Chapter 3: The Next Day

Hearing someone yelling in the background, I look over at Alpha Conroy and Beta Dean before scanning the room to investigate.  I have been patiently waiting all morning to call Arabella and was just about to, when I heard the commotion begin.  Laying my eyes upon Omega Terence and Omega Shelley over by the far wall, I can tell at once that they are in a heated argument and that is where the yelling is coming from.

“How dare you!  You know that I had my heart set on that, and you just threw it out.  Does whatever I feel mean nothing to you?”  Shelley stares at Terence with tears in her eyes before stomping off. 

Noting that there is something terribly wrong, I stand up from my chair and walk over to Terence before whispering so no one else can hear but the two of us, “You need to fix whatever is wrong.” 

I stare down Terence to make sure he knows that I mean business and then after a few seconds, I take my eyes off him and continue to scan the room for any other potential problems.  Only when I am satisfied that everything is under control for the moment, do I sit back down in the corner and take out my phone.  Glancing down at it, I realize something. 

Yesterday, I had turned it off after getting her number.  There wasn’t any need for the phone all last night, but what if she had tried to call me?  When she placed her number in my phone, did she grab my number for hers as well?  I sit there wondering if I should even call her at all because this attraction is so strange that it feels off.  She is a human after all, the two of our species don’t get along.    

Putting my feet up on the coffee table directly in front of my chair, I sit back and relax.  Then I glance around the room one more time, before sighing and pulling up my contacts.  After finding her name, I press on the phone button.

Listening with the phone to my ear, I finally hear a ring once and then twice before hearing her breathing and her sweet voice.  “Hi.  I thought you would never call me.”  The minute I hear it, my heart starts to beat fast, and I can already feel my face twist into a smile.

Hesitating for a few seconds, I eventually say with a somewhat forced tone to my voice, “I had to take care of some business here first, I am the head of a rather large empire after all.”  With that said, I say no more about it and then declare, “Get ready.  I am going to pick you up and show you around my castle.  Just tell me your address and I will pick you up in a half an hour.”

Hearing breathing on the other end, I wait patiently for her answer.  When her voice is no longer sweet, I begin to wonder if I have said to much, and now she has changed her mind.  “Actually.”  I hear her pause and then state, “I need a little time to get ready.  I haven’t showered yet or anything.  So how about in an hour and I will be ready?”

She tells me her address before hanging up and I sit there and stare at the wall till the time is up.  When the clock strikes 2, I stand up quickly and grab my things before heading out because her place is only about 15 minutes from me.  As I climb in the truck, I wonder how this will all go.  Because when she sees the place and hears how those around us treat me, she will start to put two and two together and figure out that I am not just another billionaire, but so much more.

Arriving at the address, I note that it is in the middle of the woods and there is a long driveway that cuts clear back about a mile and a half.  Finally coming to a clear patch, I see a little red brick house and her smiling face standing outside waiting for me on the front porch.  Right away my eyes travel down her body and then back up again.  Taking inventory of her clothes very carefully and figuring out what I must take off to mate with her.

When I am a few feet from the car in the driveway, I stop and shut off the truck for the moment.  As I climb out, a thought runs through my head, and I stop before saying a single thing.  I know full well, that if I come off as an arrogant asshole, she may not want anything to do with me.  Then again, she might be the type of girl who likes that sort of thing.

So, the minute I walk up to her, I state, “Get in.  You look sexy as hell and if I don’t restrain myself, I might very well have your clothes off before we get back home.”

From the look in her eyes in response to what I just said, I read the whole situation wrong.  The next thing I know she starts to step backwards.  I quickly start laughing and mask my real intentions by saying jokingly, “You do know that I was kidding.  I am not the big bad wolf after all.  I just want to spend some time with you because you seem interesting.”

Wondering if she will fall for it, I raise my hand to my neck and start to scratch the back.  Whenever I get uncomfortable, I find that I do that without thinking.  Seeing that I am nervous, she automatically calms down and smiles before answering, “Yes.  I know.  You are just the older guy with the bad hair day.  That’s how I placed you in my memory.  I have a system for those kinds of things, or I would forget it.  I often do quite frequently.  My mom says it has something to do with a learning disability and my long-term memory.”

