by Cara Wylde
“No,” she reinforced her decision. “At least, not this time. It’s enough I came this close to it. It’s absolutely breathtaking!”
She looked up at the Schloss again. A gust of wind blew past them, and she stroked her hair away from her face. It was sticking everywhere, tangled and untamed, so she gave up trying to do anything to it. For a moment, she wondered what she looked like. She was tired, her hair was disheveled beyond repair, and her heavy coat wasn’t particularly sexy. Then, she dismissed the thought and decided she was more interested in the man before her. It would have been foolish of her to waste this precious time worrying about her appearance when she was with someone who could tell her so many interesting things.
“So, do you want to tell me about this place?” she asked.
Kevin puffed up his cheeks and looked around him.
“Where should I begin?”
“Well, you could start by telling me how old it is…?”
“Technically, the original foundation dates to sometime in the 11th century, but it has been restored by a few of the Blackmane Alphas. The first one fortified it, which was a good idea given the War of the Six Faction broke out later. The other Alphas simply renovated it when it was necessary, keeping it inhabitable and adding the modern stuff we wouldn’t be able to live without today. You would be surprised just how quickly a castle in the mountains can degrade. Every new renovation came with design choices to reflect the personality and preferences of the Alpha in charge. Sometimes, it was just furniture. Other times, they made consistent architectural changes.”
“When was the last time it was renovated?”
Ashley started walking along the wall, and Kevin followed her. He caught up with her, straightened his back, and took the serious air of a guide.
“If I remember well, my Alpha’s father renovated the place sometime between 1855 and 1867. Nikolas Blackmane… was his name. He was an art lover with a love for French and English medieval architecture. That’s why the castle is sporting the Neo-Gothic details you can see on the windows, towers, and arches.”
“Pretty amazing…”
“There are one hundred and forty rooms, and the library is one of the largest in Europe. You wouldn’t believe it, but the place is far larger than it looks on the outside.” Kevin said, looking up at the tall spires which seemed to pierce the clouds. It was as if he was in awe himself, even though the Schloss had been his home since he was born.
Ashley followed his gaze. They both admired the castle for long minutes, unable to say anything else. The place was beyond words, and going through its detailed history wouldn’t have done it justice anyway.
She was enjoying every minute of their walk, but now that she had her feet on the ground again, she could feel the accumulated strain from her hike, and the fact that she hadn’t eaten since the day before started to catch up with her. She was surprised her stomach hadn’t yet begun to rumble, and she tugged her water bottle out of her backpack and took a sip. She needed to do something about food, though, before her hunger pains kicked in. Now she cursed herself for having left in such a hurry in the morning. In fact, it hadn’t been the fact that she was in a hurry. She had been too angry and disappointed to think about food, so she forgot all about buying sandwiches.
“Surely, there must be food in the castle,” she thought. She had no idea whether werewolves hunted in the woods when they were hungry, or they also ate normal, cooked meals. For a second, she thought she might tell Kevin she was hungry and let him come up with some ideas, but she changed her mind immediately. He would probably invite her over to lunch, and while she wasn’t opposed to the possibility of meeting the other members of Clan Blckmane at some point in the future, she couldn’t bring herself to do it just then.
Kevin started talking again, but she couldn’t focus anymore. Whether she liked it or not, she would need to get back to her hotel room. The cold was already making her lose feeling in the tips of her ears. She wasn’t a werewolf like Kevin, so she couldn’t just sit out there, in the middle of February, with no consequences. She would need to get back down the mountain soon, and she knew she couldn’t do it by herself.
“Damn it! Why haven’t I thought about this before agreeing to come up here?” It seemed like today all her decisions had been upside-down.
“Err, Kevin?” She interrupted him. “I need to get back to town.”
She looked up into his mesmerizing green eyes and hoped he would be willing to help her again. She could feel that tugging sensation from earlier, and she had to force herself to tear her gaze away from him as her blush deepened on her face, and butterflies started flapping their tiny wings inside her stomach. The attraction she felt towards him was insane!
“Oh, of course.”
Sadness darkened his handsome features for a moment, but he knew it was time for her to go. He started back towards the gates, but not before taking her hand into his, seemingly without realizing.
Ashley could feel the heat of his hand radiating through her glove, just like before, and it was nice that it helped ward off the cold. She was mildly jealous of him, and she caught herself wondering whether she would enjoy the ability to never feel the cold again, to walk in the snow barefoot without it affecting her in any way. Shape-shifters were incredible creatures, that much she knew for certain. They didn’t feel the cold or the heat as humans did, and they had amazing physical strength. She had gotten a taste of their speed earlier, and she was sure that was merely half of what Kevin was capable of. What else? Oh! They could live for hundreds of years.
“I assume you’re too tired to ride on my back,” Kevin chuckled.
Ashley nodded. Lost in her own thoughts, she wasn’t really paying attention to him. She was one step behind him, her hand still in his, and she took the opportunity to study his wide back, bulky arms, and shiny blond hair. He looked like he was in his early thirties, but it was impossible to know how old he really was. Except… if she asked. But, wasn’t it rude to ask a werewolf about his age?
