’t her fault.

    Who else knows?

    Agatha pressed her lips into a thin, hard line and narrowed her eyes.

    Lazarus took a slow, deep breath. Why does Father believe Lilith is dead?

    Agatha studied him for a moment then sighed. The wolf she attempted to merge with nearly killed her. I secretly brought in an outsider physician. He saved her, but Solomon doesn’t know that. He doesn’t know any of it. He believes she died in the arena.

    Who witnessed her attempt? The ceremony obviously hadn’t been public, or all of New Eden would have heard about it by now.

    Solomon and the wolf keeper.

    And they both believe Lilith died?

    Agatha blinked and licked her lips. Yes.

    She’s lying. Where is she now?

    In the omega camp.

    Lazarus stood up and paced in front of the bed as he considered his options. He could pretend to go along with Agatha’s plan but instead of sneaking Lilith out of Sanctuary, he’d kill her and toss her body into one of the garbage pits. But there were too many eyes and ears inside Sanctuary. And there was no way Agatha had tricked Solomon into believing Lilith died without help. The wolf keeper was probably in on it. Deborah, too. He figured the chances of getting away with murdering the girl without her mother finding out were about eighty percent. Not good enough odds to risk it. Besides, Agatha would probably try to check up on Lilith on the surface. If she learned that her daughter never made it into the omega camp, she’d seek some form of retribution. Lilith is a smart girl. She knows what’s at stake. She’ll stay out of sight. Besides, no one pays any attention to omegas. A little of the tension eased out of Lazarus’s shoulders. There’s a reason we call them ‘shadow people.’

    So, you won’t help her escape?

    Lazarus put his hands on Agatha’s shoulders and summoned his most sympathetic voice. You don’t know what it’s like to winter on the surface. I do. Lilith will not have adequate clothing, shelter or food no matter where she dwells. She’ll be miserable inside Sanctuary to be sure, but if you cast her out onto the surface, you might as well save her the suffering and kill her now.

    CHAPTER TWO

    Gabriel

    THE SUMMER following Lilith’s betrayal passed in a haze for Gabriel. He’d thought their fragile friendship was developing into something more. It definitely had on his part. How could he have been so blind? By choice, that’s how.

    Even after Lilith’s brother, Lazarus, handed over a note from Solomon that flat out proved Lilith was a spy, Gabe refused to believe the evidence. He volunteered to spend the winter guarding Lilith in a cave to save her from execution. 

    He fell in love with her while holding her prisoner and Lilith led him to believe that she was falling for him too without actually telling him so. She didn’t show her fake affection blatantly, but dropped little hints that she was warming up to him. She pretended to be interested in the stories he told and laughed at his lame jokes. She shared tales from her own childhood, growing up inside Sanctuary as an abused member of Solomon’s household and told him of her secret plan to escape Sanctuary mountain before Solomon gave her to Zebulon. It was all lies, of course, but Gabe believed every single one of them. 

    She rarely complained about the barely adequate conditions inside the cave. She swept it out every day and kept it as clean as possible. She stuttered and stammered something about being cold when Gabe caught her moving her borrowed buffalo robe closer to his spot by the fire. She even managed to blush when he caught her looking at him. But it had all been an act.

    Lilith had only pretended to like any of them so she could gather information for Solomon. Thankfully, his plan backfired and ended up helping the revolution instead of thwarting it. But that didn’t excuse Lilith’s behavior or Gabe’s gullibility. Nothing would.

    Gabe was barely aware of the sweeping changes brought about by Jonathan and Eli’s sudden rise to power. It all felt anti-climactic, somehow. People complained about the new laws, freeing servants and ranch hands and granting them full citizenship, but the only casualty of the revolution was Shula.

    Gabe felt guilty for mourning her death, even though she was his aunt. She’d tried to trick River into mating with Eli to prove he was the promised son of Ephraim. She’d also tried to murder Jonathan, so she got what she deserved, but Shula had been a big part of Gabe’s life since the night his mother disappeared and he missed her.

    The only good thing that happened that summer was Gabe’s wolf found his mate. She was only a pup, so they’d both have to wait for her to grow up before she chose a woman to merge with. But at least it gave him hope. Lilith was lost to him forever, but he had a soul mate out there somewhere, all he had to do was find her.

