by Cara Wylde
“I’d love to have dinner with Mr. Blackmane and his family,” she said.
“Wonderful!” he smiled brightly.
She wondered if the guy knew about her and Kevin. The thought made her blush.
“I will send word to the castle, and I’ll make sure a car will pick you up later this evening.”
She thanked him, and Daniel left without another word. She stood there, in the lobby, a moment longer, trying to wrap her mind around what was happening. She had never been so pampered in her life! Maybe this whole thing wasn’t such a bad idea, after all.
CHAPTER FOUR
Just as Daniel had promised, there was a driver waiting for her outside when the clock struck 6:30 PM. Ashley couldn’t help but have a flashback to how Kevin had come at the exact same time the day before, and a pleasant shiver ran up her spine. Was there something with werewolves and that specific time? Or did the Blackmanes believe a little too strongly in punctuality? Either way, she slipped into the back seat of the classy, old-fashioned car and sat quietly as they drove up the mountain towards the Schloss. Butterflies were fluttering in the pit of her stomach, memories of what she had said to Kevin the day before still bitterly fresh on her mind.
“He told me I might be the one for him, and I shot him down right out of the gate. But it’s not easy. He has to understand this isn’t easy for me,” she thought. Her life in the US, her business, the plans she had made for the future… what would happen to all of that if she chose to become his bride? Anyway, why was she thinking of a serious relationship so soon? They had only met yesterday, had sex, and she was already considering getting married? No sane woman thought like that! On the other hand, there was something about Kevin… Not only her body, but also her soul was pulling her towards this man. It was as if her heart knew something her mind couldn’t process.
The drive was shorter than she had hoped it would be, and while unanswered questions were still bouncing around in her head, she glanced out the window at the imposing medieval castle. It still looked a bit dangerous and threatening, but she felt better about entering it than she had felt yesterday. This time, they were expecting her. She wasn’t there because she wanted to take a look at the werewolves’ lair, but because she had been invited to spend the evening with them. Her heart started beating faster at the thought that she was about to meet the Alpha, his wife, and their children.
The driver came around and held the door open for her. A hand was offered to her, and she took it without looking up. When the long, strong fingers wrapped around her own, Ashley gasped. It was Kevin. She smiled, embarrassed.
“I’m so glad you decided to come,” he said.
His smooth voice reawakened something inside her. Lust, desire, the need to feel his body pressed up against her curves. She remembered all the things he had whispered into her ear the night before.
“Thanks for inviting me.”
He kissed her cheek, then scratched the back of his head.
“You’ll have to thank Max for that. It was his idea.”
She chuckled. “Well, I’m not sure it was entirely his idea. I mean, he wasn’t even aware of my existence until… today?”
“Yesterday, actually.” He cleared his throat. “I told him about you yesterday.”
“Oh! Right after you left the hotel?”
“Before that.”
She was speechless. Kevin had told his Alpha about her the moment they had separated. She accepted his hand, and they stepped through the gates. He looked just as good as he had the day before, though he was dressed in his casual T-shirt and jeans again, except he wasn’t barefoot. It wasn’t like he needed to dress up, and Ashley actually preferred him dressed like this, nice and comfortable.
“Nervous?” he asked.
“A little.”
“You shouldn’t be. Max is great, you’ll see. He’s a real family guy, and he’s going to love you.”
“I’m… not sure what I should make of you using those two things in one sentence.”
As they walked inside the main hall, she did feel a bit better. The castle smelled nice and clean, and after taking a few deep breaths, she could begin to distinguish some of the scents. She recognized cardamom and lavender, lilac and cinnamon, and a host of other aromatic scents that she was almost certain would give her a headache by the end of the night. How could werewolves use so many essential oils and incense sticks with their sensitive sense of smell? She let Kevin lead her to where she assumed they would be dining, and when they entered the huge dining room, she stopped in her tracks, pure awe painting her features. It looked incredible! The tall ceiling, the windows that allowed the warm light of the sunset to pour onto the tiled floor… it was amazing! A long, rectangular table was set in the middle of the room, surrounded by beautiful chairs. Crystal glasses, silverware, expensive napkins… It seemed like they had prepared dinner for some sort of royalty.
Kevin waited for her to walk around, inspect the room, and admire the paintings on the walls. For now, they were alone. He had asked Max, his wife, Avelyn, and their three pups to give Ashley some time to get used to her surroundings before dinner. One step at a time. He didn’t want to overwhelm her and scare her away. As she stepped closer to the table, he pulled up a chair for her.
“Dinner will be served in half an hour,” he said.
“Where is everyone?”
“They’ll be here soon.”
She nodded and sat down. Her eyes were wide and filled with curiosity. So, this was what a werewolf’s life looked like. She couldn’t imagine how it must have been to live in such a place. To sleep in one of the bedrooms upstairs, to call this medieval wonder home. If all shape-shifters were so handsome, well-mannered, and wealthy, then why had humans refused to accept them, again?
Kevin and Ashley made some small talk. It was awkward at first, but then Ashley gathered her courage and apologized for how she had acted the night before. She had practically thrown him out of her room, when he had done nothing wrong. He shrugged it off and reassured her he understood her hesitations. It was all happening very fast even for him.
