Brianna mind linked Caleb the minute she left Charlotte. I have the information you requested, Alpha
I'm still in the library.
She arrived a few minutes later. Caleb hadn't moved. He looked up. "Is she settled?"
"Yes, Alpha."
"What did you learn?"
"She has no family. No one to return back to. She is a Baron's daughter. She was betrothed to an Earl, but she knows he will never accept her now."
Caleb felt a stab of jealousy towards the unknown man. Storm growled in his mind. "What happened to her family?"
"Respectfully, that is her story to tell, Alpha, " Brianna bowed her head.
Caleb frowned, but Brianna was right. "Thank you."
She nodded and left the room.
That evening, he paced his bedroom again, at war in his mind with his wolf and himself.
Storm desperately wanted him to mate her, mark her, and claim her as his. He could announce his new Luna Queen before the end of the Summit. His heart agreed.
But his head said NO! If nothing else, Caleb needed to protect her. He didn't want a new Luna Queen, or a new mate. His wolf growled at him.
Caleb moved over to the window and stared out into the forest surrounding his home. But he didn't see the forest. Instead, he saw Charlotte standing before him, naked.
Caleb knew she had felt the mate bond. She wouldn't know what it was, but her body knew and had responded to him before he had even touched her. And her scent.. he could smell it even now, seeping beneath the closet door.
He walked over to the closet and opened the door. Her scent enveloped him, and he stepped inside, and began to undress himself, as he walked towards her door. He stopped, listening, then he slowly opened the door.
The room was dark, but his enhanced senses could easily see her laying on the bed. Her scent practically bowled him over, intoxicating and calling to his wolf. Her breathing was even, and he knew she was asleep.
Caleb approached the bed and stared down at her. She was so beautiful. She lay on her side, her cheek resting on her hand. He stared for a while longer, then moved over to the window seat, and sat down. He remained there guarding his mate. When the sky began to lighten, he slipped out of her room and back into his own.
***
The next week passed quietly for Charlotte as the castle returned to normal. She never left the room except to enjoy the Alpha's Bath house, which she found incredibly delightful. Her meals were always brought up to her.
The tile of the large sunken tub was done in some of the most beautiful colors Charlotte had ever seen. The shades of blue made the water look very blue and inviting. A long cushion was attached to the wall above the water to rest one's head upon.
But Charlotte's favorite part was the glass ceiling. She had never seen anything like it, and knew it must have cost a fortune. She enjoyed sitting in the bath, looking up at the sky. She could imagine it would be even better at night.
Charlotte had yet to see the Alpha King again. She assumed he was busy with his guests. Unbeknownst to her, he came into her room every night and watched over her while she slept. Caleb couldn't help himself. He told Storm it was to soothe him, but deep down, he knew it was for the both of them.
***
"Well, the last guest has finally left," Roland said, plopping down in a chair across from Caleb.
Caleb sat his quill down and sighed. "You both did a great job with the Summit. I'm pleased with how it turned out."
Ragnar lifted his head from across the room. "Did I hear him correctly?" He asked Roland. "Did he just pay us a compliment?"
"I think so," Roland smiled broadly.
Caleb scowled at them both. "Well, since you both are so talented at event planning, you can combine your efforts into planning the next Summit."
They both groaned. Caleb smirked and picked up his quill.
"So, what do you think of Alpha Aydan's gift?" Ragnar asked several moments later.
Caleb stilled at Ragnar's question. "Did Brianna tell you?"
"No. We may have had something to do with it," Ragnar admitted.
"Why?"
Roland studied him. "We know what you were thinking about.. walking away from the pack."
"And you think that a human slave is going to stop me?" Caleb stared at him incredulously.
"We hoped she might help you come out of your dark mood," Ragnar said. "And a little bit of humping never hurt anyone. Is she pretty?"
Caleb scowled. He stood up and stalked over to the door. He reached for the handle, then suddenly turned around.
"You," he pointed to Ragnar. "Since you were scheming behind my back, you can make sure that she gets out of the castle every day. She needs exercise."
Ragnar groaned and Roland laughed.
"And you," Caleb turned towards Roland. "You're in charge of PERSONALLY making sure that my castle gets put back in order. And make sure that the bathhouse is cleaned from top to bottom."
"Why do I get the worst punishment?" Roland scowled.
"Because you're the Beta!" Caleb whirled around and left the office, slamming the door behind him.
He hurried up to his room, taking the steps two at a time. Once inside, he headed over to his closet, tossing off his clothes as he went. Charlotte's smell enveloped him. He finished stripping and walked to the middle door that led to the bathhouse, and outside.