    That fall Reuben left to search for Hannah. He didn’t come back until the following spring, one week before they opened Sanctuary. When Gabe rode out to the cleansing station and asked if Rueben had learned anything about Hannah and the baby, all he said was ‘no.’

    Jonathan and River wanted to prepare a feast for Reuben after he completed his mandatory cleanse. Thanks to River’s and Gabriel’s hunting skills, they had plenty of meat, but their supply of dried fruit and vegetables was long gone. It was too early for dandelion greens or any other kind of edible vegetation. River traded half a dozen arrows for six bottles of carrots. She should have gotten a dozen bottles for each arrow, but it had been a hard winter for everyone so they celebrated with stewed venison, biscuits, goat milk gravy and one bottle of preserved carrots equally divided between them all. Gabriel savored two bites then surreptitiously slid the rest of his portion onto Paul’s plate when he wasn’t looking. The boy wasn’t overly fond of vegetables, but he was still growing and Gabe figured Paul needed the carrots more than he did.

    When the meal was done, Reuben locked his eyes on Gabe. I’d like to speak with you in my office.

    Gabe nodded, carried his dishes to the kitchen trough then followed Reuben down the hall, expecting a lecture for not doing a better job of rationing food over the winter. So when Reuben shut the door and pulled Gabe into a fierce hug, it stunned him.

    Reuben didn’t even pound Gabe’s back, he just held him, pressing his face down against his shoulder. I missed you, son.

    Gabe’s throat tightened so hard and so fast he couldn’t breathe, much less speak so he just nodded.

    Reuben released him then walked around his desk and sat down. He cleared his throat. Have a seat.

    Gabe pulled the three-legged stool out of the corner and sat down. I’m sorry about the low rations. Jonathan wants to build a glass shed over the garden. He thinks that’ll make it possible to grow vegetables all winter. The heated pipes buried under the garden extended the growing season, but with no way to hold in the heat when the temperature dropped, it wasn’t a total solution.

    It might. Reuben smiled. If he could get his hands on that much glass. Even if Jonathan could afford it, it would take years for the glass master to produce enough for a greenhouse.

    So you know what he’s talking about?

    They’re fairly common in the outside world.

    So, it’s possible?

    They have resources we don’t.

    Jonathan says outsiders throw glass away like garbage.

    Excessive wealth often leads to excessive waste.

    He wants to build a glass shop next to the smithy and use the heat from the smelting furnace to melt outsider glass for window panes.

    Reuben’s eyes widened then narrowed. The glass master won’t like the competition.

    Jonathan already talked to him. As long as he shares the glass he brings in from the outside and doesn’t try to make anything more complicated than flat panels, the glass master agreed to help Jonathan set up his shop and teach him the process.

    That would be quite a blessing. Not only would Jonathan learn a valuable craft, he’d be able to trade fresh vegetables for just about anything he’d want during the winter.

    Knowing Jonathan, he’d probably just give it away.

    Reuben chuckled and nodded. Most likely.

    So… Gabe arched an eyebrow. What did you want to talk to me about?

    Your inheritance.

    My wolf’s mate is still too young to merge.

    I’m only staying for the summer, to be sure the heirs of Sanctuary don’t try to undermine all we accomplished. Once they close the mountain again, I’m going to resume my search for your mother. I should have done this before I left last fall, in case anything happened to me, but I wanted to keep you, Paul, River and Jonathan together for another year.

    What are you saying? Gabe hoped he wasn’t planning on kicking River and Jonathan out.

    If it’s alright with you, I’d like to give River and Jonathan the house and twenty acres.

    You’re giving them the house?

    With the stipulation that they allow you and Paul to stay as long as you like. I’m sure that won’t be a problem.

    Gabe shook his head. They’d been a little crowded when they got snowed in, but for the most part, they all got along great.

    I’m giving you the smithy, the mud pit and the cleansing pool behind it as well as enough gold to build your own home. When Paul merges, he’ll get the horses, the stable, the steam cave and adjoining cleansing pool, and his share of the gold.

    But…where will you stay?

    When I’m here, I’ll stay with River and Jonathan. The rest of the time, I’ll be searching for your mother.

