Chapter 30
CHARLOTTE’S POV
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It was getting late in the evening, the moon was already out. I was at the back of the house, tending to some of my plants in the garden, trying to push today’s incidents out of my head, when Leslie’s voice cut through the quiet garden.
“Char! Charlotte!”
“Are you trying to scream the house down?” I asked as I heard her footsteps rushing closer.
She reached me and pulled me into a tight hug. “What the hell happened to you? You were unreachable all day. You didn’t even show up at the hospital.”
“I’m fine,” I said quickly. “You don’t need to worry.” She pulled back anyway, to examine my face and body.
“You had me worried. I thought something happened to you. I even went to check on Liam in his room. He was fast asleep, which is not like him. He doesn’t sleep at this time.”
“He should be waking up soon. He’s been asleep for hours.”
Hearing Liam ask Ace to be his father this afternoon hit me hard. He needed a father, more than he ever showed. He had been acting like everything was fine. I never knew the kids at school laughed at him for not having one. If it were that easy, I would find his father and bring them together without a second thought. But I don’t even remember his name or what he looks like.
“What happened?” she asked again. “And why was your phone unreachable?”
“My phone broke. I’ll replace it tomorrow.”
I wanted to stop there because I was certain she would overreact if I told her everything. But I also knew Leslie, she wouldn’t let it go.
So I told her everything, from last night to the attack this morning. I didn’t skip anything. When I was done, her mouth was wide open, jaw almost dropping to the ground.
“Alpha Ace Virel took you to his pack… to his penthouse,” she said slowly. “And you both spent the night there. Did you sleep in the same room?”
I glared at her. “Out of everything I said, that was the only thing you picked?”
She lifted her hands. “Forgive me, but I knew something was fishy between you two. The night I walked into your office and caught him shirtless and sweaty.” Her lips curved into a sly smile. “Are you two…”
“Les!” I snapped, trying to shut her up.
She burst into laughter.
After a moment, she cleared her throat. “Okay. I’ll be serious. But who would dare attack you in the Brownleague pack?”
She paused, then continued. “Not long after Ace took over as Alpha, another pack attacked them. They wanted something that belonged to Brownleague. No one ever found out exactly what it was, or what Ace did in return. All anyone knows is that the pack burned to the ground, and there were no survivors. That was the last time any Alpha, pack, or creature ever
tried him.”
“What are you saying, Les? The Brimstone pack is also one of the strongest packs in London but we’ve been attacked many times in the past and we still do. We fight and we win, no pack is above attack.”
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She shook her head slowly. “You don’t understand. The Brownlegue pack holds the highest number of werewolves in the world. They are already running into hundreds of thousands. That Alpha cominands the largest werewolf force in living history. No pack has ever come close to that number not to talk of beating the record. Wolves from different places run to him for refuge. He gives them shelter. He helps them. But they all know one thing. You don’t cross Alpha Ace. If you do, you won’t live to tell the story”
I sucked in a sharp breath. “You’re saying…”
“I’m saying whoever those creatures were,” she said quietly, “they made the worst mistake of their lives.”
I looked at her. “How do you know so much about the Brownleague pack and Ace?”
“I bet you’re the only werewolf around who doesn’t know about him. Even humans know his name.”
We kept talking as we walked back toward the front yard. The automated gate suddenly started beeping red, then green before it slid open. Two large vans rolled in. Les and I stopped walking and exchanged a confused look.
The vans came to a halt. About fifteen bulky men dressed in black stepped out, all armed. One of them walked toward us and stopped a few feet away.
“Good evening, Doctors,” he said, bowing slightly at us. “We’re the squad Alpha Virel sent for your protection.”
Les leaned in close and whispered, “You didn’t tell me he was sending a squad of protection.”
1 clenched my teeth. “I asked him not to.”
Liam ran out of the house barefooted and grabbed Leslie’s hand. “Mummy, are we in trouble again? Why are these big men in our house?”
He looked up at the man who had spoken to us earlier. “Who are you? Why did you come here?”
The man smiled gently. “My name is Stephen. No, you’re not in trouble. Alpha Ace sent us to protect you from any danger.”