Charlotte was coming up the steps, her head down as she climbed. She looked up, and her mouth dropped open to see Caleb headed towards her completely naked. He stopped on the landing, waiting for her.
"Alpha," she dropped a quick curtsy, when she arrived on the same landing.
"Charlotte," he said in a low voice as he took a step towards her. He stopped a few inches away.
Charlotte stared up at him, her entire body tingling at their proximity. She was very aware of the fact that he was naked, and she wore only a dressing gown. Brianna had reassured her that the only other person allowed in the bath house was the Alpha, and while she felt a bit risque going down practically naked, she'd decided to anyway.
He placed his right hand on the wall above her left shoulder and leaned in close to her, his face buried against her neck, his lips brushing her skin. He reached up with his other hand and undid the belt of her dressing gown, then reached inside and brushed his fingers against her breast. Charlotte's lips parted as the tingles danced over her skin from his touch.
Caleb was fighting mentally with his wolf in his mind and had been since he'd found Charlotte. Storm was incredibly annoyed with him, and when he'd seen her on the steps, he'd chosen to take a moment and calm his wolf. He slipped his arm around her waist inside of the dressing gown, pulling her against him as he breathed in her scent. It felt so good to just hold her. He heard her soft sigh, and felt her hands come up and rest on his arms. Just a few more minutes, he told himself.
Storm rolled his eyes.
He was very aware of the fact that they were both naked, and how easy it would be for him to take her right here on the landing. Not that he would. More than likely she was a virgin, and it wouldn't be fair to her to do such a thing her first time. He didn't plan to bed her anyway.
Storm snorted and sat down in his mind. 'You really think you're never going to bed her?'
Caleb ignored him. He pulled the neckline of her dressing gown back, revealing her bare shoulder, and ran his lips up it, stopping at that spot on her neck where his wolf longed to mark her. His gums ached with the need, but instead he just sucked on the spot, causing her to cry out in pleasure, while he left a different type of mark.
He finally pulled back from Charlotte knowing he'd already allowed himself too much time holding her. She looked up at him, her lips parted, her cheeks rosy. She was incredibly beautiful. He took a step back so he could get a full view of her, and she started to pull her dressing gown back into place but he stopped her. "Don't cover yourself."
She stopped, and stood there looking down, and allowing him to look at her. He took his time, allowing his gaze to travel over every inch of her, memorizing every detail, before finally stopping on the mark he'd left on her neck. He looked up to her face and saw that she was looking down. He stepped forward and tipped her chin up. "Don't ever look down around me, Charlotte. Not when we're alone. And don't be embarrassed. You have a beautiful body."
Charlotte could feel her face flame at his words, but she kept her gaze on his. The way he made her feel was unlike anything she'd ever experienced before. She licked her lips and saw his eyes drop down to them. They glowed blue for a moment, then flicked back up to her own. He bit his own lip, seemingly uncertain, then sighed and took a few steps back again. He smirked and gave her an exaggerated bow. "My lady." Then he turned and headed down the stairs.
Charlotte watched him go and suddenly felt cold without him there to elicit the fire he seemed to always cause with his touch. She pulled her dressing gown tightly around her and hurried up the stairs.
Caleb waited until he was outside to breath again. Storm was quiet in his mind, though Caleb could still sense his annoyance.
'Should have followed her upstairs and mated her,' Storm growled.
'I thought you wanted to go for a run,' Caleb reminded him.
Storm pushed forward suddenly and Caleb let him take control. He shifted into his wolf and headed off into the woods.
Charlotte entered her room and walked over to the window, looking down. She could see Caleb standing there before he suddenly shifted into a large gray wolf and took off into the woods. She gasped at the sight.
She finally turned from the window and slipped off the dressing gown before pulling on her nightgown. She curled up on the window seat and pulled the blanket over herself and stared out into the night.
Charlotte let her mind wander back to Caleb and the things he had done to her in the stairwell. She supposed they were even now that she had seen him fully naked. The man was quite beautiful with his large muscles and.. well, he was large everywhere. She wanted to explore his body, discover every part of him, but she knew she couldn't without his permission. The rebellious part of her had wanted to push him away and not allow him to so freely touch her or command her, but the moment he did, her resistance melted away.
She closed her eyes and soon drifted off to sleep. She began to dream that he came to her, lifting her out of the window seat and into his arms. She rested her head on his chest, listening to the beat of his heart. He laid her on the bed and started to move away.
"Stay," she called out and he obliged, crawling under the blankets with her. He pulled her against him and she cuddled up, feeling safe.
"Caleb, will you love me?" she asked against his chest.
"Go back to sleep, Little One," he said softly against her hair.
She closed her eyes, and the dream ended.