The letters' content were not surprising, not in the least. So she wasted no time, sought out her best looking formal attires, laid them all on her bed. She had three. She didn’t have the luxury to neither afford good ones nor to spend time on picking the right one. Her hands pressed over the chiffon fabric, seagreen and decent for how it had aged in her closet.
She decided to walk all the way to his, the Alpha’s place. If she had consumed anything other than coffee in the morning, it would’ve been lying in her toilet pot. She had puked twice, bile instead of food. Walking might perhaps bring color back to her skin. But she’d have to suffer with her questions all alone through out the journey. She had only walked a few miles, still on the road, when a car honked beside her. Not loud enough to scare her, she jumped anyhow. A chauffeur stepped out. Human. She relaxed a little.“Maám, if you’d accompany me to the villa please?” Smooth, not demure. He was no servant. Nor an errand boy. He had specific duties, she realized. And one of them now was to make sure she reached the Alpha’s place. Goodess save her from her mouth, because she diidn’t think before she spoke.“What did his majesty think? I was going to break out on a run wearing this dress? Never to be seen again...” She wasn’t angry. Nor was this driver’s fault. He was following orders. But he simply stood stoic. She sighed and went to open the back door. She need not ride shot gun, her anxiety had would increase ten fold simply by sitting right next to this man. “Allow me.” He lept to the door, pulled the handle open while she stood few steps away. He waited for her to get inside before slamming it shut. Her thoughts weaved together a knotty yarn. She was sure this act of chivalry was to ascertain she didn’t detour to some other place, or told anyone else what had gone down the night before. They’d make sure she keep quiet. She also knew pack members, all of them, regardless of their age, color, ranks, knew about it. The Beta and Alpha couldn’t live with the fact that a rogue was privy to potential rumor.She was hurt at the distrust the packs placed in rogue wolf families. They were good enough to be protected, never to be part of the pack. This was good. She could hold onto the anger. Anger served her senses better. Still roiling inside the walls of her brain, the car halted. She got out, unwilling to let the man open her door again. Good going Vanessa, keep asserting yourself in the smallest of acts, and see where it lands you. Thought she. Her self talk had to break away like a twig. Because what she saw was not a villa. No. This was a castle. Big black gates, automated she supposed. There were no guards to open and close it. The fence encasing a house modern, sleek with ancient remnants limited to the statues amidst the large, continuously growing vines. The big black wolf head arrested attention of those who visited it as a site. Sometimes the Alpha allowed Forest Department and Ancient Reservoir Committee to mark this place as a tourist site two weeks of every summer. She unconsciously recalled this fact, because if someone made their home and privacy a matter of amusement to maintain diplomacy would at least be a level headed person when it came to her, won’t he?Dwelling time, apparently, was over. The gates opened and she marveled at everything even more. The long walk from outer gate to inner recesses didn’t register because the gardens, the small animals so happy doing what they did daily and squirrels running away to make way for her, stood in complete contrast to her inner turmoil. She couldn’t help but smile though. Some things, like nature, changed only to become more of themself. Inside, white marble stretch wide open and vast to the hall, endless it seemed. Stairs curved on either side, like the leaf of an ornate flower. She longed to see what lay ahead, but was stopped short. For Mikhail descended the stairs to her left.With ease of light feet predator, he reached her, smelling fresh and glad. If someone could smell glad that is. She realised his nose was more pointed than she had last night noted. His looks were not quite chiseled, no. Blunt. Edgy. And his thick neck peeked around out of his open collar, in blue button down, black jeans.
He seemed to take her in, the same way she had. An over view of glossy magazine. That brought her no close to comfort than it did when he, in his husky voice, declared. “Come up this way.” No one could accuse him of rudeness, he was direct and crass about it. Thats all, she realized. He waited for her to nod. Then both of them climbed nearly twenty five stairs in utter silence until they reached the first floor. Thats when he spoke, “This part of the house is for personal gatherings alone. We could talk here. Forego all the disturbing events of last night. The office here has nice view.” Nice view? His slight smile unnerved her. They were talking about views? It perplexed her to no end. Last night, he had castrated her out without reason. Hadn't listened to her whatsoever. Now that she was here, hoping to apologize and end this matter, he engaged her in a normal conversation? She couldn't think it was solely out of interest to form a friendship. Neither was his apology in disguise, because he didn't look guilty. Not yesterday, not today. She didn't think him capable of guilt.Her internal puzzle sorting interrupts when he opens the office door.
It looked, at least from here, like any other normal office until she stepped in. In the last twenty four hours, her world had tilted on its axis to the point where, now, for mere survival, she needed to find a new orbit. Standing here, arms at her side, the same silhouette from last night appeared in her line of vision. Except now it was a shadow. A very significant shadow.
