A Love Story

Chapter One

A Love Story

Aveline Meadows

"Aveline." My mother's sharp voice found me before I rounded the corner, and my fingers tightened on the basket of laundry in my hands. She only used that tone or even acknowledged my presence when she wanted something. "In here. Now!"

I set the basket down and walked into the sitting room, wiping the beads of sweat off my forehead, a stark contrast to my twin sister who was combing her hair and relaxing in my mother's arms. I felt the familiar tug of pain every time I met with that scene, wishing I could enjoy that closeness too. But my wishes never came true.

My mother barely glanced away from her precuous daughter as she stroked her hair and addressed me.

"The Caden estate sent word," she started. "We've been invited to present Angel to the Alpha."

A wry smile almost found it's way to my lips. I was the one who got the letter, and it didn't state that Angel was to be presented. It stated that both daughters should, but I guess my mother was serious when she made it known throughout the pack that she had only one daughter. While me, the anomaly she gave birth to alongside my sister, was just a hired maid, and sometimes she called me a distant relative.

"You will accompany us as her attendant, Aveline. You will dress her, do her hair, carry her things, and make her look exceptional. You will not speak unless someone addresses you directly. You will not draw attention to yourself. Do you understand me?"

"Mother, she'll ruin it," Angel said, still not looking at me. "She always looks like she just crawled out of the kitchens. What would they think? That my attendant is not well fed? What about the drab clothes she wears?"

"Hush, sweetheart." My mother hushed her sweetly. "Aveline will have the opportunity to fit into your old clothes." She sighed heavily. "As much as I would rather give them out to the poor children on the streets, this is a serious event coming up and she's good at making your hair. Better than all the hair makers in the pack." She patted Angel's head softly. "She won't ruin anything because no one will notice her. That's the point."

My jaw ached the way they spoke as if I wasn't standing in front of them. "I understand." I finally said when both of them turned to stare at me.

"Good." My mother's sharp voice was back. "Get inside and Pack for three days. The carriage is coming in three hours and we should be ready by then." She paused. "Be fast because you will dress Angel up and make their hair."

*

The carriage ride wasn't unbearable as my mother focused all her attention on coaching Angel on how to act when she was presented to the Alpha, expressly stating that there were other women who were trying to catch the Alpha's attention and she should act as if she had already caught his attention.

I wasn't paying close attention but taking in the scenery as we went because this was one of the rare moments I had the chance to step out of the house. The estate itself was breathtaking when we reached, and I didn't have the chance to do anything as the Alpha's servants came to help Angel and my mother carry her suitcases. They were shown to their rooms while I was taken to the servant's quarters.

"We will ring you when we need you, Aveline." My mother's cold voice never left my ears. "For the meantime, gather every information you can about this place. Any gossip you can get from other servants that could help Angel to be chosen. If you're lucky, I will grant one wish from you."

One wish from her...

The sun was setting and no one had called me for anything. Other servants said I should explore the grounds because Miss Angel and her mother were about to have dinner with the Alpha.

I took their advice and slipped into the beautiful garden of the estate.

*

The garden was bigger than I expected. The paths were lined with white stones and there were flowers of every kind around beautifying the place. The mix of jasmine and lavender was intoxicating, but it was the beautiful lake up ahead that caught my attention as it glistened under the sunset.

The only thing that was out of place was the wooden bridge for one to cross over the lake, and when I stepped onto it, it creaked, shattered, and I found myself pitching forward.

I only had one wish while falling — I hoped my mother never found out— and then I accepted my fate.

I waited to fall into the lake, instead, I felt thick arms slipping round my waist and yanking me into something, no, someone solid, and without thinking, my hands grabbed the fabric of their clothe to keep me steady.

"Careful..." The voice was low and deep, rumbling from his chest. A sound that sent shivers running down my spine, and for the first time in my life, my body felt like staying here for a little more while.

"Are you okay?" The man asked once more, and I felt my heart skip a beat before I pulled away to take a good look at him, and my breath caught.

He was tall, really tall and had broad shoulders, dark hair that fell across his forehead and a finely shaped jaw, but what stood out was his eyes. Striking silver eyes that shone more than the lake.

"I'm sorry, my dress caught." My face burned that this man had saved me. "I wasn't looking where I..."

"You don't have to apologize for almost falling into a lake. Most people don't." I could tell from his light tone that he was teasing, and I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped my mouth as he gently picked me up from the mess, as if I weighed nothing, and put me on dry land.

"Thank you," I said. "For catching me."

"Thank the bridge for trying to throw you in. I was just standing here." He responded nonchalantly, but all I could notice was that he smelled so good.

My face got hotter especially after realizing that he was flirting with me. I didn't know where to put my hands, so I folded them in front of me and tilted my head to the side to test my flirting skills.

"Well, if you ask me, I could write about this romantic experience in one of my books?"

The expression on his face changed into something softer. "You think this was a romantic experience?" A light smile touched his lips.

"Isn't it?" I chucked slightly, getting more bold. "I mean... Me almost falling into the water and a hand slipping around my waist to keep me from falling? Then seeing one of the most beautiful eyes in my life being my saviour and prince charming? In a beautiful garden... under the sunset glow? Isn't that romantic?"

His eyes were unfocused for a moment, and my stomach dropped thinking I may have said something really terrible.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... I'll be on my way. I..." I apologized immediately and was about to rush out in embarrassment when I felt a steady grip on my wrist, and I stopped.

He was staring at me with an inexplicable expression on his face. "You read too?"

I chuckled awkwardly. "Yeah, well, who doesn't?"

"You'll be surprised..." But he didn't add more to that. "What kinds of books do you read?"

"Uh..." This was another first. No one had taken interest in me or the things I did, but him. "Just the classical romance that the humans write. Nothing serious."

His silver eyes sparkled under the light. "Really?" He murmured. "Do those books make you a hopeless romantic?"

"Of course it does!" I giggled again. "Who doesn't want to fantasize on having a Prince charming coming to save them? Sleeping under the stars and making love under the moonlight with a stranger, and—"

I held my tongue. Too much. I was talking too much. When I stole a glance at his face, something had darkened in his eyes, and I wasn't so sure why my body prickled under the heat of his gaze.

"Is that one of your fantasies?" He cocked his head to the side and his smile grew wider, almost teasingly, and I found my breath getting knocked out of my lungs.

My face burned so hot I was sure he could feel the heat from where he stood. "It's foolish. I read it in a book once, and I never forgot it. The way the author described it. The way it felt like the characters were the only two people in the world."

"What a coincidence," he murmured.

"What?"

He gestured around us. "You're standing in a beautiful garden," he said. "Under the moonlight. You are a stranger to me, as I am to you."

My heart stopped at those words, and his hands lifted to my face and his fingers brushed my jaw lightly, and my breath caught.

"In the books I sneak off to read." He began slowly. "This is the part where they kiss, isn't it?"

"I... Uh... Yes, this is." I swallowed hard, my heart racing as he stepped forward. Was this happening? Was I going to let a stranger kiss me? But this was once in a lifetime, and I may never get to experience getting kissed if I stayed under my mother's roof.

"Is that what you want?" He asked slowly, searching my eyes as he closed the distance between us.

Just this once, I told myself before nodding to him.

His hand slid into my hair. His other arm wrapped around my waist. He pulled me against him, and his mouth found mine. His mouth trailed down to my neck and my eyes closed involuntarily, and my head fell back.

Under the moonlight and in a beautiful garden.