by Cara Wylde
Too busy keeping her hormones under control, Jocelyn didn’t notice Ryan had turned around and was studying her himself.
His eyes took in her pretty face, sharp cheekbones, and delicious lips. She absolutely rocked her pixie cut, and no matter what she wore, the soft fabric fit amazingly over her athletic body. She was tall, strong, and always kept her back straight and head high. One could tell she was an Alpha from miles away. Jocelyn had made sure that she had the respect of her pack, the Moon Children, and she knew no one would ever oppose her authority. Not even her brothers, Max and Karl, who had their own packs. She was in charge of her wolves, and Ryan loved that she never doubted herself when making tough decisions.
“What is she thinking about?” Ryan wondered. It was something he had been obsessing over for too many months now. “What’s going on in this beautiful woman’s pretty head?” What were her dreams, hopes, fears… would he ever find out?
“Err… sorry I barged in like this,” said Josie. “I just wanted to… well, the whole palace is amazing and the designs are so varied… I was curious…” She trailed off, and her eyes started wandering over the walls.
Ryan noticed the sight of his bare chest made her uncomfortable, so he grabbed a shirt from his suitcase and put it on.
It was almost painful for Josie to see him put away that beautiful body, and she must have unwillingly showed it, because Ryan gave a small crooked smile when he saw her facial expression. The sexual tension between them was unbelievable! Even more unbelievable was that they both seemed to seek it no matter how weird it made them feel, and how much they beat themselves up later for acting so awkward.
Ryan looked over Jocelyn’s body again, this time not bothering to hide what he was doing.
She noticed how he was studying her, and decided to “get interested” in a painting on the wall behind her.
He loved the way she refused to admit that she was feeling shy. It turned him on immensely, and the bulge in his pants was the growing proof. He made an effort to go back to taking his clothes out of his suitcase and placing them in the empty, open closet.
“Eagle-shifters, right?” said Jocelyn, mostly to break the silence.
“No doubt.”
“Well, Blackmane Constructions can re-build their left wing, but if the Drekinns want this sort of detail, they’ll have to hire some eagles.”
“They’ve probably already included that in their renovation plan.”
“Mhm.”
The tension was weighing too heavily on their shoulders for either of them to be capable of making decent conversation. Jocelyn felt like her words got stuck in her throat, and the only way to let them out was to go over them again and again to make sure they didn’t hint to anything related to her feelings, or her body’s raw, unforgiving needs. She had never had difficulties expressing herself, so this was new to her. This situation messed with her head. She couldn’t believe she had ended up having such a huge crush on her own Beta! She felt like a teenager, which she most certainly wasn’t. Why couldn’t it have been someone else? Anyone! Ryan was her subordinate. This whole thing was so unprofessional, that it made her want to run out of the palace, find an isolated spot in the gardens, and scream in frustration until she lost her voice.
She walked around the room a bit, all the while aware that Ryan was watching her every move from the corner of his eye. His bed was just as big as hers. When the familiar image of Ryan towering over her body as she lay on the covers took over her senses, she squeezed her hands into fists, and briskly headed to the door. Her panties were so wet that she was sure the Beta could smell them from where he was standing, across the room.
“See you later.”
“Sure, boss. I’ll take a shower, and I’m heading downstairs.”
Shower. Hot water running down Ryan’s broad back. “Bad Jocelyn!” she screamed in her head.
“Err… enjoy. Your shower.”
“Thanks?”
The door closed with a bang that hadn’t been necessary, and Ryan found himself alone again. He sighed, let the shirts he was holding drop to the floor, and looked down at his crotch.
“I’ll have to take care of that sometime today,” he whispered to himself.
CHAPTER TWO
Lunch was beautiful, and the two wolves were amazed at how generous and homely the dragons were. They ate on a balcony overlooking the gardens, and the smell of winter invigorated them while they enjoyed their hot coffee, as the empty plates were taken away by two servants. Being a shape-shifter sure had its perks. They never felt the cold, so no matter the season, they felt perfectly comfortable in light clothes. The unique opportunity of becoming a hybrid, half human and half dragon, was the only thing that had made Delyse get used to the idea her new home was in Norway.
It was a very calm setting, and it was nice to sit down and share a meal without having to discuss any business or politics. The young dragons were busy playing under the table, kicking and fussing, and generally being a nuisance. Eric tried a few times, without success, to have them settle down. So did Viggo and Delyse, but they failed miserably. Occasionally, Carr and Jax would give them a charming smile, which could melt away any trace of anger. Then, almost immediately, they would go back to being naughty. They were a handful, but they were quite the interesting pair to be around. When dessert was brought, they gobbled it down gratefully, and Ryan and Josie could tell they had gotten to a very vital stage in their life, when they focused on exploring and building their bodies.
When the boys shifted and decided to go flying around and playing again, the adults stayed behind to discuss the plans for the reconstruction of the left wing. The two Blackmanes needed to get a feel of how their clients wanted their property reconstructed, so they could provide maximum satisfaction. They decided to go over to the site to get a better idea of how to proceed, but Eric declined, claiming he was too busy to accompany them. Being an Alpha herself, Josie understood what he meant and knew immediately that urgent matters he wasn’t supposed to share with them needed his time and attention. He gave Delyse the power to renovate as she wished, so Delyse went about giving instructions on what she wanted her new left wing to look like.