What he didn’t tell her, though, was that he didn’t want to slow down. He would slow down for her sake, but deep down he was afraid he could lose her if he didn’t act quickly. That was why he had told his Alpha about her and had wanted them to meet. He never knew what fate might have in store for them. All he needed to do was to make sure he opened all the right doors.
When 7 PM hit, Kevin stood up and looked towards the door. Ashley stood up as well, although she didn’t understand what was happening. Maybe he had heard or smelled something she couldn’t yet perceive with her human senses. Indeed, it took two more minutes for the people they were waiting for to walk through the door.
Maxwell Blackmane was a tall, muscular man. He looked amazing in his tailored suit, and his dark green eyes sparkled on his handsome face. He had a straight nose and a strong jaw that was covered in the sexiest stubble Ashley had seen on a man. His raven black hair was slightly disheveled, showing he didn’t care that much about appearances, even though he was dressed so elegantly and expensively that Ashley couldn’t even begin to imagine how much his suit had cost. His wife was walking next to him. She was a stunningly beautiful woman, with reddish blonde hair and bright blue eyes. She had fair skin that made her look almost like an elf, and her body was just as curvy as Ashley’s, if not curvier. The couple was followed by three young boys, two of whom seemed to have inherited their mother’s red hair, while the last one had definitively inherited his father’s luxuriously black mane.
Ashley swallowed heavily as Max and his wife made their way towards her, the kids running around the table and laughing before a look from their father sent them rushing to their seats. The Alpha smiled once they had settled down, the curve of his lips matching the amused gleam in his eyes. He turned back to Ashley and bowed slightly, which took her by surprise. She wasn’t sure she was supposed to do the same.
“Miss Woods, all
ow me to welcome you to Schloss Blackmane. I am Max, and this is my lovely wife, Avelyn.”
Ashley shook their hands and thanked them for having her.
“These three rascals are Nikolas, Lucas, and Jacob,” Max continued.
Ashley turned to greet the boys, and noticed how they had suddenly become quiet and shy. It didn’t last for long, though.
“It’s great to meet all of you,” she said, choosing her words carefully. It was the first time she was in such exquisite company. “Your home is amazing beyond words. I’m glad I chose Dunkelstadt to spend my vacation. The Schloss is quite famous around these parts. Maybe in the entire Europe. I’ll have to tell my friends back in the US all about it. Although… it does look a bit imposing and threatening from up close.” She said truthfully, hoping her comment wouldn’t bother them.
Max laughed wholeheartedly. Avelyn joined him, although she did try to stifle her laughter with her hand.
“I know exactly what you mean,” Avelyn said. “When I first moved here, ten years ago, it took me months to find my way through all the rooms and corridors. It looks scary because it is. I’m sure I lost some pounds just getting lost and trying to find my room.”
Max chuckled in a mysterious way. He threw Avelyn a glance only she could understand, and cleared his throat.
“Honey, let’s be honest: you had your reasons to explore the castle and learn all its hidden secrets.”
Avelyn blushed and punched him lightly in the shoulder.
“You’ll never stop reminding me about that, will you?”
Ashley looked at them confused. Kevin placed his hand on her lower back to get her attention.
“Long story,” he said.
“Maybe I’ll tell it to you myself one day,” Avelyn chirped. “If you chose to stick around, that is.”
Ashley nodded. She didn’t know whether it had been Avelyn’s intention to draw her attention away from Max’s comment, but that was exactly what she had managed to do.
They all took their seats, and the scent of food soon filled the air. A couple of servants walked into the room, setting different dishes on the table. The courses were served on metal platters, the servants lifting the lids off one at a time to allow the incredible scents to waft through the air. Ashley’s mouth began to water, even though she hadn’t been hungry earlier. Shyly, she watched Kevin to see what he was doing. She didn’t want to make a fool of herself by not respecting the table manners the Blackmanes had probably established years ago.
They all took the time to choose their food and place it on their plates as the servants retreated to the doorways, ready for when they would be needed again. Ashley waited for Max and Avelyn to start eating before she thought it was appropriate to dig into her own food. She almost moaned at the rich, unique taste. It was clear the Blackmanes had an experienced chef. The amazing flavor of the southern style gravy, the juicy chicken, the earthy taste of the asparagus which had probably been sautéed in the same pan the chicken had been cooked in… The first dish was unlike anything she had ever tasted.
“This is so good,” she said.
“Harold if the best chef!” Avelyn said excitedly. “Unfortunately, he’ll have to retire soon. He’s been training the young apprentice who will be replacing him for a few months now.”
Ashley smiled.
Max patted his lips with a napkin before he spoke.
“I’m glad you’re enjoying it. Please, have as much as you want.”
Ashley was just finishing her chicken. She reached over for a second serving, and Kevin helped her fill her plate. In fact, he stacked her plate with much more food than she had intended to have. His gesture made her heart beat faster. This man was out of this world! All her exes had felt the need to make it their mission to draw her attention to how much she ate and how she should watch her weight. Her last boyfriend had even downloaded an app on her phone. She was supposed to log her food in, and the app would tell her how many calories she had had that day. Needless to say, she almost always consumed all the calories she was allowed to have in 24 hours before lunch. The whole thing had only managed to stress her out and help her gain more pounds.
