Page 75 of A Half-Blood’s Escape
"I thought I wanted this," I told him.
"This?"
"My freedom. It is all I have ever wanted since my mother died, and my stepdad turned to drinking and gambling."
It was the first time I had really talked to anyone about my mother's death and the problems that had come after.
"Was your mother the wolf?"
I shook my head.
"My father ... never met him though," I said. "Not that I care really, but I just wanted to get away. When I was smaller, I hoped he would somehow find me and take me away, but it never happened, so I realized I needed to get out of there myself. I needed to find my way out and rather faster than later since my stepdad owed people some money."
"Let me guess, if he didn't pay, they were going to take you?"
I nodded.
"Something like that," I admitted. "Running seemed like the best option, but I needed money."
"Why you stole all that jewelry at the party," Gabriel said, connecting the dots.
I nodded.
"I thought coming with might give me a chance to escape anyway, but you assholes have actually made me like you," I said and smiled a little.
Gabriel chuckled, and then placed his hand on my shoulder.
"I seemed to like you quite a bit too, little queeny," he said.
"Don't call me that," I said.
"I am not allowed to call you anything then!" he complained, making me chuckle.
We smiled a little at each other, as he lowered his arm.
"So, what do you want to do now?" he asked. "I mean you could technically still run. I will give you a head start."
"How generous of you," I said sarcastically.
He just smiled at me and then gently nudged my shoulder with his.
"Come on, little half-blood, what is it going to be?" he asked.
I looked at the way I could go. I knew the freedom I had always wanted was that way, but it just wasn't the same anymore. I didn't want to go that way. I had what I wanted if I stayed. I had the family I had been denied for so long, and I had freedom with them too. It might not be as I had imagined, but there was still freedom with them. Who better to protect me than three male hybrids?
"I might just bring a fight with me," I said and looked at Gabriel again. "No one will want me with Dominic."
"We do," he said.
"It isn't enough."
"Then perhaps it is time I teach you to charm people," he said and winked.
I couldn't help but laugh.
"Sometimes we need to be a little selfish," he said. "It's okay to want something if we know it makes us happy."
"I don't know him that well," I said.