Jocelyn had to admit that the woman had a flair for style, and the ideas she was giving Josie on the reconstruction made her realize that some of the touches in the palace had been made by her. As Josie listened to Delyse, she let her eyes wander off to where Ryan and Viggo were. It was not hard to see that the dragon had been trying to get Ryan to engage in small talk with him. If Jocelyn knew anything, it was that Viggo was wasting his time. Viggo finally got tired of Ryan’s grunts and nods, and walked to where she and Delyse were standing. It took a little over two hours for them to come to a conclusion about the left wing and what they wanted it to look like.
Jocelyn thought that Delyse was the one with the artistic mind and the knack for taste, but found out quite quickly that Viggo had some pretty awesome suggestions, too. He opened Jocelyn’s mind to so many cool ideas! He was able to make her see in a way she wouldn’t have if she had been told to re-design the place herself. To think everyone believed eagle-shifters were far more creative than any other species… what a misconception!
“I guess this is all,” said Delyse, throwing one last glance over the plans they had filled with notes and drawings.
“So, what do you think?” Viggo asked Jocelyn. “Is this whole thing possible?”
“Oh, I’m sure it is. I’ll take this back to Schloss Blackmane and have my brother take a look. We’ll assign a team, buy the materials, and get started as soon as possible.”
“Awesome!”
As they made their way out of the left wing, Jocelyn couldn’t help admiring the gardens through a rather huge hole in the wall.
“If you don’t mind, I’d love to see the gardens,” she said.
Delyse’s eyes sparkled. “They’re even more amazing in summer!”
Josie laughed. “Would it be weird if I invited myself for a
vacation here?”
“You guys want to come?” she asked. Her question was clearly addressed to Ryan, but she didn’t want it to sound that way.
Delyse and Viggo exchanged a quick glance, and the blond dragon refused politely. Jocelyn and Ryan were left alone, to explore as they pleased.
Josie left the stack of papers she had been carrying around all day on a table in the living room, then ran out into the icy air. Ryan followed her, a small smile on his face. Seeing her so carefree and cheerful made him feel at ease. Come to think of it, this didn’t feel like a business trip at all. He was glad his Alpha was taking a break from all the madness at Schloss Blackmane. She loved her wolves and her three nephews, sure, but he knew she never realized how much of her energy they were consuming.
“These dragons have built themselves quite the Garden of Heaven here,” Ryan said as they made their way towards the eastern entrance.
Two wonderful bronze statues welcomed them. These dragons were smaller than the ones at the gate, and they blew bronze fire onto each other, making it look like they were creating a heart with their flames. It was ironic, given how Jocelyn and Ryan felt about each other. On a rock near the entrance, the Latin words “Amor in Paradiso” were carved in some sort of red stone. They translated to “Love in Paradise”.
“Would you look at that?” said Josie. “You were on point with that Garden of Heaven reference.”
Embarrassed, Ryan scratched the back of his head. Did everything they came across today have to make them both feel so awkward? He could swear karma was not on his side.
The hedges had been trimmed in the shapes of different shape-shifters, and the wolf-shifter was the most interesting of all because, while the other animals had been made to look like they were attacking, the wolf was depicted in a preying stance.
Josie made her way deeper into the garden. Her green eyes scanned her surroundings eagerly, studying the trees and bushes as she was trying to guess what each plant was. They all looked a bit sad in February, and she wondered what colors they would bloom come spring. She almost tripped over a bush because she was looking up at a tree, using the little she knew about botany to figure out what species it belonged to. Ryan was at her side in a split second, his strong arm reaching around her to keep her from falling on her face. Jocelyn gasped and held onto his bicep until she regained balance. The taut muscles she felt under her fingers sent a rush of heat through her body. Her pussy walls clenched so painfully that she almost moaned in frustration. She closed her eyes for a moment, then straightened her back and let go of Ryan’s arm.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, thanks. What? Did you think a shrub would kill me?”
She sounded harsher than she had intended, but she had no time to feel sorry about it.
Ryan swallowed heavily. He hadn’t been so close to her in a long time. The only ones who were allowed to enter Jocelyn’s personal space were her nephews, but he couldn’t blame her for that, since in his case no one was allowed to enter his personal space. Well… Jocelyn was, but he could tell she wasn’t interested.
That dreaded, uncomfortable silence was threatening to fall between them again, and Ryan was sick of it. He started talking randomly about the Drekinns, about dragons in general, and how different they were from werewolves.
“They also seem to educate their children differently,” he rambled on. “I mean… Max’s pups can be hard to deal with, but when either Max or Avelyn throws them one of those glances, they knock it off. Jax and Carr barely acknowledged their parents’ disapproval at lunch.”
“They’re spoilt,” said Jocelyn. “I know I’d be if I were the daughter of two ancient dragon-shifters. And Delyse is related to Councilor Harington, so yeah… The power these boys were born with is enough to get to anyone’s head.”
