Suddenly Fated (Wolves of Riverton #1)

3. Esyn

3. Esyn

My parents were already on their way home after saying goodbye. “Are you sure this is what you want?” my mother whispered as she hugged me. “You don’t have to stay with them if you don’t want to, Alpha or not.” This sort of attitude from my mother was no shock; she was extremely quiet but fiercely stood for what she believed in.

“I’ll be ok, Mom,” I whispered back. “This is what I want. I think.”

Alpha Michael walked with me down the hallway, my arm in his. The proximity made me dizzy and breathless. How was I expected to make rational decisions with my body behaving this way? Maybe this is why fated mates weren’t a thing anymore, because no one ever got anything done.

We walked down a set of stairs and outside to a sleek black car. At the door stood a man in uniform. As we approached he opened the back passenger door. If he was surprised to see me and not Avelin leaving with Alpha Michael, he didn’t show even a hint of it on his face. “We’re going home, Brett,” Alpha Michael said. The car had beautiful leather seats and smelled brand new. I’d never owned a car, nor had I ever taken a ride in one as luxurious as this. I was a bit intimidated.

I glanced at him nervously as the car eased down the drive. I knew it wouldn’t be far from here to his manor house, and there were a few things I needed to know.

“Alpha Michael?” I asked, inwardly cursing the nervousness in my voice. “I need to ask you some questions.”

“Esyn, you are free to ask me or tell me anything, anytime, anywhere. Also, please call me Michael. Or better yet, Ari. Only the people I care for the most do.”

My heart began to race again. He cared for me? He just met me! But I kidded myself with those thoughts. The Goddess made her intentions known, and the pull I felt toward him was obviously returned. Feelings rushed through me that I never felt before.

“Ok. Um. Ari.” The name felt sensuous on my tongue. The look on his face told me that he was pleased. “I have to know what you and Avelin said to each other before anything else happens. She’s your wife for goddess’ sake. How can you just be with me after you’ve been married for years? I feel like a homewrecker, and I don’t like that feeling.” The lustful look dropped from his face, but in its place was a gentle expression.

“There’s something you should know about Avelin and me,” he began. “Our marriage was arranged between her father and my parents as part of the peace agreement. Neither of us had a say in the matter but we both knew our duty. For two years we’ve stuck by one another as a team. We tried very hard to show the pack that we are a united front, that we had love and respect between us. And we did. We do.” He said. “But Av and I…we’ve never lived together as husband and wife. I love her, she’s one of my two best friends. But we never developed those feelings for one another. She has her own room next door to mine, and that’s the way it’s been since the day we were married.”

I gasped and then clapped a hand over my mouth. “Wait a minute. Are you saying what I think you’re saying? That you two have never-”

“Not once.”

“In two years? Oh my goddess. Oh my goddess! How is that possible? Have you seen the two of you?” The words escaped me before I thought better of it, causing Ari to laugh out loud.

“I know how it sounds. But we both wanted to wait until the feelings developed, and they just never did. Our parents have no idea, of course. They’re constantly disappointed that we haven’t yet had cubs.”

I pictured Avelin pregnant with Ari’s cub and a stab of jealousy shot through me, one that I didn’t feel I had a right to. I tried hard not to let it show on my face. Then I thought of myself pregnant with Ari’s cub, what it would take to make that happen, and the hot feelings started up all over again.

“But, how is this ever going to work? The pack expects you two to become Alpha and Luna. You are the perfect couple. Avelin was born for the role and I’m, well…you don’t even know me. I am just a short, plain looking nobody with nothing to offer beyond the ability to take a good picture.”

Ari suddenly took my face between his hands, turning my head to face him fully. “Woman. Are you insane? First of all, you are the most beautiful creature that I have ever seen in my entire life. In no universe could anyone ever call you plain, and if anyone made you feel that way they’re an idiot. Second, the pack will get to know you. They’ll get used to the new arrangements and they will show you respect or they’ll face me. Third, I’ll get to know you. We will get to know each other. But one thing is crystal clear to me - you are mine. MINE. I feel it in my soul, in my blood, in my body. The Goddess has decided and frankly, I’m not sure I deserve you. I can be an asshole. I’m stubborn and can be single minded when I think I’m right. You might end up screaming and running down the drive to get away from me. But I want to try.”

As his words washed over me, I melted more and more inside. This was absolutely insane. This afternoon I worried about my dress, if my photos would please the committee, and if it might be possible to become the official photographer for the pack one day. Tonight I was on my way to the Alpha Manor with Alpha Michael. No, with Ari.

