Chapter 11: Chapter Nine

Ashlynn

We made our way back down the mountain, this time a little more slowly. It gave me a chance to take in my surroundings, noticing things that would help me know where I was the next time I came out. As we came back upon the tree line, I went back to where I had left my clothes, shifted back and quickly changed. When I walked back to Dawson, he was standing there kicking a rock on the ground looking around. "Hey," I said. He looked over at me and smiled. "Thanks for taking me out. I did need to run. It was kind of annoying though, not being able to communicate in wolf form."

He nodded in agreement,"For sure." He shifts his weight, then tilts his head looking me in the eyes. "Are you planning to stick around Ash? I mean do you think you will make this your pack? Or are you going to go back to California?" He seemed nervous, like there was more he wanted to say, but couldn't get the words out.

I touched his arm lightly, as I stared into his beautiful green eyes. "I am planning to stay. I was actually thinking of talking to my Uncle tomorrow, about pledging to the pack. I don't think I can go back. To many bad memories for my Mom, so she won't. I won't leave her alone."

Dawson smiled, then grabbed my hand and starting walking back towards the stables. My hand felt nice in his, and his warmth spread all over me like a warm blanket in winter. I kept asking myself if this was normal, to feel like this. He walked me to my stairs, "Good night Ash, see you tomorrow." He looked at me for a few seconds then turned to walk away. I couldn't just let him walk away like that, so I did the only thing I could think of. I followed behind him and grabbed his hand in mine. He stopped and turned to me, his eyebrow raised in a question.

I said nothing, just stood on my tippy toes and put my other hand on the back of his neck and brushed my lips against his. He didn't hesitate, he kissed me back. He pulled me closer to him, and with his free hand, he wrapped it around my hair, pressing my mouth harder against his. He licked my lip, begging for entrance and I gave it to him. He deepened the kiss, letting go of my hand he had been holding, he brought his hands to both sides of my face, his thumbs brushing my cheek bones. When he pulled back and looked in my eyes, I could see his eyes going back and forth from green to dark, his wolf pushing forward.

"You are driving me crazy Ashlynn Cane, you have no idea," he growled. I think I did kind of know, if he felt any of the electricity I did when we touched. That's when I decided to be brave and ask him.

My voice was softer than I had wanted, tentative. "Don't you feel it?"

His eyes grew wide in recognition of what I was asking. "If you're talking about this," he ran his hand up and down my arm, leaving a trail of an electrical current on my skin, "then yes." He was searching my eyes with his, looking for something.

"What do you think it means?" I asked him. "Does it feel like this with every girl you have kissed?"

He laughed, "Not exactly."

I looked at his lips and then back to his eyes. "So what exactly did it feel like with other girls?"

"Ashlynn, have you kissed anyone else, I mean before me?" He sounded genuinely curious.

I felt a little uncomfortable, but in all fairness, I asked first. I sighed. "Yes. And I admit, it wasn't that exciting."

He chuckled. "Hmmm, well I can say the same. But you. You're different. This is different," he points back and forth between us. "Since you are the Alpha's niece, I normally wouldn't even consider you an option, but something pulls me to you and I can't help it." He growls,"the Goddess help me for the Alpha not to kill me."

It was my turn to laugh. "He's not going to kill you," I smacked his shoulder. "I'm a grown woman."

"Indeed you are." His voice is sultry, his eyes hooded. He leans down and takes my mouth with his, kissing me with such fire, that I almost lose my breath. Then he pulls back from me, gives me one of his familiar little smirks. "Good night Ash," and he walks towards the stable, where his apartment is above. I realize as the lights come on in his window, that I'm still standing there, probably with a stupid look on my face. I shake my head, and go up to my room, shower and go to bed. I dream of him.

Dawson

I'm not ready to end the night. I want to spend more time with Ashlynn, so I decide to see if she wants to go for a run. I want to take her to the bluff. The view is amazing and you can see for miles. She agrees and we head to the tree line. I'm a bit surprised when she ducks behind a tree, but also slightly glad that she's modest. I really don't want other men checking her out, and honestly, I don't know if I can behave if I see her naked. She steps from behind the tree in her wolf form. She's almost entirely black, which I'm not surprised since she's of Alpha blood line. She has one white paw, it's kind of cute, like a little sock.

I realize at that moment that we can't communicate in wolf form, so I just nod my head in the direction I'm going to go, and she follows me. It's a good five miles to the bluff, but we make it in no time. When we get up there, I consider just shifting back so we can talk, but I realize she might be uncomfortable with that, so I just sit. She sits beside me, then lowers herself to her front paws, looking out over the valley. I glance at her, even in wolf form, she's beautiful. Her crystal blue eyes are staring back at me, every now and then I see them shift to black, but the return to blue just as quickly. We sat there for a good half of an hour, and I nuzzle her with my nose so we can head back. It's getting late and I feel kind of guilty keeping her up so late. There were no lights on in any of the windows when we made our way out to the trees, so everyone is passed out at this point.

When we get back, somehow we ended up talking about her planning to stay here. My heart swelled with happiness when she said she wasn't going back and that she was going to pledge to the Alpha. Nothing could have made me happier, or so I thought. I bid her good night and walked away, but to my surprise she followed me. She stood on her tippy toes, her lips brushing mine. The intense current that went through my body made me nearly lose my mind. I couldn't get enough of her, as I kissed her, trying to convey what I was feeling through that kiss.

I can't say I wasn't surprised when she asked me if I felt it. I knew exactly what she meant, and while I wasn't going to come right out and say what it meant, I had a feeling. She was made for me and it was rare that a wolf ever found the one made for them. I didn't want to get ahead of myself. It seems she wanted to know as much as I did, if this was how it felt with everyone. When we both confirmed that this was a unique situation, I almost carried her to my room to show her exactly how I felt. I didn't want to scare her off. I also didn't want the Alpha to think I was just trying to bed his niece and be done with it. I needed to take care, take this slow. At some point, I'd have to man up and tell the Alpha how I felt about Ashlynn. It was the right thing to do. It took everything I had, to leave her standing there and go to my room. This woman drove me crazy, made me feel things I didn't even know was possible. I took the coldest shower I had ever taken in my life, urging my hormones to calm down. As I plopped into my bed, I couldn't help but think about her, and how I wished she was laying next to me. Stupid mistake, I was back in the cold shower five minutes later. I'm hoping this doesn't become a regular occurrence.