Gabriel's cunning

― Gabi! Are you going to practice?

Gabriel turned his head over his shoulder finding Sadie's make-up eyes, shining brightly for him. He couldn't handle the girl's euphoria when she threw herself on his back and hung himself. It seemed to immobilize him completely.

― Yes, although I'm already late. I forgot the sneakers I got from my parents these days, so I went back to get them.

― Forgotten you, huh. But it seems that now we will not have so much time together... I mean, we go out in the same crowd like that day.

The alpha smiled kindly at the girl, who had finally released him from the tight embrace, managing to walk the halls of the school to leave the building. Carrying the new pair of sneakers, he tried to look at its details just to get away from Sadie's intense gaze.

It was a nuisance to deal with girls like her. The smell they emanated made their intentions clear. They always left traces on purpose... He wouldn't blame her for remaining hopeful, at that party they had kissed. It was a challenge, a mere joke, but Sadie liked Gabriel and he knew it.

Getting rid of his feelings was a difficult task.

― With the playoffs going on it's best to avoid. The captain has already fallen ill, and the coach is probably going to pick on us.

― Did he become ill? ― Questioned her in false innocence. ― Again? Is it something contagious?

― It must be a cold.

Immediately Sadie had formed a grimace, trembling all over.

― Gosh! That's dangerous, what if someone caught it? What bad luck on our team.

At that point she was right, Gabriel pondered. He did not quite understand what could have happened to Nicolas, but Theodore had said it was caused by the stickers. Therefore, it was unnecessary to fear that the whole team would catch a cold. He should take care to avoid such scenarios.

Especially when the whole team was thirsty for victory.

― It would be good to avoid more contagion... That assistant should be barred from the gym, surely he must have taken something from his little boyfriend.

Gabriel had frozen in place, closing his steps. The brown eyes were diligently placed on the girl who continued to walk in front of his, completely oblivious to the intense aura that emerged behind.

He was really hoping that Sadie wasn't talking about Theodore.

When Sadie realized he was gone, she stopped and turned around facing him.

― What is it, Gabi?

Hold back!

Theodore had asked earlier to act naturally.

― It was nothing. ― Hard to say, almost biting his tongue.

Returning to walk through the courtyard to follow the gym, passing the leafy tabebuias, Gabriel had felt the sweet smell that he loved to appreciate. The brown eyes swept around him seeking the owner of that smell, having a smile about to appear on his lips when he found Theodore.

But his smile died soon after.

The physiognomy of the omega was tense, with stiff shoulders looking like talking to someone. Talk not, because Theodore's mouth did not move, he just listened. Immediately the Alpha wanted to know who the boy was talking to, finding the figure of Thunder angry.

Sadie once again realized that the boy was not following her, and when she looked in the same direction, hurried to grab Gabriel's arm.

— Come! Didn't you say you were late? ― The alpha, however, had not moved. He continued to observe that conversation until he watched Thunder push Theodore's shoulder. Gabriel took two steps when he was stopped by the girl. ― Stay out of this, Gabi!

― What?

― I asked Thunder to talk to him. I'm sure he wrote that story.

Gabriel had closed his eyes for a moment. Theodore had warned him of the supposed story circulating in the Orkut community when they met before class. Of course he had calmed down the omega by making sure he wasn't put down by the offensive comments, it would take a lot to bring him down.

Taking looks and whispers was quiet.

But putting up with someone being aggressive with Theodore... was another story.

— And why would you need to know who wrote that story? ― Questioned the boy with a husky voice, squeezing the new sneakers in his hands containing his growing anger. ― Does talk about you? About Thunder?

― No, but it talks about you.

― Did I ask for help?

Sadie loosened the grip on Gabriel's arm, without averting her eyes from that cold face that appeared in the place of his warm smile. So used to seeing the knight side of the boy, always smiling and respectful. Where did it stop? Why was there a person with a face like his, looking so coldly at her?

― You didn't, but you're my friend. I just want to help you.

Seeming to take a deep breath to calm down, Gabriel turned his head to Sadie.

― Ask me first, Sadie. That's not altruism, that's selfishness.

Releasing himself from Sadie's grip, Gabriel marched to the two boys who had a heated conversation. The alpha hurried his steps as Thunder's clenched fist raised announcing aggression about to arise.

Without thinking of anything else, focusing only on protecting that omega that was so important to him, Gabriel let his instincts take control of his consciousness. The predominantly alpha scent stood out with praise, slowing Thunder down as he sniffed the air and looked in his direction.

It was Gabriel's turn to close his fists and hit a punch in Thunder's belly, forcing him to step back a few steps. The alpha's arm wrapped around Theodore's shoulders, which trembled paralysed, hugging him against his chest.

On the courtyard lawn, sitting caressing his own aching belly, Thunder stared at that alpha that seemed to be the incarnation of the devil himself shooting him with his gaze with a certain amount of contempt.

― Gabriel! What's your deal, bro? Are you kidding?

Gabriel slowly softened his face, wearing the usual mask that made people comfortable with him. Even dared to lessen its smell, despite maintaining the presence of alpha. A small knife pressed against the neck of that other alpha that was Thunder.

― What you're doing? We have to train.

― You punched me, man!

— Just so you can come back. ― Releasing Theodore to pull him behind him, Gabriel crouched in front of Thunder pointing at the boy ― You seemed about to lose control, imagine what would happen if you let your instincts go out like that?

Thunder flashed stunned, looking at his own hands that were hot. He moved his fingers feeling them cast, as hard as stones, completely haunting him.

― My cock! That was close!

Gabriel's smile grew in pure malice, only perceived by Theodore who faced him still petrified. Thunder was convinced, by so little, that he had almost lost control of his own instinct. In fact, his smell was intense just before Gabriel arrived, the anger was clear in his eyes, but it did not come close to being as the other said.

― Isn't it? You have to be careful with that, I hear the board here is pretty strict about fighting.

Thunder swallowed hard, nodding several times.

Gabriel had reached out to his team-mate, who held his to stand. Hugging his shoulder to take him to Sadie, who was still standing in the same place, Gabriel simply turned his head over his shoulder giving a wink to Theodore, left behind.

The secret of being kept safe.

He had not raised suspicions about his jealousy, and had yet to prevent Theodore from getting hurt.

Gabriel was certainly a sly one.