by Haley Weir
Chapter Four
Giddeon walked Casey to her car after dinner. They talked about her childhood growing up in Massachusetts and her college days at Yale. He listened intently to all of her stories and even shared a few of his own. Giddeon regretted the short distance from the restaurant to the reserved parking, for he felt a wave of grief at the thought of watching her drive away. He hesitated beside her door, glancing everywhere but into the enchanting hues of blue in her eyes. “I hope you enjoyed yourself tonight, Miss Hartley.”
“Please, call me Casey. And I enjoyed myself a lot. Thank you for a wonderful evening.” She reached for the handle of her door, taking much longer than necessary. Giddeon could practically see the wheels as they turned in her head. “Would you like to do this again sometime? Maybe not dinner, but talking and—”
“Yes,” he replied quickly. “But I understand if you want to see what other matches the agency can find for you. After all, it isn’t always the first match that gets the happy ending…”
She seemed to consider his words carefully.
Giddeon tried to put on airs, but his stomach twisted into painful knots.
“Actually, I wasn’t very eager to jump into the dating scene right away. This was the result of too many drinks and very persuasive friends. But...I think I want to see where this goes between us.” Casey smiled coyly and glanced away in a manner that was at odds with the dress that hugged every glorious inch of her curves.
“If I were the sort of man to kiss a lady after the first date, then I’d want to kiss you.”
Her cheeks reddened further. “And if I was the sort of lady to kiss on the first date, I think I’d let you.” She slid into her car and closed the door. Giddeon stepped back as the engine roared to life. Casey waved goodbye, easing out of the parking lot with one last look over her shoulder. The moment she was out of sight, Giddeon hurried to his car and took a shortcut home. His tires squealed as he turned into the garage that was separate from the castle. He ran into the entrance and searched for a mirror. There was one hanging upon the wall just before the grand staircase.
Giddeon tore open his shirt. Buttons popped off and rolled across the polished hardwood floors. A heart with a figure-eight cutting through its center had been branded into his left pectoral at the touch of Casey’s hand. He brushed the thin lines with the pad of his finger and hissed. It was still tender. “Balor! Seth! Caleb!” he shouted.
The sound of thunderous footfalls caused his ears to twitch. When his brothers appeared at the foot of the stairs, he turned to show them what he had discovered. Caleb’s brow furrowed and Seth’s jaw slackened. But it was Balor’s reaction that seemed unusual. The youngest of his brothers touched the left side of his chest as if it was a natural reflex. Giddeon reached over and pulled down Balor’s shirt. Sure enough, the same symbol sat in the same place as his. “When did you get that?” Giddeon asked.
“I woke up with it in Barbados.”
“What do you mean you woke up with it?”
“I mean, I drank until I blacked out and when I woke up, it was on my chest. I don’t know how it got there, and I didn’t care to ask. Getting a brand wouldn’t be the dumbest thing I’ve done drunk, so it didn’t even raise my suspicions...until now.”
Giddeon rubbed his eyes with the palm of his hand. “I got this when Casey touched me.”
Caleb looked sick to his stomach. “I guess it’s just further proof that she’s your mate. God, I hope this doesn’t happen to me. I’d love nothing more than to be a solitary bear.”
“Fat chance of that happening when monogamy seems to be inherited with our ability to shift,” Balor replied. “Is it possible I met my mate that night and just didn’t remember it?”
“I think it’s the only thing that would explain this mark ending up on both of us.” Giddeon looked at the symbol in the mirror. The redness around the edges had started to fade. “I’m supposed to see Casey again. I don’t know how long I’ll be able to keep this from her. She’s...damaged from her last relationship. Lying will only make her distrust me when the truth finally comes out and it’s hunting season. I’m not always in control of my shift.”
“If she really is your mate, then she’ll understand.”