“Spoilt? They’re a pain!”
Josie laughed. “Try not to say that around Delyse, Eric, or Viggo.”
“I don’t know how Delyse does it. Eric and Viggo are probably busy most of the time, so she’s stuck with these two at home.”
“She’s a tough one, Delyse. Don’t let her frail, innocent looks deceive you.”
Ryan spread his arms as if to show he was still lost, no matter how much Josie tried to explain it to him.
“Hell! I’m not sure I’d even be able to handle their energy for more than five minutes!”
“Oh no! You’d spank their asses in less than five minutes.”
“If I got them to sit still and not fly around like two lunatics, as they do…”
Josie turned to him and laughed wholeheartedly.
“No offence, but I’m not sure you’d make such a great dad…”
Ryan crossed his arms over his chest and huffed.
“Why? Because I’d actually discipline my kids?”
Josie thought for a second.
“Hmm… If I had kids, I’d discipline them a bit, too. My brother’s pups are adorable and all, but they do piss me off sometimes.”
“And they suck the life out of their mother.”
Jocelyn resumed walking. They still had a lot of ground to cover if they wanted to see the whole garden.
“When I see the dark circles under Avelyn’s eyes, I’m almost glad I can’t have children,” she said. But she wasn’t sure she meant it.
Ryan didn’t know what to say to that. His brain was trying to come up with ways to stir the conversation in a different direction.
Jocelyn fell silent for a while. She had become comfortable around the Beta. Too comfortable, if she had started talking about children.
The northern part of the garden was entirely dedicated to a maze. Jocelyn and Ryan stopped at the entrance.
“Want to try it?” he asked.
She bit her lower lip. Of course she wanted! She was pretty sure her navigation skills were impeccable, but she had never done this before. There was a sign which explained the rules: shifters were allowed to turn into their animal form only in the direst situations. In their human form, they had sharp senses and incredible speed, but it all doubled when they shifted. It made sense to Jocelyn. If the maze was too easy, it wouldn’t be any fun.
Ryan thought Josie looked adorable as she was studying the sign and trying to decide.
“We could try. It shouldn’t be that hard,” he said. “I’m sure you’ll need my help most of the time, but you know I’m here for you. I’d do anything to keep my Alpha safe.” He took a sarcastic bow, and looked up at her with a cocky expression.
“Shut up!” But she couldn’t help the smile forming at the corners of her lips.
They went into the maze, Jocelyn leading the way. She took turns without thinking much, convinced that no matter how difficult she made it for them, she wouldn’t have any trouble finding her way to the other side.
The maze was other-worldly; they thought the garden was beautiful, but this was taking it to a whole new level. There were arches at every turn, and statues in duplicates at most corners to confuse the unsuspecting shifter.
When Josie spotted the first statue that looked like another they had come across, she thought they were going around in circles. That was Ryan’s first chance to get cocky since they had gone in.
“You see, my beloved Alpha, if you had an eye as keen as mine, you would notice that the other statue of the eagle was chipped at the talons. This one is perfect. Might I also add that this eagle has a bronze finish on the tip of the wings?”
Josie huffed and took another turn.
“You think you’re so clever,” she mumbled.
Ryan smirked and fell in step with her.
“Admit it: you’d be lost without me.”
“Sure. You go on telling yourself that.”
Irritated, Jocelyn looked up at him and gave him a good smack on the chest. She had to suppress a grunt when her knuckles hurt a little. She hadn’t expected his chest to be that hard. In her wolf form, she had wrestled playfully with some of the members of her pack, but never with Ryan
. Just the thought of it made her feel uncomfortably hot. She blushed and hoped he didn’t see it. The sun was going down, and her skin reflected all sorts of shades.
Ryan laughed when she hit him. It was a hearty laughter, and it was easy to see that he was gently mocking her for being so silly and scared.
They continued through the maze, being more careful about the turns they took. When they got to the end of it, they were on the western side of the gardens.
It was obvious this part was mostly dominated by exotic flowers and trees, as they were carefully covered to protect them from the harsh winter. There wasn’t much to see now, but Josie knew it would all look glorious in spring and summer. She leaned down to admire the great work the gardener had done.
“What did you see?” Ryan asked. He leaned down beside her, suddenly so close to her body that he could smell her unique perfume.
“I wonder what color these flowers will be…”
His presence distracted her. She couldn’t focus on the flowers and trees anymore. If he kept walking so close to her, leaning in, and almost whispering in her ear, she would eventually lose control. She stood up quickly.
Taken by surprise, Ryan instinctively did the same. Neither of them had stepped away, though, so now they were even closer than they had been when Ryan had helped her regain her balance some hour and a half before.
Jocelyn looked up to find his face so close to hers that it was impossible not to get lost in his dark green eyes. Instead of pulling away immediately, both of them just looked at each other and drunk in the features they had been dying to study more carefully, and maybe even touch.
Josie noticed he was wearing a woody cologne she had never paid attention to before. It smelled amazing on his skin, and she fought the urge to lean in and sniff the length of his neck with all her might. The gesture would have been so stupid, she would’ve never forgiven herself for it.
