Fate's Intentions Read online

  "That must be hard to have to move around so much." Scarlett spoke up.

  "Well, when you live as long as we do, it's nice to have a change of scenery." Adam laughed.

  "This is the only place we keep coming back to. It has sentimental value." Ben explained.

  Adam laughed, "The hard part is obtaining documents with fake birth dates. As technology grows and things change it becomes more and more difficult."

  Ashlynn and Scarlett were submerged in thoughts staring out the window as Ben and Adam finished the food on their plates. Ashlynn's mind shifted from the conversation to what she was seeing. "I can't get over how pretty it is up here!"

  Adam stood and picked up his plate, "When you're finished eating, let's take a walk and you can see it up close."

  Chapter 11

  Ashlynn took a deep breath when she stepped outside with Adam. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining and the snow capped mountains seemed to glisten. It was colder here than it was at their little cottage. Good thing they don't live any further up the mountain, I'd need to break out the winter wardrobe! She thought to herself as she followed Adam around the house.

  "There are some paths back here that wrap around through the woods." Adam said as he pointed into the forest.

  There was no conversation as they walked. They just watched and listened to the birds flying and the small animals scurrying around. Ashlynn saw a chipmunk run across the ground into a log. "I've never seen such a big chipmunk!" She laughed.

  Adam laughed too. "Yea they are a little bigger than the ones east of here."

  They walked a little further and Ashlynn jumped into Adam when a deer came bounding out of nowhere. She had almost tripped and fell on him. "I'm so sorry!" Ashlynn blushed.

  "Hey if I had known that was all it took to get closer to you, I would've scared you long before now!" He teased.

  She slapped his arm and laughed. "Men!" She exasperated.

  "In complete seriousness Ashlynn, I have never met anyone that makes me feel like you do."

  Ashlynn felt something jolt through her though she tried not to show it. She continued to walk casually, pondering what she should say. It wasn't often that she was unsure as she was at the moment. She decided total honesty was the best route. "I feel the same Adam, but you said it was natural for me to be drawn to you."

  Adam stopped and gently grabbed her arm turning her to face him. "I know, I don't understand it. What you're feeling is normal, but what about what I'm feeling?" Adam was tense. "I'm really struggling to keep my distance from you. Everything in me is fighting to be near you, to touch you, to smell you, to kiss you."

  Ashlynn laughed. "I'm going to ignore the 'smell me' part. I'm guessing that is a wolf thing."

  Adam smiled at her and pulled her against him. "We have no future together if you will not let me smell you! Your scent is intoxicating!"

  "You are serious!" She laughed.

  "Yes I'm serious! You smell like strawberries and summer rain. I've never smelled anything so good. I can't get enough of it!"

  Ashlynn giggled. "Well I guess if you're going to smell me it's a good thing I smell good. And just so we are clear, nobody said you needed to stay away from me. I'm feeling the same way you are so why fight it?"

  He looked down at her. "Maybe you are right." Then he closed his eyes and leaned in to kiss her.

  He surprised her at first but then she closed her eyes as well and let herself get caught in the moment. His lips were soft against hers even though he was tightening the grip he had on her hips and pulling her closer leaving no space between them. She opened her mouth and he flicked his tongue across hers. She moaned slightly when he sucked on her bottom lip and smiled when he bit it playfully. He left go and she pressed her lips against his as she tilted her head to the side. He opened his mouth and she slipped her tongue inside rolling hers around his in a circular motion. He pulled back and kissed her bottom lip. He leaned away and opened his eyes to look at her. Her eyes remained closed for a moment but when she opened them they shined like diamonds. "That was incredible!" She whispered.

  "Incredible doesn't begin to describe it!" Adam whispered back.

  They stood there briefly just looking at each other, wondering what the other was thinking. It was Ashlynn who broke the silence. "I've been unsure about this thing between you and I, but I want to pursue it. I want to explore what we are feeling."

  "As do I." Adam smiled and pulled her tight against his chest. She wrapped her arms around him and he held her tight as he pressed his nose to her neck and inhaled her wonderful scent. Ashlynn gripped the shirt on his back as he scraped his teeth across her flesh. "Did you like that?" Adam laughed.

  "Maybe." Ashlynn giggled at him.

  "You don't have to admit it. I can tell!"

  "Oh yea, how are you so sure you didn't surprise me?"

  "Your scent. Your body chemistry changes with your emotions, therefore, so does your scent."

  "Is that so?" Ashlynn said as she backed away from him grinning. "Tell me what thoughts and emotions I'm feeling now!" She took off running down the path.

  Adam laughed to himself. He had only just met this girl but already, he was falling in love with her. She had the same demeanor as he. Her sense of humor, constant joking and flirting, it made him feel alive. He leaped after her and within two bounds he was on four legs.

  Ashlynn turned and saw the wolf getting closer. She smiled and ran faster. Adam ran at a slow pace, toying with her. She kept running until she couldn't run anymore. She finally stopped and turned, flopping on the ground and laughing in between panting. "Your stamina rocks!"

