The Alpha’s Desire 4(32)

 

 

 

“I consider Lex a brother,” Kirk added, “but then, we have a pack mentality, so I consider each wolf my brother.”

 

 

 

“Magical connections are different, as you have experienced with me, and you will with the Royals once you meet them,” Lex said, his hand playing in my hair before rubbing my back. “But, we better get going. No time now to test out those new daredevil whims right now.”

 

 

 

I did want to explore, to play, of course, not now, but later; that was, if there was to be any free time. I’d not been told how long we were staying or given any indication as to a schedule of my time while here. I assumed I wouldn’t have any say in the matter, but seeing this, even for this one breathless moment, was better than having never seen it before. I couldn’t imagine living in such a place my whole life. My mind went to Vivian. I tried to focus on the fact that she’d had the blessing of being raised in such a place even if she now couldn’t return to it. Of course, wherever we went after this life, paradise had to be much like this.

 

 

 

A girl who had lost her mother at a young age, I’d never come to any conclusions about the whole after-life thing. Thought it to death, yes, but made up my mind, not even close. Still, for my mom, my dad, and now Vivian and Riker, I wanted whatever the place was to look like this. It was that perfectly amazing, giving new meaning to the word ‘breathtaking’.

 

 

 

“We better get going. As soon as we get to the crest of this hill, the trees will open up to the castle,” one of our guides said, giving me a little wink, as I’d still not moved from my spot overlooking the water. I assumed it was his way of telling me bigger and better was to come.

 

 

 

I figured I’d better watch my reactions, or my mouth wouldn’t just be hanging open by the time I met the Royals, but I’d be drooling as well. It didn’t take us long to get there, just past about another half-dozen houses. At his point, the trees gave way to an open expanse of land all the way to another coastline about three hundred feet away. The large castle rose up against the white sand and blue sea. Its stone structure made of light beige stones was capped by some sort of reddish-orange roof.

 

 

 

Towers rose up around the keep. I assumed that from those you could see the whole of the island. I hoped I would get the chance to pretend to be a princess for a moment and actually stand in one. The whole of the building that sprawled across the land had many uniquely shaped sections, all attached to one long rectangle that stood several stories high. I’d need a map to get around such a place alone. I’d never even seen a hotel this big in real life before, and I was from New York. Thankfully, the place was inviting, not at all dark or threatening like the medieval castles I’d seen in paintings and books. You’re a stranger here, I actually reminded myself, as I couldn’t get over the feeling of comfort I got, being here in such unfamiliar territory.

 

 

 

Maybe again, this was magic, as in mine recognizing what swirled around this land, but I felt like I’d just come home. I’d not had such a feeling since my mother had died. Something about it all made me feel like I had lived here my whole life. With open land around the stone path now, we eventually came upon a gate which just opened as we approached, without anyone apparently pressing a button or talking into an intercom. It just invited us in.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Seventeen

 

 

 

As large, double wooden doors were opened for us, the arms of the men who had opened them ushered us in. I stopped dead in my tracks at the large, extravagant entranceway. A large staircase about ten feet back was the first thing to catch one’s eye. It was wide enough for four or five people to walk up side by side before it branched off, creating indoor balconies of sorts that themselves led to hallways.

 

 

 

Under those sat couches and chairs, and even a fireplace with a cheery fire actually burning. Had to be for looks, given the warm weather outside. The temperature in the room was so perfectly set, my body didn’t register hot from cold. The breeze on the island outdoors had made the walk the same. While I could see more hallways on this level to each side of that staircase, the door to my immediate right, which led to a sunroom, caught my eye.

 

 

 

Like everything here, it was a mix of old and modern. You could tell that some designer had gone to great lengths to make every part of this place modern and comfortable while maintaining the best of the older structures. The sunroom was cream and hunter green with wicker furniture set around an old stone water feature that was big enough to invite friends to sit in. From here, I couldn’t tell if that was the purpose or not.