But Ashley couldn’t spend the evening in awe at how awesome Kevin was. She had to be present.
“So, Kevin told me a little about the history of the castle. Is it true that your father was the last Alpha who renovated this place?”
“It is,” Max answered. “He was passionate about architecture, and when the right wing needed fixing, he took the opportunity to go a bit crazy with the changes.”
“It looks very nice from the outside. I noticed the right wing is a bit different from the left one. If I may ask… why haven’t you made any changes?”
She didn’t know why she was asking that. She hoped Max didn’t mind. In truth, she was just trying to make conversation.
Max smiled.
“Honestly, the castle is perfect as it is. I grew up here, ran through these corridors, hid from my mom and dad in one of the three main towers when they were trying to make me do my homework… I’m used to it. I wouldn’t change a thing.” Max replied, then looked over at his wife. “I told Avelyn she could change anything she wanted, though. I can’t be selfish, after all. I’m not the only one who calls Schloss Blackmane his home.”
“But I happen to agree with you,” Avelyn said simply. “Besides, if I started redesigning it, you know you would end up living in a Disney castle. I’m not sure that was one of your dreams as a child.”
They all laughed. Jake, the youngest son, made a comment about how he would love to live in a Disney castle, which made Nick and Luke throw him confused glances.
“What are you? A girl?!”
“Nick, don’t talk to your brother like that,” warned Avelyn.
Nick didn’t apologize, though. He turned to his father and asked: “How about we turn the Schloss into a dark, creepy castle? Like in The Addams Family.”
“Yes!” chirped Jake. “We already have bats in the dungeons!”
Avelyn’s face turned livid.
“How do you know we have bats in the dungeons?” she asked. “You haven’t been there, have you? You know you three are not allowed to go there! It’s dark, cold, and dangerous.”
Jake blushed to the tips of his ears. His older brother, Nick, fixed his eyes on his plate, as if he had just lost interest in the discussion.
“Of course, we haven’t, mom!” said Jake. “We can hear them through the walls.”
Avelyn could breathe a little more easily, but she wasn’t entirely convinced her son was telling the truth. She would have to check. As a hybrid, she had the same keen hearing werewolves had. In the next few days, she’d make sure to press her ear to the walls all over the castle and see for herself whether she could hear the bats or not. Until then, she had no choice but to believe Jake.
“I see,” she said. “Don’t scare me like that.”
Jake shook his head and went back to his food. None of the three boys felt the need to intervene in the adults’ conversation the rest of the evening, afraid they might say something weird again, and really get themselves into trouble.
After they finished dinner, the servants brought dessert and more wine. Ashley ate a piece of cake, but she refused the second one. She was so full that she could swear she wouldn’t need any more food for the next two weeks.
As the conversation around the table died, Kevin stood up and excused himself and Ashley. He wanted to show her the Crescent Tower, which was the tallest tower in the castle. Ashley was more than happy to take a break from socializing, and allowed him to take her hand and lead her to a seemingly endless flight of stairs.
“Oh, I feel like I’m burning all the calories I’ve just eaten,” she said as she tried to catch up with him. They weren’t even half way there, and she was already tired.
Kevin laughed.
“Well, maybe that was my plan all along: to help you make room for more dessert.”
They finally ar
rived, and Ashley forgot all about feeling exhausted when she saw the breathtaking view.
“Wow!”
“Wow, indeed,” he murmured.
She could see the forest surrounding Schloss Blackmane, and in the distance, at the foot of the mountain, the bright lights of Dunkelstadt. There was not a single cloud in the sky, and the moon and stars offered enough light for Ashley to see Kevin’s face clearly when she looked up at him.
Kevin leaned forward to place a kiss on her lips, and Ashley found herself returning the gesture with wild passion. Everything seemed so easy when she was with him, yet he complicated her life so much. She snuggled against his chest. Up here, the air was brisk, and the wind unforgiving. She needed his body to keep her from freezing in her thin black dress.
“If I were a hybrid, I wouldn’t have to worry about the cold,” she thought.
Lately, she had been thinking a lot about the advantages of marrying a shifter and becoming a hybrid. Was she really considering being Kevin’s mate? They had so much in common. The more time she spent with him, the more she realized he could easily be her boyfriend and her best friend, at the same time. He didn’t judge her, didn’t expect anything of her, and always allowed her to be herself. What more could a woman want?
“Are you cold?” Kevin asked, his voice filled with concern.
They had been standing out there for a while, and she had started shivering from the ridiculously low temperature.
“A little.”
“Let’s go back inside. Max, Avelyn, and the pups are probably in the living room.”
As they made their way down the stairs, Ashley began asking herself whether it might be a good idea to sign up with a mail-order bride agency and go through those three or four months of courses. Then, Kevin could take her as his bride, and they could start a real relationship. If everything went well, she would even agree to turn into a hybrid. No one said she couldn’t continue running her business from Schloss Blackmane, after all. All she needed was a room to turn into a workshop, and good Internet connection.
