2. THE DATE

CHAPTER TWO- THE DATE

1620 AD,

Silver Crest Packhouse,

12:00 noon.

Kendra Sullivan cursed her impetuousness.

How was her plan going to work? 

Where was she even going to start?

With the Red moon fast approaching, it was best that Killian started the courtship thing as early as tonight! 

Her mother had always said she was impulsive, acting out and doing things on a whim without thinking of the implications.

She was starting to see that now.

As it was now, the lives of everyone in the pack rested on the success of her plan, 

She had even given the Alpha hope once more.

Kendra settled into the chair and reached for a parchment. She took a deep breath, dipped the quill pen into the inkhorn, and then she began to write: Alpha Killian’s Courting Schedules.

She leaned back to examine her title, chewing her lips thoughtfully. 

No. It didn’t quite sound right. 

Besides anyone would know what it was about should they stumble across it!

Kendra nodded. 

Her subconscious was right. Canceling the long list of words, she wrote: Kill these dates.

A grin made its way onto her face.

This was perfect!

No one was going to suspect a thing, even if they saw the parchment. She just had one last thing to do now;

She had to handpick the candidates!

*****

Killian sat before the blonde woman, looking like this was the last place he wanted to be.

Honestly speaking, he had only said yes to Kendra’s stupid plan because he had thought it would be an impossible feat to achieve. Looking back now, he realized what a huge mistake that had been.

He should have known that with her over the top determination and her annoying tendency to win people over, this would have been a breeze, but no. He had gone along with it, and now he was seated with a woman who blushed at the littlest thing he did, like lifting his glass of red wine to his fucking lips.

Kendra would have laughed her ass off at his current predicament. She was crazy, coming up with her operation ‘kill those dates’ like that which she had explained was only a fancy, covert way of talking about his courtship schedules.

Killian sighed out loud.

Why was he even thinking about her, when he should be focusing on this--this fucking date?

“Are you alright, my Lord?” The blonde woman muttered shyly, snapping the Alpha out of his thoughts. “Is the food to your liking?”

Killian groaned inwardly. 

What was the blonde’s name again?

Ah, Yennefer Macguire!

“Indeed it is, Lady Macguire,” He started, leaning confidently in his seat to further intimidate the lady further. So far, nothing about her was holding his interest, and every attempt he had made at conversation had fallen flat on its face.

But beggars couldn’t be choosers?

No. So if she didn’t bolt after everything— yes, everything— then he was definitely going to have to,

Settle.

“Tell me, Lady Macguire… what are your interests, what excites you most?” Killian tried again, telling himself that if this last attempt failed, he was taking her to her home and calling it a night.

Yennefer cleared her throat once more, chewing her bottom lip thoughtfully.

Ken chewed her lips just like that when she was nervous or pensive.

“That does not really matter, my Lord,” Killian heard the blonde she-wolf say, the words thankfully taking his mind off his wandering thoughts. “Your thoughts will become my thoughts, your interests, mine.” She finished gracefully, grinning as if she thought she had given him a very logical answer.

Killian couldn’t help the yawn that escaped his lips. Apparently, that was his cue. 

Lord knows he had had enough!

*****

Killian had half a mind to just allow the footmen see the lady off to her door, but he had been raised as a gentleman.

He wasn’t going to stop now?

Alighting from the carriage, he circled over to her side and opened the door for her, reaching for her red-gloved hand to help her down.

Yennefer Macguire could see her chance rapidly slipping beneath her fingers.

She needed to do something, and fast!

“I had a wonderful time, Alpha,” She stated coyly, slipping her gloved hand into the crook of his elbow.

Oh, so she talks now?

The dame had been silent all through dinner, and she now wanted to talk?

Well, it was too late.

“I’m glad you had a great time.” Killian quipped, not bothering to add anything else. He pulled away from her hold when they got to her doorstep. 

He had other places to be, and this wasn’t really working. 

Tipping his top hat slightly, he said, “Have a wonderful evening.” and turned to leave.

Yennefer was already having a panic attack.

She could already see her family’s reaction to her dashing their dreams— to her ruining their only chance!

In her desperation, she tugged at the Alpha’s coat and pulled him to her with a force she didn’t know she possessed. 

Before Killian could stop her, she had already pressed her lips against his.

He pushed her away roughly, 

But it was already too late!

A yowl overtook him, along with a sudden, searing pain that had him sinking to his knees in front of the terror-stricken girl.

What was happening?

Killian knew very well what it was.

They were the new symptoms of the renewed curse manifesting themselves! He knew they were going to be bad, but he didn’t think it was going to get this bad?

The Alpha could feel his bones contorting, forming a caricature that even he— without a mirror to see felt terrified of.

Even in his painful, horrible state, he could sense that Yennefer wasn’t going to remain standing for long. 

He inched closer to her despite her screams and managed to catch her just before she collapsed in a heap on the cold, hard ground. 

Minutes passed before the lady came to.

Her memories came rushing back almost immediately when she stared into the Alpha’s stormy blues. He looked normal now, but nothing was going to get that demonic image out of her head. “MONSTER!!! YOU’RE A FREAK!!” She screamed in his face, stepping away from him as far as she could. She was almost delirious in her righteous indignation that she forgot who he was for a minute. “You saw him too right?” She asked the footmen, but got no response. “He was a demon from hell… h-h-he’s a freak!! Please don’t hurt me, I won’t tell a soul, I promise.” With that, the dame practically fled into the house. Killian could have sworn he heard the door bolt shut.

With his heart heavy, he made his way back to the carriage. 

His men were loyal, and so his secret was safe…

For now.