~*~
Casey quietly unlocked the front door and slipped into the hallway. She hung her keys up and slowly removed her jacket, trying not to wake up her friends. Embers crackled in the hearth, but the main room was empty. Casey tiptoed towards the stairs. She stopped when she heard someone chuckle. Olivia stood in the archway that led to the kitchen with a pint of ice cream in her hands. “Please tell me you got laid.”
“I just met him!” she whispered harshly—which she discovered was pointless as Rina and Diana stepped out of the kitchen behind Olivia. They must have stayed up to hear about her date. “We had dinner and then he walked me to my car. That was it. Nothing else happened.”
“You wouldn’t be sneaking around if nothing else happened.”
Diana nodded her head in agreement with Olivia’s accusations.
Casey huffed and kicked off her shoes before she headed towards the sofa. She plopped down in the corner and curled her feet under herself. “He was nice.”
“And?”
“Charming and funny,” she answered. “We talked about our childhoods and careers.”
“Annnnddd?”
“And he was gorgeous.”
“Yes!” Olivia sat on the floor in front of Casey with her ice cream in her lap and a dimpled smile on her face. “Fork up the details, sweety. Did he have a cute butt?”
“I didn’t really look.” Casey shrugged. “Actually, it was Giddeon Black.”
“The guy who owns the agency?”
“One and the same. By the way, the phone interview didn’t do his voice justice. It’s deeper in person.” A foreign sensation bubbled up inside of Casey. She failed to hold back her grin as she described her date. “He’s blond with dark green eyes.”
“I hate you. He sounds perfect.” Olivia hurried to put her ice cream away before it melted and returned in the blink of an eye. “But be real with us. How many bodies is he hiding under his house? There’s no way a guy like that exists.”
“I was thinking the same thing. I mean, there’s got to be something wrong with him, right?” Casey was glad she hadn’t been the only one skeptical of Giddeon’s perfection. “I’m not even creative enough to dream up a guy like that. He looks like a god.”
“Guys, this is ridiculous,” Diana sighed. “So what if he’s good looking and owns a company? That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have problems of his own. He’s probably tired of people treating him like a trophy or priceless painting just because of how he looks. I’m sure there’s more to him than what meets the eye, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad.”
“How many times have you known that to be true?"
Diana stood up from her chair and shook her head. "I can't believe you. All you're doing is reflecting. You're scared he's going to judge you, so you're judging him to make yourself feel better. Get to know him and stop making assumptions."
Casey felt horrible as Diana retired to her room for the rest of the evening. She had judged Giddeon upon first seeing him and had even gone so far as to accuse him of wanting to intentionally hurt her. "Diana is right. Giddeon could turn out to be a really great guy."
Rina looked up from her bowl of ice cream. "You thought Ty was a great guy too. I think you should withhold judgment, but don't let your guard down until he earns your trust."
"He really was a nice guy."
Olivia grabbed a blanket from the basket beside the sofa and curled up beside Casey. "So, does Mr. Perfect have a brother?"
"Three, actually."
"That's great for us. If this dating agency doesn't work out, then we can see if his brothers are single."
Casey talked with Olivia and Rina until her eyelids grew heavy. She headed up to bed with a lot on her mind. After being with the same person for so long, it
had gotten easy for her to get into a safe routine. Dating was different. She didn't know what to expect, and that terrified her. Giddeon might have been as perfect as he seemed, but it was difficult for Casey not to look back at the few men she had been with and hold their crimes against him. It frustrated her that she had allowed someone to take away her trust and self-respect.
The divorce was by far one of the best things that ever happened to her. Casey sat on the edge of her bed and muttered, "Good riddance."
Ty had been her boyfriend from junior high up until her freshman year at Yale. They had dated other people in the time they had broken up, but somehow always ended up back together. He had often claimed it was the sex while she often claimed it was easier than finding someone new and adapting to their world. The evolution of their relationship went from comfortable to easy, to routine to loathsome, and from hateful to over. It had been both beautiful and destructive.