“Perfectly understandable,” he said.
“I mean, it’s just because I haven’t had breakfast or lunch today,” she explained. She didn’t want to come across as making excuses. She really was having a great time with him, but she was level-headed enough to know when it was time to stop and focus on her own needs.
“Oh wow! I honestly don’t know how you survived this long.”
It was weird, but he sounded worried about her. Ashley threw him a curious glance.
“It’s fine. I’ve gone through rougher diets.”
“What?!” He turned around to check whether she was joking or not. “Why would you go on a diet?”
Ashley laughed. “Seriously?” They had stopped in front of the gates, and she took the chance to motion towards her body, emphasizing her round, heavy breasts, and full hips. “This is why.”
Kevin’s eyebrows rose in confusion. “I don’t see it.”
“Seriously?” she insisted.
“You look amazing! I wouldn’t change a thing.”
Ashley’s heart melted right on the spot. She couldn’t believe her ears. This was the first time in her life when a man was telling her she looked amazing and didn’t need to lose a single pound. She could almost cry.
Kevin was still unaware of what was going through her head. To him, she was perfect. In fact, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, and he had only seen her covered in a thousand layers of clothes. He had to stop himself from imagining her naked, otherwise the erection he was already dealing with would have become painful.
“I can arrange for a car,” he said. “You can have a driver, if you want, or I can drive you to the hotel.”
Ashley snapped out of her trance. What now?! This drop dead gorgeous man had rescued her from three morons, given her the best adventure of her life, told her that her curvy body was perfect, and now he wanted to give her a car and a driver? She looked around her. Was this really happening to her? Ashley Woods, the curv
y American girl who had never had any luck in love?
“Ashley? Are you okay?” he asked.
Her reactions were making him more and more confused.
“Yes, yes!” She shook her head vigorously. “It’s just… I’m very tired.” And, maybe, that was it. Maybe all this would make more sense to her after she had eaten two courses plus dessert, and had taken a good nap. “It’s fine if you drive me,” she added. “If it’s not too much to ask, of course.”
“Not at all.”
His whole face lit up. The idea of spending a bit more time with her made him forget about his own exhaustion and how his stomach was starting to demand another deer.
Kevin approached the gate and pushed the intercom button. Ashley was surprised that such an old castle had modern technology, but she decided not to ask too many questions as she allowed Kevin to take the lead. That was what he was meant to do: take the lead. His whole demeanor and body language screamed power. For the hundredth time that day, Ashley wondered what his Alpha was like and, more importantly, what the woman who had stolen his heart was like.
Max Blackmane was the leader, the one from whom all orders came, the one who was to be obeyed without question, whose primal power was recognized by all the members of his pack. Looking at Kevin, she wondered how much of the Alpha’s character had rubbed off on him over the years. Had he always been like this, so strong and sure of himself? Or had his rank as Beta changed him? She was so curious about him, and she desperately wanted answers to questions she knew she couldn’t ask just yet.
Ashley realized she had spaced out so much that she hadn’t even heard Kevin’s conversation with whomever was at the other end of the intercom. All she knew was that she had to shield her eyes against the sunlight which had gotten significantly brighter now that it was closer to the middle of the sky. She was only alerted to the presence of a car when the gates soundlessly swung open before her, and the distant sound of an engine starting up could be heard. Another minute of waiting, and the driver parked the car in front of them. He got out and gave Kevin the keys.
Ashley greeted the man, then didn’t wait for Kevin to hold the door for her. She pulled the passenger’s side door open and climbed inside, setting her backpack down between her legs as she waited for Kevin to climb in as well.
“Oh, you’re already inside,” he said surprised. “You must be eager to get back.”
Just as he finished his sentence, Ashley’s stomach started rumbling angrily, and she blushed to the tips of her ears.
Kevin laughed and got in.
“Shut up,” she said.
It took him a couple of seconds to push the driver’s seat back to accommodate his height. When he was finally settled in comfortably, he turned to her, looking her straight in the eyes.
“What?” she asked, confused.
“Nothing.”
Clearly, it wasn’t nothing. Silence fell between them, and Ashley waited for him to do something. Her heart started beating faster at the thought that he might just kiss her. Then, Kevin broke eye contact and leaned forward to grab something out of the glove compartment. Ashley was disappointed for a moment, then she made her decision. If he wasn’t going to make a move, then she was. As he was getting ready to straighten his back, she took advantage of his position and stopped him with a kiss. Maybe she should have been ashamed of making the first step, but she wasn’t. Not when Kevin returned her kiss so eagerly. She pulled away when she started losing her breath, and the bright smile on his face warmed her all up inside.
Without a word, Kevin started driving. He had wanted to kiss her since they had reached the castle and she had gotten all flushed up at the sight of his naked body, but he had fought the urge. He didn’t want her to think he was just like the guys he had saved her from. Now that she had made her own intentions clear, he was feeling more at ease. It was safe to even ask her out.
