Grace turned to me, watching me with a sadness in her eyes. "But fate chose mates for us, and we are forced to take mates that may be for others..." Her voice faltered, like she realised what she had said. Did she not want to marry me? Or did she simply disagree with the arranged marriages forced upon the higher ranks within a pack? Her gaze fell to the floor.
I found myself sighing heavily. A breath I did not realise I had been holding. I did not want Grace to think she could not speak freely in front of me. She, just like me, was entitled to her own views. Though, it worried me a little that this one was perhaps going against our marriage plans...
"But we do not know if there are fated mates out there... not everyone is lucky enough." I tried, finding it hard to force those words from my lips when I knew my fated mate had walked into my life the same day that Grace had. Not only that, but I found myself wondering if the girl I have held all my hopes upon has a man out there that the Moon Goddess decided was a better match for her than me. The Moon goddess surely made some mistakes...
Grace nodded. "Sorry. I just wonder sometimes. The pressures of being my father's daughter and all..."
The smile on her face looked almost forced, before she knocked back what was remaining in her wine glass. Her father clearly made her life difficult. I offered her a sympathetic smile. Maybe I did not need to worry. "Well, when you are my wife, there will be none of that pressure because he will not have any say." I gave her a little wink, and Grace giggled.
"I would love for you to tell him that. He does not like being told what to do."
"You won't be here." I reminded her. "You will be in my pack, by my side." And her eyes drifted to the tree line that was not far from the area of the garden that we sat in, and I could not help but wonder if she was looking for something...someone...
"No. No, I won't." She agreed almost confidently. "That will be a strange thing for sure..." I could see an almost wistful look within her eyes. A little uncertainty too. But surely, that was normal, was it not? Marrying a man and moving to another pack was a big move...
I reached for her hand, desperate to offer some reassurance. "You will have a wonderful life in my pack, Grace, I promise you." I watched her swallow heavily, almost a little nervously. "Anything that you could wish for, I will do my very best to provide. My pack is a beautiful place, and I am sure, in time you will love it as much as you do your own, and one day consider it your home as much as you do this place." I looked to her with hope. Her violet eyes looked back at me with surprise.
"Wren should be on her way now to come and clear up..." She stuttered, just as the sound of footsteps upon the path hit my ears. Had Grace called her here to disturb our moment together? I found myself wondering with a wave of disappointment rushing over me...
Grace gave her maid a cold glance but nodded in her direction, as Wren walked up to the gazebo her head suddenly down as she caught sight of me, before she began to clear up the glasses, and the bottle of wine. I moved myself slightly, without appearing too obvious, in a bid to capture the girl's eye, when she moved to collect the plate where the snacks Grace had provided for us from where it had been sitting. But Wren's eyes remained down, well and truly avoiding all contact with me...
'Do not even think about it.' Varr snarled. His presence fully under his control once more. My awareness having lapsed while talking to Grace, and allowing him to gain control again. My wolf so clearly had sensed my plans to speak with our fated. Gain what I needed from her. My eyes lingered upon the maid. Her back to me now, as Grace gave her a dirty look.
Varr snarled again to capture my attention. 'She is struggling. You do not pressure her. If she wants to reject us, that is one thing. I have no choice but to accept her decision, but you will not force her.' My wolf argued angrily, just as Wren turned back to us, and her eyes moved upward, and the beautiful violet eyes of earlier were gone. I was taken aback. That was the last thing I had expected to see...
The very thing that had captured my attention when I had first met her. Those beautiful violet eyes, now replaced by a dull grey colour. Just as Grace had said. Everything fitting into place within my mind. I needed to be more careful.
The maid, and sadly my fated was a woman desperate for more. As manipulative and calculated as a power-hungry woman could be. She could be dangerous if not handled correctly. I studied the woman the Moon Goddess had chosen for me. Unsure how to deal with her. My eyes lingered for a moment upon her scar, and wondering how she had received that... had she gone to hurt someone in a bid to gain what she wanted? Knowing what I now did, she seemed more than capable...
Wren's eyes met mine, seeming to be aware I was watching her. And, she quickly turned away from me, seemingly ashamed at the thought of me looking at her, while Grace cleared her throat. Dammit.. I did not want the woman I was trying to win over thinking I was looking at her maid inappropriately. Wren had already caused enough issues for today.
But to my surprise Grace spoke with a sympathetic smile upon her face. "I apologise for the ugliness of my staff. A little off putting, I am sure. Wren, do not linger and make the Alpha feel uncomfortable, you have done enough of that today, have you not?" I noticed the darkened glare Grace appeared to shoot toward her maid. "What did I warn you? Remember your rank." The iciness of Grace's tone shocked me, but in a sudden rush, Wren had everything upon a tray and was walking away like she had been reminded of her place...