Chapter 74

Grace

Seraphina glided in, beaming and wearing a bright green sweater dress that looked like it was the same color as spring grass. Relief and happiness went through me.

“I thought you’d left already.”

She lifted a shoulder. “Minor delay.”

Jackson shifted uncomfortably as she rounded the table and sat beside Margaret. She pulled out a bag of what looked like sweets and set them in front of Margaret. Her expression softened.

“Thanks.”

“Any time,” she gestured vaguely. “So, what’d I miss.”

“Nothing, we just got started. Thank you for coming... Now that the patent is submitted, I want to move forward with the drug’s development, specifically making it cheaper to produce at the same quality.”

I looked at Jackson. “Since this is your area of expertise, I’ll be counting on your experience and knowledge to guide us through this phase. The faster we can develop an efficient production method, the sooner we can begin clinical trials and help those who need it.”

Jackson nodded, his expression more serious than I had seen in a while as he glared at Margaret.

“Of course, Grace. I’ll get started on it right away.”

Margaret, on the other hand, remained silent. She popped a candy in her mouth. I heard it clacking against her teeth as she rolled it around. Seraphina looked amused, and I had a sinking feeling I was going to find out sooner rather than later why.

In the midst of the busy days, filled with meetings, paperwork, and the ever-expanding responsibilities that came with the project and the pack, Charles and I found solace in each other’s company. I spent my nights curled up to him. We spent hours working together to comb over the pack’s finances and by-laws to make Mooncrest a fair place. He even came to the orientation sessions for the people transferring to Mooncrest.

There were moments when we would find ourselves alone, the rest of the world fading into the background.

It was usually interrupted by Cecil arriving to pull us into playing or Richard’s crying, but in those quiet moments, when the weight of the world seemed to lift, we would find solace in each other’s arms. The tenderness of Charles’s touch, the warmth of his embrace, made me feel cherished in a way I hadn’t known before.

As the days turned into weeks, Charles and I grew more and more careful about how we appeared in Wolfe Medical. Somehow, no one seemed to be suspicious of us. It probably helped that he shaved all the time, even as his hair grew longer.

One day, amidst the chaos of our demanding schedules and the responsibilities that seemed to pile up endlessly, Charles slipped into my home office with a smile.

“You look like you have something planned.”

“I do,” he said. “Kelly should be here soon, so why don’t you freshen up and come with me.”

I bit my lip and jumped up. “Give me twenty minutes.”

I headed back to my room. My stomach was full of butterflies. I hadn’t been on a real date in years. I couldn’t remember the last time Devin had taken me out, and I wanted to look nice going out with Charles. He was such an attractive man.

I felt young and a little stupid with it, but I decided to change my clothes into a dress Eason bought me just before I found out I was pregnant with Richard. It was a rich blue that sparkled in the light.

Kelly came in just as I came downstairs. She wiggled her eyebrows as Eason leaned out of the living room, grinning at me.

“So... you’re finally taking that dress out for a proper spin, hm?” He wiggled his eyebrows. “Looking good, Mama Wolf. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

Kelly giggled.

I wrinkled my nose as I heard Charles coming from the foyer. He had his coat on and had a new one draped over his arm in a rich, bold red. It was almost the color of his eyes when he was working me over, like sex was his life’s meaning or something.

He grinned, dragging his eyes over me. “You look... more delicious than usual.”

My stomach clenched as he offered the coat to me. “Shall we?”

I nodded and slipped into the coat he held, letting him tug my hair out, button me up, and lead me out the door.

George was driving, whistling a happy tune.

“Where are we going?”

He smiled. “The Apex.”

I blinked and smiled. I couldn’t believe him.

“Is this... some sort of anniversary-type thing lycans do?”

He smirked. “Returning the place where we met, I’m pretty sure, qualifies as a couple’s thing.”

I could have melted, and I felt ridiculous for it. We headed inside. They took our coats. I’m pretty sure we were seated at the same table, but everything felt different.

“Any suggestions?” Charles asked, unfolding the linen napkin onto his lap. “I had the feeling you hadn’t been often.”

I shook my head. “I think I came once. I can’t remember what I had…”

“I can’t remember what you ordered either,” he said. “I just remember…”

He shook his head. “It was terrible, and now, it’s not. How about steak?”

I laughed. “I have a feeling you won’t like it as much as those fancy steaks you pick up at whatever butcher’s shop you go to?”

He grinned. “Lycan butchers specialize in a lot of things you can’t get in the States. Remember that roast?”

My mouth watered. “Don’t remind me when I can’t order it here. It was so good.”

“Wild Hog.”

I shook my head. “Stop, or I’ll never eat another thing that you haven’t made.”

He grinned. “So, my diabolical plan is working.”

I laughed and looked at the menu. “How about surf and turf?”

He hummed. “Lemon butter shrimp. Cecil would hate it.”

I wrinkled my nose. “You figured out the lemon thing, hm?”

He shrugged. “She ate the ceviche fine. I think she thinks she doesn’t like citrus outside of orange juice. Just watch. She’ll be eating a real orange soon.”

I laughed. We ordered and ate. The food tasted different. I didn’t even remember what it had tasted like before. The fear that had filled me then was barely a memory now. Charles was every bit the gentleman, every bit the man he proved himself to be over and over again. I couldn’t have described it as anything short of magical.

“You have room for dessert?” Charles asked.

“I don’t think so.”

“Not even chocolate cake?” He cocked an eyebrow and looked at the menu. “With a molten center.”

I groaned. “Evil man with your diabolical food plans. I’m going to gain a million pounds.”

“I have plenty of plans to help you work it off.” I bit my lip as he lifted his hand and ordered dessert. When the waiter left again, I nudged him under the table.

“That was mean.”

He smiled. “I thought you liked it when I’m mean to you.”

My face burned, remembering those feverish words from several days ago with him pressing me up against the door of my office, my skirt hiked up around my hips, and him teasing me, coaxing me into going to a legal meeting and coming back as quickly as possible.

I like it, I gasped. I like it when you’re mean to me. Charles, please...

“Not in public,” I said, huffing. He laughed.

The cake was amazing. I thought I was going to die and burst and melt all at once. Then, he offered me his hand as the music started to play.

“Will you dance with me?”

My eyes widened. “Dance? Where?”

“On the balcony, of course.” He nodded out the doors, where I could see other couples dancing. I took his hand and let him lead me out there as if we were always meant to be there. The soft melody of the musicians wrapped around us, serenading us under the moonlight. The world felt far away, and in that moment, it was just the two of us, lost in each other’s arms.

As the gentle breeze ruffled my hair, I couldn’t help but be captivated by the warmth in Charles’s eyes. It was a look that made my heart race.

“Better than the first time, hm?” Charles asked.

“I don’t know,” I said. “I think it would be hard to choose between the two.”

The stars above us seemed to twinkle, casting their soft glow upon our intimate moment.

He grinned. “Soft and slow versus hard and fast? I know you like both.”

I swatted his shoulder. “Stop it.”

He chuckled. “I’m sorry. I just...”

He rested his forehead against mine as I savored the feeling of being held close by the man I loved.

“I could stay like this forever,” Charles whispered, his voice a gentle caress.

“Me too,” I replied, my heart fluttering.

We swayed for a long time, lost in the moment, ignoring everyone else around us as if we were the only two in the world.

Then, the moment was shattered by the ringing of my phone. I reluctantly pulled away from Charles and fumbled for it.

“I’m so sorry--”

He hushed me. “You have small children.”

When I saw the caller ID, a sense of unease washed over me. It was Kelly.

“Kelly?”

“There’s someone in the house.”