CHAPTER 4

    There is power in patience, in watching a person bloom under your care. I have seen that power in my wolf-lore many times. I know how fierce love can be—how it can build or burn. I would choose to build.

    For now, I would watch from shadows and tend the lines the elders drew. I would send my guards—to keep an eye from a distance, not to imprison her. Matt would help, of course. He is loyal. He also sees how this soft human has changed me—how I grow restless without her.

    When I think of the future, I imagine bringing her to the pack under my own terms. I imagine sitting with her under a full moon while she learns our customs and our rules. It will not be easy. The other packs will challenge us. There will be sneers from the old guard. But when I close my eyes, I see only her face, and my doubts fade.

     So I go to bed that night with a quieter mind than I’ve had in years. My wolf paces less. The ache is different now—call it hope, call it promise. Tomorrow I will visit Buck and find reasons—silly reasons—to see her again. I will not rush her. I will make her feel safe. I will earn her heart, even if the Moon Goddess herself had to bend fate for me to find her.

                                                                                   ----

 

Allie’s POV

  I woke this morning with the strange feeling that someone was watching me. When I opened my eyes, the room was empty. The window was still open from the night before, letting in a cool morning breeze. I told myself it was nothing, but the same odd tingle crept through me—the same one I’d felt when Jack stood by the lake.

    Maybe my mind was playing tricks on me. Or maybe, deep down, I wanted him to be there, watching.

    What is wrong with you, Allie? I scolded myself. You barely know the man.

    Still, the thought of him stirred something deep and unfamiliar inside me—something that made my heart race and my stomach flutter in a way I couldn’t explain.

    Trying to distract myself, I got out of bed and tripped over a pile of gifts my friends had given me before I left home. I’d tucked them in the closet and completely forgotten about them.

    “ Oh! I can’t believe I never opened these.”

    Sitting cross-legged on the floor, I began unwrapping them one by one.

    The first was a beautiful journal. I smiled, running my fingers over the cover. “ Guess I don’t need to buy a new one after all.”

    The second gift was in a black gift bag stuffed with tissue paper. Inside was the brown leather backpack I’d wanted for ages but could never afford. “ Oh my goodness,” I whispered. “ They didn’t.”

    By the third gift, I felt like a little girl on Christmas morning. Inside was a small pink perfume bottle labelled Pink Happiness. I spritzed some on my wrist and inhaled the scent—sweet, soft, and light. I loved it immediately.

    The fourth gift was In a flat, delicate box. It was so light I thought maybe it was a prank. But when I lifted the lid, a folded note sat on top of white tissue paper.

“Use it well for the first time. A little something sexy.

Love, Cassy.”

    I laughed and peeled the paper back—only to gasp. Inside was a sheer white lace dress with a matching thong. The kind of lingerie you only see on honeymoon ads. I held it up to myself in front of the mirror, shaking my head. “ You’ve got to be kidding me, Cassy.”

    Just then, the bedroom door opened.

    I froze.

    Uncle Buck stood in the doorway.

    My cheeks went scarlet. I dropped the lingerie and fumbled to cover it with the tissue paper.

    “ Uncle!” I said, forcing a nervous smile. “ Good morning! I didn’t hear you knock.”

    “ Sorry, dear,” he said quickly, turning a little red himself. “ I did knock. I just wanted to check if you were feeling all right. You’re usually up earlier than this.”

    “ I’m fine,” I said, tucking the gift box out of sight. “ I just got distracted with all the presents I never opened.”

    He chuckled. “ Well, breakfast is ready. Come eat when you’re done.”

    Once he left, I buried my face in a pillow and groaned. “ Great, Allie. Just great.”

    Downstairs, over breakfast, I told Uncle Buck that I wanted to go into town to pick up a few things.

    “ That’s a good idea,” he said. “ You’ve been on the farm too long. Go meet some people, get some fresh air.”

    After cleaning up, I dressed in a short white sundress, a denim jacket, and my favourite brown leather boots. My new backpack completed the entire look.

    The drive to town took about forty-five minutes. When I arrived, I headed straight to the farmer’s market. The square buzzed with life—vendors calling out prices, children laughing, the scent of fresh bread and fruit filling the air.

    A sweet smell caught my attention. I followed it to a small bakery stall run by a girl around my age. She had soft auburn hair and a friendly smile that could melt ice.

   “ Hi there,” I said. “ Sorry, but something here smells amazing.”

    She grinned. “ That would be my cookies. Fresh from the oven.”

    She held out a tray, and the steam still rose from them.

    I took one bite and nearly melted. “ Oh, wow. These are incredible.”

    Her smile widened. “ You really think so?”

    “ I know so. They’re the best cookies I’ve ever had. I need two boxes, please—and a card so I can order more.”

    She laughed and began packing them. “ You got it.”

    “ Are you Sasha?” I asked, reading her name on the business card.

    “ The one and only,” she said with a wink. “ You new around here? Haven’t seen you before.”

    “ Yes and no. I just moved in with my uncle, but I used to visit during holidays.”