  Adam stopped running a few yards away and moved closer with slow, confident steps. When he was within a few feet of her he stopped and crouched low to the ground with his tail in the air. A few seconds later he pounced. He didn't knock her over but landed against her. She laughed and flopped back onto the ground and he moved over her, hovering her. He looked down at her and when a giggle erupted from her, he licked her face.

  Ashlynn closed her eyes and her body tensed when his tongue ran up the side of her face. When she opened her eyes Adam the man was leaning over her, not the wolf. A very naked Adam.

  "I hope I didn't gross you out by licking you!" He was worried now that maybe he shouldn't have.

  "Not at all. Actually I ran from you hoping you'd go all wolfy-boy!"

  "Why would you do that?" He asked, very surprised at her reply.

  "To get you naked!"

  Ashlynn grinned from ear to ear when Adam looked down and realized he indeed was completely naked. "I'm sorry, I never gave it a thought. Usually up here Ben and I are able to run free, not worrying where our clothes are!"

  "Don't be embarrassed. This was my plan!" She wrapped her arms around him and when he leaned down and kissed her she dug her nails into his back and his shoulder. Not hard but enough to excite him.

  "Okay, I'm going to dress myself with some fur now. Otherwise you are going to see some things I wasn't planning for you to see. When we get back to my clothes I'd appreciate if you didn't play peek-a-boo as I get my pants on." He smiled at her and kissed her one more time and then the wolf was back.

  They walked down the path back towards the house Ashlynn was surprised she wasn't freaking out about walking with a wolf. They reached the place where Adam's clothes laid and Ashlynn grinned as she turned her back. Adam slipped his pants on and told her she could turn around now. "So your clothes don't get ruined when you go wolfy?"

  Adam laughed and held up his torn shirt. "Some of them."

  "I was wondering because I envisioned it like the incredible hulk! Just ripping them off as you get all beastly."

  "Well, I have to pull my shirt off or rip it, my pants I can just kinda leap out of."

  Ashlynn grinned and walked closer to him. When her face was just inches from his she whispered, "I'm going to be bold here and say that you can leap out of your clothes anytime you like!"

  Adam smiled a wic
ked smile and leaned down and kissed her nose. "I'm glad you don't care that I am not just a man! I would be devastated if it frightened you!"

  Ashlynn looked up at him. "I can't believe it doesn't, but you're sexy enough that I can overlook the small things."

  She giggled at him when he snapped his teeth at her. "Yea, because being a werewolf is only a minor detail. It's not that big of a deal!" She slapped his arm for being a smart-ass.

  As they walked Ashlynn was tucked in close to him and he had his arm around her. "I don't understand how we can be so comfortable around each other so quickly."

  Adam shook his head. "I don't know either. I feel like I can be myself around you. Not only with the werewolf half of me but the human part of me. I don't feel I need to think before I speak as I do with most people. You understand me and you think the same way I do."

  Ashlynn didn't reply, just nodded her head and held on to him tighter as they walked.

  ~

  Scarlett sat on the couch looking over to Ben. She wasn't uneasy about being there alone with him but unsure of what to do and what to talk about. "You want to watch a movie?"

  Ben shrugged his shoulders. "You can turn a movie on if you like."

  Scarlett raised an eyebrow. "We can play cards or something."

  Ben laughed a little and shook his head. "I'm not much of a card player, I don't have a very good poker face."

  Scarlett giggled, "Well then the game would be fair, I couldn't win a hand of poker to save my life!"

  Ben sat up and laughed. He pointed to the stand the TV was sitting on. "There are a bunch of movies under there if you'd like to look through them."

  Scarlett moved to stand up but then her phone started to ring. She turned and grabbed it off the arm of the couch. She didn't recognize the number. "Hello."

  "Hello Miss. Williams, this is Officer Branson. I wanted to let you know that Cody saw our judge this morning. He doesn't have any priors so he has been released until trial. You may want to stay away from any public places you might run into him. It shouldn't take too long to get a trial date set. I'll let you know when I learn more."

  "Okay, thank you officer. I appreciate you keeping me updated." She ended the phone call and looked up realizing Ben was standing, looking down at her.

  "Is everything okay?" Ben questioned. His tone was low, it sounded almost dangerous.

  "Everything is fine." She saw Ben's posture relax with her words. "It was the officer that took my statement yesterday. He was calling to tell me Cody saw the judge today. He has been released until his trial because he has a clean record. He's going to call me when he knows more."

  "Are you okay?" He asked her gently as he sat down next to her.

  "Yea. I expected him to be roaming around until trial. I'm just not looking forward to testifying."

  "I can understand that would be hard to do." Ben's tone was soft.

  "Well, it's got to be done. I am lucky you were there but the next girl may not be so lucky!" She looked down into her lap as she spoke.

