Stay - Ridgeweld Novel 1

Chapter 7: Please Pass The Pepper

Chapter 7: Please Pass the Pepper

Chrizelda opened the door before the doorbell had finished its cheery tune. "Evening, Mr Ransom. You're right on time, I like that."

She sent him a saucy wink and he laughed, "Yes, you did say."

"Well, come in now. Brandon will be down soon." She directed him to leave his bags beside a mirror in the foyer and led him to their 'evening parlor', a larger-than-your average-living-room space filled with exotic curios and photo frames, where she offered him a soft drink before drifting back into the foyer. "Tamson and Jesse should be coming down soon as well. I hope you like steak."

"What wolf doesn't?" Kale replied with a suave grin.

Chrizelda had warmed up to him a lot now that he was in her home, being accepted by the Beta seemed to have melted her cool demeanor into a puddle of warmth. The room echoed with her tinkling laugh and she smiled sheepishly, a very delicate blush upon her face somehow looking natural."Yes, I know, safe bet."

"Kale! Welcome, boy," Brandon strode into the room on quick steps and pumped Kale's arm in a quick but strong handshake. "So glad you came."

"Thank you for inviting me, your home is lovely," Kale smiled genuinely as he looked around the room with appreciative eyes.

Chrizelda blushed as Brandon grinned down at her. "Been in the Marsden's family for almost a century and a half."

Chrizelda tittered, offering Kale something more to drink, perhaps something to nibble on? Her hands shivered erratically as she tried to find something to do with them. "I'd get Jesse to take your bag up but Tamson's probably still got something to talk to him about." She chuckled nervously, sneaking glances at her mate.

Kale watched the woman behave on a 180 to what he was used to. "Forgive me for asking, but how are you related to Tamson?"

Brandon didn't miss the interest in his neice or the casual use of his Alpha's name, he'd already had his suspicions and this was just proving his case. "She's Chrizelda's niece, her brother's daughter to be more exact." A quick silence befell them, there was the soft sound of a door opening. "Come on, let's get your bag and call Tamson down from her room." Brandon strode back out of the room into the foyer, Kale following like a puppy, he took a quick glance up the stairs. "Oh, look here's Tamson now."

At first Tamson thought she was hallucinating. That it couldn't possibly be his voice. That he was somewhere on her mountain, perhaps in a motel on the very edge of her territory. Then she thought Chiffon was playing tricks on her, but her wolf's reaction was the same as hers. Tamson walked out of her room thinking that life couldn't possibly get worse if she was going crazy, but then she looked down the staircase and it did: Kale was in her home with a brightly colored drink in one hand and the other in the pocket of his dark jeans.

Kale heard a small, annoyed grunt and looked up the carpeted staircase. Tamson stood haughtily at it's peak, a European lady with a disdainful look in her eyes. Her hand rested gently on the wooden railing as she halted at the height of the grand staircase that swept toward the door. She wore a woollen sweater and soft grey pants with black satin slippers, no adornment whatsoever. Her hair was in a versatile low ponytail but strands still wisped around her face.

"Tamson, you know Kale," her uncle presented him to Tamson and watched their interaction carefully.

"Yes. Charmed," she said disdainfully her eyes flashing with annoyance.

Kale grinned knowingly, "Hello again."

"Well," Chrizelda quickly stepped forward diffusing the tension, "you can get him settled in and I'll bring out the garlic rolls. Brandon, the fire in the dining room is dying, dear." Chrizelda turned and lightly dashed away. "I had the Peacock room aired out," she threw over her shoulder.