Two

Cole closed his eyes and pinched the skin between his nose in annoyance. Mara, the eldest daughter of the shadow river pack was seated next to him at the table, and shamelessly kept pressing herself against him while she chatted about anything and everything that came into her head without pause. How was she still talking, did she not need to breathe? He asked himself, she was beautiful, no doubt. Her skin was a deep brown and her long flowing dark hair reached to her dainty waist, her brown eyes were large in her delicate features. Cole chided himself, what does beauty matter? I’ve seen beautiful women before, and many beautiful women had offered themselves to me. I've even taken more than a few of them up on those offers, only to find after the pleasures of the night were over I felt nothing for them. How can I help it if in my entire life no woman has ever managed to hold my interest for more than a few hours, or made me feel anything other than passing lust? It wasn’t that I was made of ice as others were inclined to believe, I do know love, I loved my family and my pack, there is nothing I wouldn't do for them - I just hadn’t been moved by a woman.. Ever. 

Tuning back into the conversation at the table just in time to hear the little twit rambling on about her shoes, I rolled my eyes, like I would ever care about what was on her feet? I just wanted to get through this political display so I could move on and get away from this place, there was no way I could take this girl or any of her younger sisters to be my luna, they were all just as spoiled, shallow and vapid as Mara, and i despise that in any woman.

Alpha Eric was not yet at the dining table and it only served to irritate me further that this alpha that was so far beneath me in status would leave me waiting. “Excuse me, i think i shall take a walk outside while i … wait” I told those around the table, allowing my pause to make my annoyance at Eric’s lack of respect plain. “I’ll join you!” Mara said, popping up from her chair, no doubt thinking she could pull me into some corner of the forest to be alone. “No.” I said with a little more disdain than I’d intended “I'd much prefer to be alone for now.” Mara sat back down with a pout on her face. A pout! To put this woman forward as a possible bride for me was shameful. The only woman I could ever consider for my Luna would be strong and intelligent, a woman capable of leading the pack in my absence, to battle if need be. Shaking my head slightly at the silly creature, I stepped away from the table. Immediately two of my warriors came to my side. “Stay.” With one look at the expression on my face both men immediately stepped back and allowed me to pass.

Stepping into the hallway I began making my way towards the outdoor gardens I had only managed to get a glimpse of earlier, although I was unfamiliar in this place as I rounded a corner I knew I was heading in the right direction because I could smell the blooming night flowers. I began following the beautiful and captivating scent, and after another couple of turns I could see the glass doorway to the gardens at the end of the hall, lit like a beacon in the dark by the moonlight streaming through. It was there in the dark that the realization hit me - the doors were closed. The scent I'd followed was not coming from the gardens. Turning to look further into the darkness it hit me like a blast furnace, waking all my senses and bringing my breathing  to a halt. I found all of my attention was focused on a girl lurking there in the dark, the owner of the scent that was currently playing havoc with my body. I needed to snap out of it.

“What are you doing, hiding here in the dark?” I demanded, grabbing her arm pulling her into the light of the doorway. “Trying to avoid being noticed” she hissed, while struggling to free herself from my grip. It was no use, I could no more let her go than I could understand the tingling sparks licking at my skin where I touched her. Hypnotized by her presence, all I could do is stare at the beautiful creature in front of me.

When He didn’t respond to me immediately I finally turned my face up to look at the man ruining my escape attempt, and I found myself looking at the most gorgeous man I'd ever seen. His bright almost silver blue eyes bored into me, his neatly cut and combed dark brown hair was loose on top and framed his strong features, he looked like nothing less than a god standing there, his large muscular body framed lit from behind by the moonlight falling around him, he took my breath away. For the first time in my life I felt desire curl deep in my belly. With my heart pounding so hard I was certain half the house would hear I felt my wolf becoming restless while I looked into the strangers eyes “Who… Who are you?” 

Cole was speechless, completely held captive the moment this girl's bright green eyes hit him. His wolf came forward in his mind “MINE” his wolf pushed into his thoughts. Mine? What was that about?  Who was this girl? She was flawlessly beautiful in a way he’d never seen before, her beautiful tanned skin and dark hair the perfect backdrop for her vivid eyes, her full lips a delicious looking compliment to her otherwise delicate features, his eyes dropped to take in the rest of her, she was tall for a girl, but that only meant she was only tall enough to be at his chest, yet her height did nothing to make her less feminine, her beautiful curves evident underneath ill fitting clothes, yet something in the way she held herself told him she wasn’t all softness, and that plenty of muscle lay just beneath the surface. He took half a step back from her trying to regain his composure “MINE” his wolf pushed again. 

I released my hold on her arm but was unable to speak, whoever she was, one thing was undeniable, those beautiful green eyes staring back at me had made me feel more in an instant than any woman had made me feel in my entire lifetime, and I had to know more.

A sudden crash from a nearby hallway broke the spell between them. “WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE’S GONE?” a man yelled. The woman next to Cole began to shake in fear. So this is why she was hiding. “Go” he whispered “I’ll cover for you”. Looking up into my face she scanned my features, looking for any sign I might betray her,  when she found none, she still hesitated, “Go” I said again, this time using the full force of my alpha tone. Flinching back from me and unable to deny my command, she sprinted to the door,and was out of it in a blink. Following her out the door, I stood casually on the patio leading out to the garden, watching as she skillfully made her way to the tree line by dodging through the shadows. If I hadn’t been so keenly aware of her presence I might not have been able to follow her movements. “Impressive” I thought as I coolly turned to greet the guards coming through the door behind me.