Casey prayed that Giddeon was different from Ty. She couldn't handle a repeat of the past by letting her fears get the best of her. He deserved an equal chance at earning her trust. She couldn't hold other people's past grievances against him. Casey laid down and was glad she had agreed to the second date. So far, her vacation hadn't gone down the path she had planned, but the change was more than welcome.
Chapter Five
Castle Black
Destiny, Alaska
The doors to the kitchen flew open, and Balor dragged Malik inside. Giddeon jumped into action and helped his brother lay him across upon the table. A large wound marred the male's torso. He called for Seth as he applied pressure to try to slow the bleeding. "What the hell happened to him, Balor?" he snapped.
"We were ambushed."
"By whom?"
"Another Sleuth. Bears from Kodiak Island," Balor explained. "They said our father deserted them."
"All shifters were given the choice to join us here at the castle or stay on the island. It was their decision."
"Was it?"
Giddeon turned his head and noted the ashen color of his brother's face. "You believe their lies? Why would he abandon his people to the Russian soldiers that took the island?"
Malik groaned.
"I won't argue this right now. We need to focus." Giddeon clenched his jaw and made room for Seth. Unlike the rest of them, Seth hadn't wanted adventure or fame. He chose to join the army and trained as a medic. When he returned to Destiny, Seth focused his efforts on becoming a lawman in hopes of building a stronger future for the town. He lived a simple life and was looking forward to the day he would have the chance to be the sheriff.
"Single gunshot wound to the chest." Seth took items from his medical bag and began removing fragments of metal and wood from Malik's skin. "I need you to pour your Alpha energy inside of him."
"What if he shifts inside the castle? A wounded bear could be feral, and we can't risk the children."
"He won't shift."
Giddeon heard the uncertainty in Seth's voice. "Look me in the eyes and tell me that he doesn't pose a threat to our people if he turns. Look at me, Seth."
A pair of steel blue orbs locked onto his stare. "I can't."
"Don't just let him die!" Balor shouted. "He took that shot for me. If I was the one on the table, you'd risk it, Giddeon. Do the same for Malik."
"You are part of the bloodline, Balor. It's different."
"We're no better than they are!" his brother argued.
"We're purebloods! We have more control. Our shift doesn't rely on the Alpha, it comes from our blood. You know that. If I use my power on him while he's in pain, he'll become territorial. We can't have that within our walls when there are young here." Giddeon tried to plead with his brothers. Some of the males who had pledged their lives to his family had sons and daughters who relied on the safety of the castle.
Balor stormed away.
Seth worked on repairing the damage, but Malik had lost a lot of blood. Giddeon tried his best to comfort the male but watched as he slowly lost the battle. "I understand. Don't risk it." Malik gripped Giddeon's hand weakly and took his final breath. Seth stepped away from the body with a faraway look in his eyes.
"You all right?"
"Just...brings back some stuff from war. It's nothing. I'll be fine." Seth left the room as well.
Giddeon hoisted Malik onto his shoulders and carried him out of the castle. He walked up the hill and over to a field where many of his kind had been buried over the ages. A shovel sat propped against a stone grave marker. Giddeon laid Malik on the ground and started digging. By the time he was finished, Balor seemed to have come to his senses. Though he remained quiet, he helped lower Malik into the grave and said words of passing to help his spirit into the afterlife. Giddeon began to fill the grave despite how late in the hour it was.
He left Balor to say farewell and returned to the castle for a quick shower before he met Casey outside of the museum in town. Just seeing her helped ease the tension that had festered within him since that morning. Her smile faded as he grew nearer. "You look lovely, Casey. This color brings out your eyes."
"Is everything all right, Giddeon?"
"I…" he cleared his throat and decided that honesty was the best route. "I buried a friend tonight. He was a good man. Loyal to my family for many years."
Casey pulled him into her arms and held him until the stiffness left his posture. "I'm so sorry. You could have canceled. I would have understood."