“That’s alright, Liam, go back inside.” He nodded and ran back in
I wanted to call Ace, but my phone was broken. I turned to Stephen. “Can you call your Alpha for me? Tell him I want to talk.”
He nodded, dialed, and handed the phone to me. “Hello, Ace.”
“It feels so good to hear your voice. Why are you calling from Stephen’s phone? Do you miss me?” I could picture him smirking from the sound of his voice.
“That will never happen. I thought I made it clear that I don’t want you sending men to my house. This is ridiculous.”
“And I remember you saying no. Knowing they’re with you eases me. I can’t focus on anything if I’m always worrying about you and your safety.”
“I don’t like this.”
He sighed. “Just bear with me, baby. A few weeks and they’ll leave you alone.”
He was so stubborn. “A few days, that’s it. I’m not in any danger. And stay out of my
business!”
He chuckled. “Impossible. I can’t stay away from you.”
I hung up, shaking my head as we went inside. Ace is
I had missed two days
SO
unbelievable, always doing things without my consent.
at the hospital, and there was still a load of work waiting for me inside my study. I got busy and by
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11:47 pm I got so hungry and went to the kitchen to make something for myself.
I glanced out the window, two guards stood watch outside. My ge drifted past them, into the woods. A pair of golden eyes
stared back at the house.
I almost panicked but strangely it didn’t feel like danger. The moment our eyes met it disappeared. The next thing I heard was the doorbell.
1 frowned. Who would come at this hour? By the time I reached the door, the guards had already let him in
I opened it and found Ace standing there.
His sweatpants and shirt were rumpled, clinging to him like he’d been running. His hair was a mess, a dry leaf caught in it.
“What are you doing here at this time?” I asked.
He gave me a soft smile. “I came to see you.”
“Were you the one watching from the woods?”
“Yes. I was out on a run and decided to come check on you.”
You ran from your pack to this place?” My heart jumped at the thought.
He shrugged. “Since you’ve refused to move to my pack and you keep asking me to take my men away, I don’t know what else to do.”
I rubbed my temple. “I feel uncomfortable with those men in my house, I’m sure Liam and Les feel uncomfortable too. You can’t just pull men in my house because you think you can. And we won’t be moving to your pack so please stop asking.”
“Then I can’t help it if I want to make sure you’re safe and I want to see you all the time.”
“Why would you want to see me?”
His eyes lingered on my face. “Because I miss you. I love it when you’re around me and when you leave I want to see you again.”
“Ace…”
“I know you don’t like me. You’ve drummed it in my ears multiple times but,” he wrapped my hands around his waist, gently rubbing the back of his fingers on the side of my face. “I can’t help it. I can’t help it if I want to see you.”
The moment his body touched mine, his scent filled my nostrils. His natural scent mixed with sweat, probably from his running, it was intoxicating and I was drowning in it. My eyes shut at the sensation his hand on my face brought. “This is not right.” My eyes opened and he was smiling.
“You may dislike me but you can’t deny that you want me as much as I want you. Your body, it doesn’t lie.” His hands trailed my back down to my waist, pulling me so close there was no space between us. We were breathing the same air.
He tapped my nose. “You see, your body doesn’t lie. I’m going to make you fall for me.”
“That is never going to happen.” I sounded defensive.
“It is happening.” He quickly planted a soft kiss on my lips.
“You have to stop kissing me all the time.”
“I can’t do that.” To prove his point, he leaned in and covered my lips with his. My body stiffened for a moment, then melted into the kiss, his hand sliding lightly over my waist.
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I was breathing hard when we pulled apart. “I’m hungry after all that running, would you make me something to ear
“You came all the way from your house to come cat at mine”
He nodded, rubbing his flat toned stomach.
“I’m making baked potato topped with creamy minced beef. Would you eat?”
“I’ll eat anything, as long as you make them.” He followed me to the kitchen and watched as I baked the potatoes and in twenty minutes I was done. I served him a plate and he finished the food before I was done with mine.
“You were really hungry huh?”
“Yeah. You just fed a hungry wolf,” replied with a smirk. He washed the plates with me.
“I have to go now, see you soon.” He planted another kiss on my forehead, before I could protest he was gone.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
