a known stranger

Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

Darien worked out his frustration, swimming 20 laps in the pool. He got out of the pool, still running high, walks out of the cabin to the woods, he slid to the ground, and the birds and insects shrilled into a cacophony of noise as the air stilled and shimmered, and where a man had stood a large wolf, its coat a shimmering black with white and grey streaks now stood. The wolf howled, and started running through the woods. It ran, it scented the wood, and smelled his mate. He was near the path they had walked last night.  The wolf stopped and scented the air around it. He walked around the area checking for prey.

As it satisfied itself that his area was safe, and then in a moment there was a man naked as the day he was born, sprawled out on the ground breathing deeply, his eyes closed, legs and arms splayed out. After while, he gets up, finds his stash of clothes he always kept in different places, wore them, it will not do, to be seen by Ashley, him walking into the house naked.

He walked into the cabin. He listened for sounds of Ashley moving around. The house was still and silent, but he knew she was in the house, his mate’s lovely scent was lingering. He tracked, and noted that she had walked through the cabin, but it was only the kitchen, the gym, the pool. He tracked back to his room, she had not ventured here, and he went to her room, her door was closed. He knocked, calling out, “Ashley, are you dressed? I am coming in,” He turned the knob after a minute or two of silence, and walked into the room. He was about to call out to her, when he saw, that she was fast asleep. He took her blanket and covered her, and left, softly closing the door behind him.

He goes to his room. He has a shower, changes into black denim shorts that have seen better days, and a white t-shirt. He goes to his study and settles down to do work after grabbing a sandwich and a cup of coffee to placate his hungry stomach.

There were multiple frantic e-mails from his Personal Assistant, Marina, a very capable executive, there were clients with multiple crises, and he knew she could handle it. He gave some replies and solutions and tells her that he will be unreachable for the next two weeks.

She immediately came online, on the Messenger, she asked him “Where on earth are you? Your mobile is switched off; your voice mail box is full,”

He replied, “I am taking personal time off, which is long overdue, that’s all. I am taking a break from everything, and where I am, the reception is bad.

Take this time as a my test of your capabilities J

Good luck, bye. He went offline.

He looks up for Neil, and found Neil’s company details. He smiled predatorily, well, well Neil, you can kiss your career good bye, you sorry excuse for a man,”

The company Neil worked for, the CEO was Michael Wolfhaven, his childhood friend, packmate. 

He calls up Michael. “Hi Michael, Darien here,”

“Darien, where the hell are you? Your mom has been calling me the last week, frantic with worry, Your dad said he’s going to strip your hide! Darien, smiled, his father was still the alpha, and Darien will take over the pack when he passed on, it will be quite a while before he needed to shoulder the responsibility fully, though, he is involved in pack meetings and decisions for the last five years.

“I’ve found my mate Mike, and need the time to convince her that she’s mine,” was all he said.

Mike, already settled with his wife for 10 years, and his twins Dennis and Daniella, shouted out, “that’s great Darien, but why do you need to convince her? What happened to the legendary Scott charm? Are you losing it?”

“Mmm, Well, if you were in her shoes, you would need some strong persuasion too. I kidnapped her, and she’s now with me at my cabin,” he said.

“Oh boy, Darien, are you nuts? Is she from another pack, are you going to create war?”

“No, she’s human, with some psychic ability.”

Mike let out a string of expletives that were too colourful to be read out loud. Darien grinned, and said, “Look, I need a favour,”

“You want me to convince her that you are not a ‘dumbass, kidnapper’ but a lovestruck wonderful person?” Mike said mockingly.

“No, I need you to either fire if possible, or transfer one of your employees to your branch in Siberia.

“What?” Mike asked incredulously. “Are you freaking serious? You do know the Labour Laws right? I can’t simply fire an employee. Why on earth?”

“Your employee Neil Bronson, he was Ashley’s ex. The dumbass broke up with her because she didn’t want to have sex with him. He called her a tease, and a frigid fridge,” he growled out.

“She’s not a tease, neither is she a frigid fridge, she’s so responsive, she lights up like a match when I kiss her.”

“Ok, I’ll check up on him..there’s been some rumours about him, I ‘ll give him a false promotion, kick him out to Siberia, well, actually, was planning to close it down,…” he laughed, leaving his intention very clear.

“Mike, thank you,” Darien said and hung up before Mike could say anything else.