    If you give up all your land, you can’t be our high alpha. Gabe put his hands on the desk and leaned forward. You won’t be an alpha at all.

    Reuben’s eyes glowed with yellow light. I’ll always be an alpha. 

    Not according to the law.

    The world is a much bigger place than New Eden. Other packs have different laws. The heirs of Sanctuary don’t require their alphas to hold land.

    I don’t belong to a different pack. I’m not an heir of Sanctuary. I’m a surface dweller and I need you to hold on to your title as high alpha until someone that shares our vision for New Eden qualifies to take your place. Gabe shoved his hands in his hair. You need to retain ten acres from my inheritance and ten from Paul’s until that happens.

    I’ll retain twenty of your acres.

    Fine. 

    Until you qualify to take my place.

    I don’t want to be high alpha!

    If you did, I wouldn’t name you as my successor.

    CHAPTER THREE

    Gabriel

    FIVE YEARS LATER…

    GABE SAT across from Absolom while the man’s oldest daughter, Rose, worked alone in the kitchen.

    He poured more wine into Gabe’s wooden cup. Rose knows how you feel about servants, so she insisted on preparing the meal herself.

    I’m not opposed to using servants, as long as they’re compensated for their labor. Gabe couldn’t see the girl from his seat in the dining room, but he could hear her muttering over the clang of pots and pans. Whether or not preparing the meal without servants was Rose’s idea, and Gabe was willing to bet his best mare it wasn’t, she obviously wasn’t happy about it. I pay a widow to clean my house once a week.

    Absolom smiled, but it was strained. My servants are well fed, clothed and housed. That should be compensation enough for anyone.

    Gabe held his tongue. He didn’t want to get into a political debate tonight. All he wanted was to get through the meal and the awkward discussion about why he didn’t want to court the man’s daughter that was sure to follow, and go home. He knew the routine. He also knew there was no easy way out of it. Every other alpha male with an eligible daughter had already badgered him.

    Absolom took a sip of wine. He held the wooden cup in front of his mouth instead of lowering it to the table. What do you think of Rose?

    Gabe sat back in his chair. The unappetizing scent of burned meat wafted in from the kitchen. He drained his cup before answering. She’s a lovely woman.

    Rose was beautiful, but his wolf’s mate had already rejected her.

    She’ll be nineteen in a few weeks. Absolom got up and fetched another bottle of wine from the sturdy, but plain cabinet behind him. He refilled Gabe’s cup then sat back down.

    Gabe locked eyes with him, but said nothing.

    Absolom sighed. I know you’re still hoping to find your soul mate, but you’re running out of time.

    Gabe clenched his jaw to keep from growling. He was sick of everyone pointing out the obvious. If he didn’t merge before midnight on his birthday next year, he’d be branded as an omega, castrated and cast out of shifter society. His entire family would be disgraced.

    Your father will lose his place as high alpha. The balance of power will shift.

    Don’t pretend that wouldn’t make you happy. Everyone knew Absolom hated the new laws. His election to the council last year couldn’t overturn what had already come to pass, but it stopped all forward progress. If I haven’t found my soul mate before the deadline, I’ll force a merge with my wolf.

    Have you chosen a woman to break your fever?

    No. Gabe hadn’t given up on finding his soul mate. He took another swig of wine. I refuse to court a woman as a contingency plan. That wouldn’t be fair to her.

    Absolom reached across the table and refilled Gabe’s cup, yet again. Offer Rose a provisional contract.

    Provisional?

    Court Rose, but continue to search for your soul mate. If she doesn’t magically appear, allow Rose to force a merge with your wolf’s bitch.

    The only reason I can justify forcing a merge with my wolf, is because he’s already chosen me. I refuse to force his mate to merge with a woman she doesn’t want.

    How would that be worse than forcing any other wolf to merge? At least you wouldn’t be splitting up a mated pair if you allow Rose to merge with your wolf’s mate.

    He had a valid point. Why do you want Rose mated to me?

    Reuben squandered half his life expectancy when he shared his wolf’s spirit with your human mother. I’ll still be in my prime when you become high alpha.

    I share my father’s vision for New Eden. Gabe didn’t miss the condescending tone in Absolom’s voice when he mentioned Gabe’s human mother. Mating with Rose won’t change that.

    "It won’t change my political views either,

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