His face moved closer to mine, the intention to kiss me clear. I held my breath in anticipation. One of his hands moved from my face to the back of my neck, gently pulling me in closer. His lips were millimeters from mine. Sparks began to shoot behind my eyelids as I closed them.

“We’re home, Sir,” the driver called as he lowered the window partition between us in the back seat. My eyes flew open in shock as Ari uttered a curse word and leaned his forehead against mine.

“Come on, Little Mate. I’ll show you to your suite.” The lust in his voice reduced it several octaves, and I swallowed convulsively. The driver opened the car door and we headed inside.

The manor house was incredible. Another servant in uniform opened the double front doors, again showing incredible restraint and keeping a straight face upon seeing me and not Avelin. “Welcome home, Sir. Miss,” he said calmly, nodding his head.

“Harris, this is Esyn Stone. She is in need of a room. See to it that the blue suite is readied for her immediately, and send up something to eat and drink. Oh, and Harris. If my mother even so much as breathes toward my wing of the house this evening, I want to be informed of it immediately.”

“Yes Sir, right away. And Mrs. Avelin, Sir?” Harris’ face remained expressionless, but censure crept into his voice as he asked for Avelin’s whereabouts.

“She is with Mr. McConnell and will return at her leisure, Harris. And I’d suggest you school your tone.”

“Yes Sir, of course Sir.”

Ari showed me across a grand entryway with ceilings that must have been 20 feet tall, and up one set of green carpeted marble stairs to the second floor. The other set of identical stairs, which flanked the entry, led to what I assumed was the wing of the house where his parents resided. The carpet felt plush under my feet, and the hall glowed with soft, warm light. Here and there were beautiful paintings, an elegant chair, a plant. I itched to photograph everything and remembered I’d left my camera back at the ballroom. I hoped that my parents took it home with them. “This is the wing where Avelin, Jamie, and I live,” Ari explained. “The first floor contains mostly offices, the kitchen, the formal parlor and dining room, and the servants’ rooms. This area is our bedrooms, sitting rooms, my private office, Jamie’s private office, and the library.”

“Library?” I asked, excited. I didn’t grow up with a librarian for a mother without a love for reading. Ari chuckled.

“Yes, just through those doors to the left there, and you’re welcome to any book you desire.”

Oh, I desired something all right. But it wasn’t a book. At least, not currently. I made a show of peeking into the library, beautifully decorated with dark wallpaper, stained wood, and plush chairs. There was even a window seat right out of a novel, with curtains surrounding it, inviting a person to snuggle in with a good book and close themselves off from the rest of the world. I gave a dreamy smile at the thought. Ari, noticing, touched a thumb to my bottom lip and it was everything I could do not to suck it into my mouth. “You have a beautiful smile,” he said softly. If I melted any more, I would be nothing but a puddle on the floor.

He showed me the location of Jamie’s room, but before we could turn away, some very suggestive sounds came from behind the closed door. A woman’s sighs and a man’s moans echoed through the hallway. Ari’s eyebrows shot up almost to his hairline, and he cleared his throat. “I, ah, um, well then. Um…”. He seemed at a loss for words, and I cringed, embarrassed. I could feel my face on fire once again. “Is that-” I asked him.

“I guess so,” he said. “Wow, guys. You didn’t wait long, did you?” I’m not sure if he meant me to hear him, but I did. And what could I say? I’m awfully sorry that your wife is in there screwing your best friend? Especially considering that he seemed more flustered than angry.

We moved away from Jamie’s door quickly, Ari once again pulling me along by the hand. I didn’t protest because I wanted away from there almost as much as he seemed to. We reached another set of doors, which he labeled Avelin’s room and his room. At the next one, he stopped. “This will be your room for now.” We walked into a spacious bedroom, where two women in uniform were just finishing making up the huge four post bed in the middle of the room, an oasis with a soft white rug underneath and gleaming wood floors surrounding it. Two side tables with lamps on each stood on either side, and directly across from the bed a fire crackled in the stone fireplace, over which hung a hand drawn map of the packlands framed in gold. A soft blue floral papered the walls, but thick, darker blue curtains covered the wall next to the bed completely, leading me to wonder if windows actually took up that entire wall. I tried to pick my jaw up off of the floor as the two servants moved to leave the room and bowed slightly to Ari. “Will there be anything else, Alpha? Miss?”