They stopped in front of the hotel, and Kevin held her gaze, that charming smile still present on his lips.
“So, if you’re not busy later, would you like to have dinner with me tonight?”
Ashley bit her bottom lip gently, hesitation obvious on her features. She had never considered getting involved with a shifter before, but it was clearly happening. Even though they had had a great time, she wasn’t entirely sure she was ready for something like that. But the tingle of his kiss was still on her lips, and she honestly couldn’t see any harm in going out to dinner with him. It would be the first time in a long while when she didn’t spend Valentine’s Day alone.
“Sure, I’d like that,” her answer came.
CHAPTER THREE
The next few hours went agonizingly slow. Ashley had a huge lunch, then she tried to sleep, only to fail miserably. She did her best to occupy herself with anything she could find of interest, but every thought she had seemed to always work its way back to Kevin.
It was with more than a little relief that she opened the door at 6:30 PM, when Kevin knocked. She had spent the past hour fussing with her clothes, changing from one dress to another, then touching and retouching her make-up until she considered it perfect. In fact, for the first time in her life, she was proud of the winged line she had managed to draw with her old eyeliner, and the bright red lipstick she almost never wore because the proper occasions never seemed to present themselves. She hadn’t been on a real date in ages, and she was nervous beyond belief.
“Hey there! Are you ready?” Kevin chirped.
He had planned to say more than that, but his jaw dropped when he saw her.
Ashley nodded and laughed. Not at the expression on his face, but at the sight of him wearing an elegant suit. Oh, and shoes. For a second, she wondered if he truly felt comfortable in them.
“I’m sorry,” he said when he found his voice again. “You look wonderful!”
“Thank you.”
His white teeth flashed at her in a bright smile, and the arm that she then realized had been hidden behind his back moved into sight, revealing a bouquet of red roses. Ashley took it gently, her heart fluttering in her chest as she breathed in the scent of the flowers. It had been a long time since anyone had brought her flowers for any reason, let alone Valentine’s Day, and she couldn’t help but think how nice it felt to have someone do that for her.
“Thank you, they’re lovely. Give me a moment to find a vase for them, and then we can go.”
She let Kevin step inside her room while she carried the flowers over to one of the empty vases she had purchased as a souvenir. She poured some tap water from the bathroom, then placed the roses inside. She took a minute to stand back and admire them, the whole time painfully aware that Kevin was looking around her hotel room. She wasn’t a messy person, so, for the most part, everything looked the exact same way as the day she had arrived. She turned around to face him, swallowing heavily as she found him gazing at her with a surprisingly feral expression. She looked away for a moment, and when she looked back, the expression was gone, having been replaced with a kind and patient smile.
“Shall we?” He offered her his arm.
“I guess so.” She glanced shyly at his arm before taking it. Another gesture that was odd to her… Her ex-boyfriends had never taken her on dates like that… dressing elegantly, bringing her roses, offering her their arm… All this was so new, and strange, and so deliciously pleasant. Kevin truly knew how to make her feel special.
They walked down to where Kevin’s car was waiting. He held the door open for her this time, and only once she was comfortably seated did he close it and made his way around to the driver’s side. Since the Symphonie restaurant wasn’t too far away, it didn’t take them much time to get there. Soon, Ashley found herself seated at one of the tables of the surprisingly upscale restaurant. The place looked and felt fancy, and at the back of her mind, she couldn’t help but wonder just how pricey it was.
“So, why don’t you tell me a little more about yourself, Ashley?” Kevin said once the waiter had walked away with their ord
er, his chin resting atop his folded hands as he looked right into her dark blue eyes.
“What exactly do you want to know?” She asked shyly, her hands fidgeting in her lap as she did her best to meet his gaze.
“Anything and everything. Just tell me whatever comes to your mind.”
Ashley took a deep breath, taking a second to frantically ruffle through her mind to find a topic she could start with. She didn’t know why she was so worried about letting Kevin get to know her better. The more time she spent with him, the more she feared she was falling for him entirely, which was something she honestly wasn’t ready for. There was so much red tape involved in shifter-human relationships that she didn’t think she would be able to accomplish everything that would be expected of her, and the thought alone was enough to make her stomach clench painfully.
“Well, I grew up in a small town in the USA. It was just me and my parents. I’ve always wanted another sibling, but my parents worked long hours to the point where they didn’t think it would be fair to subject another kid to such long periods of absence,” she began her story, pausing to take a small sip of water to help wet her suddenly dry throat.
“Does that mean you spent a lot of time alone as a kid?” Kevin asked curiously, his hand reaching over to gently stroke hers.
“Oh no, they were always home when I got home from school, and we spent pretty much every evening together.” She looked at his hand. The stroke of his fingers sent electricity up her arm. “Though, occasionally, my dad would get called back to work and it would just be my mother and I. We’d always play games of some kind, or watch movies while we waited for dad to come home.” Ashley smiled as her childhood memories bubbled up to the surface. Yes, she had been a happy kid.