"I needed to see you. Things are tense at home and I had to get away," he admitted.
Casey nodded and pulled back without removing her arms completely. "I hope this isn't too forward of me. I just...wanted to comfort you."
"I'm feeling a little better already. Thank you." Giddeon grabbed her hand and led her towards the entrance. He tipped the man at the door. Casey gasped as they were allowed inside.
"That castle is across the lake from my cabin. I look at it every night."
"I'm glad my home pleases you."
"What?" she asked in disbelief. “You live there?"
"It was built by my ancestors. Castle Black has been the home of my family and our closest friends long before the settlers in your history books."
The look of pure amazement hadn't left her face. Casey looked at every painting and read the plaques that were written carefully by the scholars that worked for the museum. It was a wondrous thing to behold. The colorful history of his family had been archived in the museum to educate others on the significance of the Black name.
Casey stopped in front of a painting of large bears fighting against an army. "The Battle for Kodiak Island," she read. "Who won?"
"No one. Many were lost on both sides."
She glanced at him from over her shoulder, long lashes fanning against rosy cheeks. "Almost everything here has your family's crest on it."
"Yes."
"But the soldiers aren't wearing the coat of arms on their armor or their flags in this painting." She chewed her lip curiously. Giddeon pulled her away and led her to a private area of the museum.
~*~
"You said you were here with friends?" he asked. The change in topic was a bit jarring, but Casey hadn't looked into it too deeply. She allowed Giddeon to take her into what appeared to be a lounge of some sort. He poured himself a drink and offered her one as well. Casey threw caution to the wind and accepted. She sipped the strong liquor, noting the subtle notes of citrus.
"Yes, I'm here with friends. Diana is a screenwriter, Rina's a model, and Olivia is…" Casey swallowed past the lump in her throat and took a bigger drink for courage. "She's a sex therapist."
"That's quite an eclectic group of friends," Giddeon chuckled. "How did you all meet?"
"Olivia and I grew up together. She was like the little sister I never asked for. I met Diana on a trip to New York and Rina used to date my brother when we were in high school. Everyone just sort of clicked."
"You have a brother."
"Jamie is a year older than me and he never let
s me forget it," she grumbled. "He works with Doctors Without Borders."
"Impressive."
"It is. What about your brothers?" Casey sat on the lounger in the corner, and Giddeon assumed the spot beside her. Warmth seeped from his body and swirled around her.
"Caleb played pro ball until he was injured, Seth is trying to get promoted to sheriff here in town, and Balor is…he's troubled mostly. I think he's looking to take over the estate someday."
"That's quite an eclectic family you've got," she jested, playfully bumping her shoulder against his arm.
"Why Technocom Inc.?"
"I wanted to be part of a company that was reshaping the world. I'm a little old fashioned in my own life, but I know that there are a lot of people who truly need the technology we're developing."
"I heard you're working on a new prototype for prosthetic limbs," he commented.
"Under the condition that they are given to veterans and special cases without charge to patients or insurance companies." Casey was passionate about her work, and she was very good at it. The combination of the two was what got her the promotion. "I'm glad to be where I'm valued among peers."
When Giddeon hadn't replied, Casey craned her neck to look up at him. He stared blatantly at her with so much desire, it was like getting punched in the gut by a wave of lust. An invisible force pulled them together until their lips connected. Casey gasped, and his tongue dipped teasingly into her mouth. She set her glass aside and gripped his shoulders, but the height difference made it awkward. Giddeon found a solution when he yanked her into his lap and kissed her fiercely.
Casey hadn't felt like this since…actually, she had never felt the way Giddeon made her feel with any of her past lovers. The slow glide of his hands from her back to her hips caused her to arch against him. She moaned to let him know that his advances weren't rejected. Giddeon growled deep in his chest and flipped her over. Casey's back hit the lounger softly as he lowered himself between her scandalously splayed thighs.
