At the top of the stairs, a hallway led in two directions. Kane turned to the left and guided her to a set of doors at the end of the small corridor.
“Our rooms are up here. Since the house is usually busy, I have my own little retreat. There’s a bedroom, bath and a sitting room that are strictly off limits to the rest of the pack. Sometimes, even social animals like wolves need their own space.” He offered this explanation with a crooked smile, while opening the door and ushering her inside.
The room was large and bright with sunlight streaming in from three sets of windows that spanned the outer walls. A king-sized bed dominated one side of the room and a large closet took up most of the other. Through an open doorway, Elise could see a sitting area with a fireplace and couch, while a second door appeared to lead into a bathroom. It was much grander than she’d expected. Apparently Kane’s pack was well set, financially.
“It’s very nice.” Elise wandered about the room, peering into the closet and then into the sitting room.
“Carrie moved some of my stuff over, so there’ll be room for your things. She’ll help you unpack or rearrange anything that you want.”
“Thanks, but I can do it myself. If she’s going to whelp soon, I’m sure she’s tired and doesn’t need the extra work.”
“That’s considerate of you.” Kane came up behind her and squeezed her shoulders, then guided her to the window. He pointed over her shoulder and explained the view. “See over to the west? That’s the direction of your father’s land. Of course, you can’t see it, but possibly it will make your old pack seem not quite so far away.”
Elise looked up at him in surprise. It was a nice thing for him to say. She hadn’t supposed he’d understand how she felt. Kane guided her around so she was facing him and cupped her face.
“I know this has been hard on you, Elise. Leaving behind everything you know on such short notice has to have been a bit overwhelming, but I’m proud of how you’re handling things; no whining, no temper tantrums, no angry accusations. I was expecting all of that and more.”
His words filled her with warmth but also made her stop and reflect. After a moment, she responded to his comment, “I think I’m sort of...in shock, maybe?” She furrowed her brow trying to sort out her thoughts and feelings in her own mind. “Everything happened so fast, that I didn’t have time to think or react. I just instinctively followed the Alpha’s orders.” She shrugged and sighed. “Besides, there really wasn’t much choice was there? I could fall in with the plan or leave the pack.”
“You’re right. A wolf that refuses to comply with the Alpha doesn’t stay in the pack long, though I doubt your father would have immediately thrown you out.”
“Maybe not right away, but he’s rather traditional and expects obedience...” Elise let her voice trail off. What would have happened if she had kicked up a fuss? She couldn’t remember her brother or sister complaining when they’d mated to form alliances, but then again, she hadn’t really paid that much attention either. Searching her memory, she tried to recall an instance when her father hadn’t been obeyed and what he’d done as a result, but no such occasion came to mind. Suddenly, she realized that Kane was still talking.
“—and after supper, I’ll take you for a walk around the immediate grounds. Tomorrow morning, we can go for another run.”
“I’d like that. It looks to be a nice territory.” Elise twisted around and focused her attention on the view again, noting the trees stretching as far as the eye could see. It was nice, she said to herself, but probably not as nice as her father’s land.
Not aware of her thoughts, Kane spoke with pride. “It’s a beautiful place, especially down by the lake. I think you’ll enjoy it here, but just like at your old home, don’t go too close to the edge of the property. We have the same problem with hunters and trappers that your old pack has.”
She murmured her agreement, his comment about her old home causing her to shift slightly and study the view to the west—that was where her pack was. Pressing her hand against the window pane, she felt a wave of homesickness wash over her. Kane turned her in his arms once again, running his hands down her back, before pulling her body flush against his. “It will take some time to adjust, but soon this will feel like home. Don’t worry. I’ll be here to help you.”
Elise studied his eyes, curious as to how he knew what had been running through her mind. At this moment, he seemed so kind and understanding. Heat from his body seeped into hers. It caused a funny little flutter to occur in her stomach. Before she could examine what the feeling meant, Kane pressed a kiss to her forehead, then let her go. “I have a few things I need to do. You stay here and get settled. Check out the sitting room—feel free to move my stuff about, I’m not fussy. I’ll be back in about an hour to give you a tour of the house.”