Free AGThanksgiving_JCSmith by Jessica Coulter Smith Page B

claim Autumn as your own. You’re a wonderful alpha. Don’t doubt
yourself now.”
    “I want you back,” he said softly.
    Kiera caressed his cheek.
“We’ll be together again one day, but not now. You have a job to do, a life to
live. It isn’t your time yet.”
    He pressed his cheek into her
palm and closed his eyes. “I love you, Kiera. I’ll always love you.”
    “I love you, too. And for the
record, you were right. I do like Autumn and she’s exactly who I would have
chosen for you. She needs you, but you need her just as much. Let go of your
grief, Gabriel, before it takes over your life. Love her the way you loved me,
with your whole heart.”
    He opened his eyes. “That’s
truly what you want?”
    “More than anything. You
deserve to be happy again. Stop thinking that you failed me and stop worrying
that you’ll fail her. Take things one day at a time, but remember what’s
coming. Protect her, Gabriel. She’s your future.”
    Remiel pulled Kiera away.
“It’s time to go. I’ve allowed you more time than I should have.”
    Gabriel stood and leaned
forward, pressing his lips to Kiera’s one last time. As she pulled away, he
felt something inside of him release, and a weight lift from his shoulders. He
watched as she disappeared, a smile on her face. At that moment, Gabriel felt
more peace than he had in months. Suddenly, everything felt like it was falling
into place. Kiera had given him a mission and he was going to see it through.

Chapter Eight
    Autumn sat in the living room
working on her latest novel. Chloe and Michael had dropped her off at the house
nearly an hour ago and still there was no sign of Gabriel. She’d thought he was
coming home, but the house had been empty when she arrived. If Michael hadn’t
had a key, she’d have been locked out. She wasn’t upset, just worried. She
hoped her confession hadn’t done more harm than good. Maybe she should have
just kept her mouth shut. What good had it done to tell him she had feelings
for him? It was stupid.
    She stared at the blank
screen, begging the words to come to her, but her mind couldn’t focus on the
story. She wondered where Gabriel was and when he would return. Or if he would
return. What if she’d finally pushed him over the edge and he’d decided to
leave Ashton Grove? She’d never know if he’d removed things from his room.
Guilt ate at her.
    Giving up on her story, she
closed the laptop and went to sit on the front porch. A large wooden crate sat
at the top of the steps and she wondered when it had been delivered. She hadn’t
heard a truck, but then she’d been lost in her thoughts. Autumn tugged on it,
but it was too heavy for her to budge. Stepping around it, she sat on the steps
and watched the cars pass by. One of the mechanics across the street waved to
her and she lifted her hand in response.
    A rumble coming up the street
drew her gaze and she watched as Gabriel came into view on his motorcycle. He
pulled into the driveway, turned off the bike, and put down the kickstand. As
he approached her, he pulled off his sunglasses and hung them from the front of
his shirt.
    His gaze strayed to the crate
behind her. “What’s in the box?”
    “I don’t know. It wasn’t here
when I got home, but when I came out a few minutes ago I found it. I tried to
tug it into the house, but it was too heavy.”
    He looked down at her again.
“I’m sorry for taking off the way I did. There were some things I needed to
sort out.”
    “Do you feel better now?”
    “I do.” He smiled. “I feel
better than I have in a long time.”
    “I can still pack and move
back to the apartment, if you want.”
    Gabriel shook his head.
“You’re right where you’re supposed to be. It just took me a while to reconcile
my head and my heart. They’ve been at war with one another since you showed up
on my doorstep, but I think I have it all figured out now.”
    She frowned, feeling more than
a little confused.
    Gabriel reached down and
tugged