What does one call an after effect of paralysis? When blood courses through like a ritual only to find there's nowhere to go? She felt about the same. Vanessa Flynn was screwed tight, a step inside the office, someone had bolted her there with a nail. She was facing him. HIM. Oh she knew his name alright. How could she not? Her wolf had been on edge last given their proximity. Now, it howled. It wasn't recognition of any sort. Just that, in twenty three years of her life, nobody had held her rapt attention the way this gorgeous man did.His hair reflected sunlight, a complexion of hazy brown and twinges of black. His crumpled suit was the vestige of a long day. Or night. He hadn't changed. What pissed her off then and there was the vulgar air of confidence he exuded. Never mind the appropriate dress up. She thought he was a walking epitaph to disclaim the 'vain' in vanity. For he didn't care ho
By the time Vanessa returned home, it was lunch time. Her stomach growled, protesting at another cup of lavender tea, but she had very little money right now and no energy to re-stock her food supplies. Her wolf, especially, did not prefer that. Animal could go hunt for herself, but she worried about how the human carried herself. The worry was judicious. If wolves in human form lacked strength to shift into wolves, what good were they? Vanessa was young, had managed to keep the muscles she had built as a teenager chopping, crafting woods. Soon, they’ll deplete with lack of oxygen if she didn’t change what and how she ate. Vanessa realized her wolf was in no mood to spar over their living conditions with her. Poor thing was as resigned as she was exhausted. She managed to enjoy the cup of tea before her phone rang, shrill in the quite house. She knew who it’d be. “Hello Mum.” “Hello, Ness. How are you baby?” She had missed her mother. Their relationship had been rocky before, when
A small package wrapped in a brown paper bag sat on her porch. Puzzled, she picked it up and tested its weight. Light, compact. A cubic. Her fingers found the note on the other side. She went inside to read it.'These are the freshly made set of keys of the villa. And my number, should you need it.Mikhail.'Written in block letters, with less space than needed between the letters, so it looked like a congested print. She drew the drapes close. Still wondering why she got the keys to Noah's villa, she felt uneasy. More so, coiling and uncoiling the paper with Mikhail's number on it. He was expressing familiarity she hadn't expected. Unlike Noah, that is. He didn't scare her. But he did make her nervous. She can’t quite put her finger on it, but Mikhail Ryder was inadvertently making up for something. Perhaps for firing her, but that seemed too pale a reason. She’d ask him what his deal was. For now, she could feel her bed beckoning her. Her only friend, Abigail, demonstrated her con
Slick in her beige clothes the next morning, Vanessa contemplates covering the distance from her house to the villa on four feet but chickens out. Not in the habit of running around as a wolf in front of others, she settles to walk. Even when it takes approximately an hour.Today morning, she’d have no time to admire the place all over again. It was a double-edged sword anyway, to want to pet all the animals living inside, including the owner. She was still in trepidation over her role here. She understood management but knew nothing of the bureaucracy within the halls to know where her boundaries lay. Was she to manage the mundane in and outs of his day or did he want her here the whole time? Still making her way upstairs, keys jingling in her left hand, she heard his voice, cursing on the phone. Already? It was seven in the morning, and it was Saturday. Alphas didn’t take the weekends off, of course. But how in contrast to his father he appeared, Rourke Abel, the presiding Alpha of
Indignant, her anger swam forth. Where was she? In a boarding school? What was he threatening her with, imposing all these rules?“Last time I checked. I was here because I am not a pack member. I don’t care what they say because I don’t associate with them. There is no reason for your distrust. But if you still feel that way, you can fire me. Better yet, I will leave.”He was enjoying all right. Way too much, even though Mikhail was scolding him in his brain.‘Stop pushing her Noah. It really isn’t fair.’‘We need to know if we can trust her. Let me do what I am good at.’Mikhail rubbed his chin with the palm of his hand, a nervous gesture only Noah caught on. But Noah knew he was making sense. If he were to find out why different smaller clans were at each other’s throat for past six months, he needed to know his information gathering was not known to anyone. He trusted his pack members, his close confidantes, especially Mikhail. But pack members knew very little of pack politics
Vanessa’s wolf was lazy compared to her panicked state. The beautiful animal, husk brown coat with white patches on hind legs lingered to take in the forest. Tress swept past, mud and snow cackling beneath, its paws digging the ice. It felt like any other run. Until a canto of heavy thuds, almost like the horse hooves but softer resonated behind. At first, she thought it to be another wolf running but the scent gave him away. Intense, titillating aroma like the green-tinged fumes of absinthe, getting over juniper covered snow. That’s how she knew Noah Abel was stalking her. Her panic promoted to hyperventilation, she could hear the wolf right beside her now. His breathing was easy, languid while she panted. What was with him? The man was gorgeous but the wolf was striking. Signature alpha genes physically manifest into the sharpest black colour fur covering the vast expanse of his body. The sheer size of him made Vanessa feel her own wolf was a pup only. She focused on him as he clo
"I didn't do this. It still looks inflamed. How did this happen?" His fingers wouldn't leave the scar alone, tracing its outline, poking in the centre. Vanessa was more aware of his skin against hers, and had to focus on his mouth to discern his words. Which was all the more, a bad idea. His eyes found it offensive. "It's a blister. Happened few months ago." Why was he asking her this? Care aside, he didn't seem all that interested in knowing the origins of it. Just that it interrupted his slow measure of her exposed skin. She felt the blood rush to the surface when she acknowledged this little fact. Vanessa was blushing. Again. And looking anywhere but at him. He stopped when what he really wanted was to trace a small vein, visibly blue under the moonlight stretched along the column of her neck. Pulling the jacket up and over, he ushered her to walk ahead. The wolf was lurking in the recesses of human restraint, and his stance, walking around her at this time of night was one of pr
"Wait!", she cried, desperate now that they were going to be among others, under the scrutiny of white lights, nothing like the moonlight. He whirled. It was hard to say, looking at him, whatever his thoughts were. "What did you mean I did a good job of tying myself up?" She had to know. Her pleading had no ounce of effect on him. He looked every bit the Alpha he claimed to be. Looking down upon her."Exactly what you understood, Ms.Flynn."She was horrified. He could see that. And his wolf lept to do some damage control. "I reckon you have a problem with sleepwalking. So you bolt the doors, windows, anything that grants access out of the house, and tie your hands so you can't open them even if your unconscious state wants to. It's not rocket science." His words came out, strangled. Like someone was forcing him to explain himself. All Vanessa felt was air passageways carrying the oxygen as they ought to. He was right, only in the action of things. He didn't know sleepwalking was