Smiling at her to make her feel at ease, I then respond with in a casual tone, “Let’s go.  I am having something specially prepared for you for dinner.  I think you will find that you like it.  Or at least I hope you do.”  A frown forms on my lips as soon as I start to worry again about what she thinks. 

Why does this girl have such an affect on me?  This is really troublesome, because if I don’t get my act together, she won’t want anything to do with me.  Let alone be my mate.

Following me to the truck, I lead her to the passenger door and then open it for her.  As I watch her delicate frame climb up into the truck, I feel movement in my jeans and know that if I am not careful, my jeans will soon be too tight to drive home.  Swallowing hard, I try to think of something that will ease the swelling and then it goes down.  Thinking of my grandmother usually works, because the minute I think of that old, wrinkled face, everything else just disappears.

After taking care of the immediate problem, I get back in the driver’s seat and turn on the engine.  Hearing it purr, I smile and look over at her before placing my hand on the shifter and putting it into gear.  Right away it responds without hesitation, and I drive off down the long driveway through the woods, back to the road before turning. 

Looking over at her, I let a little smirk cross my face and then I turn on the radio before she becomes too uncomfortable with the silence.  On the way home, we sing along to songs that we know and when we don’t, I pay attention to the road, and she stares out at the endless houses.  When we eventually get home because I took the long route, I stare at her eyes that become huge saucers the minute she sees the castle in the clearing. 

She turns to me and asks with the voice of a wonderous child, “Is this really yours?”

I smile and turn to her before answering, “Yes.  It is and many more.  I have them all over the country.  My dad ruled before I did and had them built because he has always loved the castles in Scotland.  He figured if he was going to be king, he might as well reign from the walls like one in his castles.”  Realizing that I said too much, I hurry and try to mask it.  “You do know I am just kidding?”

With huge eyes, she turns to me and says quietly with uncertainty, “I guess.” 

Still staring at her eyes, she finally gazes into mine and says in excitement, “I can’t wait to see the inside.  This is the most awesome thing I have ever seen.”

I open the door and get out as fast as we stop, before rushing to her door and opening it.  The smile on her face still plastered on her lips is intoxicating because the next thing I know, my hand is cupping her chin and I am kissing her lips.  I pick her up, while pulling her out of the truck and cradle her in my arms. 

When she starts giggling against my own, I realize that kissing her, is too much too soon and quickly put her down before she decides to scream or something.  After all, the last thing I need is a young girl screaming in front of the castle.  Everyone might think I intend to make her my next meal and that just wouldn’t be a good thing.  Especially when I had just got done telling The Wind Walker pack that we can’t be feasting on humans.

Shaking my head as I stare into her eyes, I quickly try to figure out how to smooth out what I have just done.  “Hm.  I wonder.”  I murmur under my breath, so low that she couldn’t possibly hear.  Then when she turns around with a questioning look on her face, I begin to wonder if she can.

“I am sorry.  It seemed like the right thing to do at the time.  I guess I am a little out of practice at these sorts of things.”  I state as I wear a frown across my face.

Watching her start to smile, I relax before she says confidently, “You can’t help it that I am so cute.  After all, it isn’t everyday you get to entertain a young girl that thinks everything you do is awesome.”

She must have said it before thinking, because the next thing she does is start blushing and turns away from me so I can’t see.  I place my hand on her shoulder gently and turn her around, before stating, “You are right.  You are rather enchanting, but I think underneath it all there is so much more to you and that is why I am really trying to get to know you.”

“Oh, well then lead on and I will follow.  I want to see all the castle and the grounds before we eat.  Please.”  The light sparkles in her eyes and I find myself desperately wanting to know everything about this girl before she finds out exactly who and what I am.

The minute we get inside however, I don’t get time because we step into a battle of two Beta’s, and she sees just who and what we really are.  Scared beyond belief, she runs out of the castle, down the driveway, out into the woods and then I spend an hour and a half before I find her.