Ari glanced around the room, noticing the covered tray on a table in the corner. “That will be all, Mary, Ann-Maria.” They each nodded as he addressed them.

“Thank you so much,” I added, giving the two women a smile. “This is absolutely incredible.” Mary looked at Ann-Maria quickly, and they both shared a small smile. My face reddened yet again as I wondered if it was painfully obvious that I was completely out of my element here. As the two left the room, Ari crossed to the table and lifted the cover from the tray. My mouth began to water as I smelled the bowl of steaming soup and fresh bread. I hadn’t eaten all day, and I was starving. “Please, sit, eat,” he said, and I rushed to do just that.

As I ate and sipped from a glass of wine, I noticed that Ari paced around the room, keeping his distance from me. All evening he took every opportunity to get closer, and now that we were properly alone, he stayed half a room’s length away. I didn’t know how to feel. On one hand, everything in me screamed to get up from the table, tear off my dress, and throw myself at him. The look on his face told me that he felt the same way. On the other hand, we had only known each other for a matter of hours.

“I’m trying to be respectful, Esyn,” he explained, as if reading my mind. “We just met and I don’t want to scare you away. I’ll wait for you to be the one to tell me when.”

He had spent two years without making love to his wife, we were fated mates, and yet he still wanted to be respectful. I surreptitiously reached under the table and pinched myself to see if this was a dream. “Ow!” I accidentally exclaimed. Ari looked alarmed.

“What’s wrong, what happened?” he swiftly crossed the room and knelt in front of me. His hand landed on my knee.

“I- I’m fine. I just can’t believe this is real.” I glanced down as his hand moved down the fabric of my dress. He reached the hem just above my ankle and drifted underneath. The fingers that touched my skin felt like they were burning me in the most delicious way. He slowly caressed my calf, my knee, and even more slowly ran his hand up my bare thigh. His face looked as if he were in a trance. I let out a small, breathy sigh.

“Goddess. Your skin is like silk.” His voice dropped low again, rumbling its way into my very soul. I had a hard time catching my breath and I needed to touch him. Somewhere. Anywhere. I reached out and ran my fingers through his hair. It felt incredibly soft, shoulder length and shiny. He closed his eyes and groaned, his fingers clenching on my thigh. Suddenly he jumped up, dropping the hem of my dress. “You should finish your soup and get ready for bed. We’ll have breakfast together in the morning and I’ll take the day off. Now though…I need to…I need to go for a run.” He lifted my hand and kissed the back of it like an old fashioned gentleman in a movie, turned, and left the room, leaving me gasping.

“What the hell just happened?” I said aloud. I scooted the tray away and put my forehead on the table’s cool surface. What a roller coaster of a night. Trying to calm myself, I gulped down the remainder of my glass of wine. No longer hungry, I replaced the tray’s cover and stood. The clock on the night table read 11:45. I opened the bathroom door and squealed. It was bigger than my bedroom at my parents’ house. There was a huge tiled shower to one side, double sinks, and best of all, a tub big enough for five people. I couldn’t move fast enough as I turned on the water, filling the tub as I yanked my dress over my head and kicked off my heels.

Forty-five minutes later I emerged from the bathroom, clean and relaxed. If this was a dream, I may as well enjoy it to the fullest, right? I opened the curtains as I ran a towel over my hair and discovered that the wall was indeed covered with floor to ceiling windows, including a glass door which led to a balcony. Resisting the urge to squeal again, I stepped out into the chilly night. I shivered despite the plush towel wrapped around my body. The grounds were dark and silent, and the moon shone, not quite full. Remembering that the full moon marked the time when Ari and Avelin were supposed to be having their Alpha and Luna ceremony, I bit my lip with worry. What was I doing here? What would happen after tonight? My exhaustion warred with my anxiety, and I turned to leave the balcony. However, something caught my eye, making me draw in a quick breath. About ten yards away stood the most amazing wolf I’d ever seen. Huge and regal, with a coat as dark as the night surrounding it. The wolf stared at me, still and silent on the lawn as I stood there in my towel and nothing else. The wolf’s dark, luminous eyes met mine in the moonlight, and then I knew. Ari. I lifted a hand in greeting and tilted my head, giving him a soft smile. Then I turned and reentered the bedroom, closing the curtains behind me. As I turned out the lights and fell exhausted into the most comfortable bed I could ever imagine, my eyes drifted closed as the wolf’s howl echoed outside in the night.