  "If it wouldn't draw too much attention I would testify with you as a witness."

  "I'm not going to ask you to do that. You should stay away from this whole mess. You can't have people paying too much attention to you."

  "I know." He slid over closer to her and put his hand on her shoulder. "But if you asked me to do it, I would."

  Scarlett looked up into his face. "I don't understand why you seem to care about me so much. You saved me, not once, but twice, you brought me and Ashlynn here to this marvelous home. You and Adam have went out of your way so much already, I couldn't ask anything else of you!"

  Ben looked into her eyes. "I could never forgive myself if I hadn't brought you here and something happened to you or your friend."

  "Well I'm extremely grateful for all that you two have done!"

  Ben slid even closer and put his arm around her. "I just stumbled into this situation but I couldn't have walked away."

  Scarlett leaned her head against his chest and didn't even realize when she began to drift off to sleep.

  Chapter 12

  Ashlynn and Adam came through the door and found Scarlett sleeping on Ben. Ashlynn turned and grinned at Adam. "I guess you weren't the only wolf-boy making advances!"

  Ben shot her a dirty look. "It's not like that!"

  Ashlynn and Adam walked over and sat on the couch across from them. "Then how is it?" Ashlynn asked still grinning, unaffected by his warning.

  Scarlett wiggled a little. She opened her eyes just enough to see Ashlynn and Adam glaring at her. She sat up abruptly looking at them and then turning to see Ben beside her. "I am so sorry for falling asleep on you again!" She wiped her mouth. "OH GOD, I think I drooled on you a little!" Everyone laughed at her.

  Ben rubbed his hand across her back. "It's okay." He was still laughing a little. "I am just happy to see you resting well."

  Scarlett smiled at him, her face red from embarrassment. "Why didn't you push me the other way?"

  "I didn't want to wake you!" Ben smiled.

  Ashlynn caught their attention. "So how did your afternoon go?" She was smiling so hard Scarlett thought her face must hurt.

  "Please don't tell me about your afternoon, I don't need those visions in my head!" Scarlett joked.

  "Totally PG! Well for the most part!" Ashlynn winked at her.

  "I got a phone call from the police department." Scarlett said looking at Ashlynn.

  "What they say?" Ashlynn was anxious.

  "He told me that Cody saw the judge today, they released him until the court date because he doesn't have any priors."

  "So when is the court date?" Ashlynn asked seeming irritated.

  "It's not set yet. He said he'd contact me when he knows more."

  Ashlynn threw her hands in the air and then slapped them on her thighs. "Just like we figured, he's out free as a bird!"

  "I know. At least we are safe. What about the other girls out there that don't know what he is!"

  They all sat and thought about that for a minute.

  "I got it!" Ashlynn shouted. "Let's print up a little news announcement saying that a local girl was brutalized at the campground and hand them out in town!"

  Scarlett shook her head. "No, I think we should avoid town! That's the last thing we should do. There should be something about it in the police reports in the paper. I don't know if it mentions names, it should but even if it doesn't people talk. Word will get around."

  Adam looked at Ashlynn. "Yea you girls need to stay clear of town. If Cody sees either of you it wouldn't be good. You're not leaving my side!" He pulled her up against him and winked when she grinned up at him.

  Scarlett and Ben both raised an eyebrow at this wondering what had happened on their walk. Ben said out loud what they both were thinking, "Apparently we missed something?"

  Adam laughed and Ashlynn giggled. "No not really." Adam smiled at Ben and Scarlett.

  Ashlynn sat up and looked at Scarlett. "Speaking of phone calls, my mother has been blowing my phone up asking why I haven't went to visit Grammy and Pappy. I've been texting her telling her that we are still getting things settled and I will in the next couple days. She says if not, she's sending them to come visit us!"

  Adam looked over to Ashlynn. "I can drive you to see your grandparents. We'll take my truck. No one will notice you through the window tint."

  "I can't avoid it much longer. If I keep putting it off they are going to send a search party for Scarlett and I." Ashlynn rolled her eyes at the thought of her mother sending her grandparents to look for her.

  "Well you just let me know when you want to go." Adam said as he brushed her hair back off of her shoulder. He snapped out of the thoughts he was falling into as he stared at Ashlynn and looked over to Scarlett and Ben. "So what do you guys want to do tonight?"

  Scarlett and Ben stared back at him. "Well Ben and I already vetoed the idea of cards, maybe a movie." Scarlett shrugged.

  "If you three don'
t mind, I have some work I'd like to do." Adam looked around at the three of them.

  "Don't let us keep you." Scarlett smiled. "Don't feel obligated to entertain us."

  Ashlynn laid her hand on his arm. "I promise not to bother you if you let me come with you." She smiled.

  Scarlett laughed. "You not talk! I haven't got the memo that hell has froze over!" Adam grinned and Ben choked as he tried not to laugh too hard at this.

  Ashlynn didn't argue, instead stuck her tongue out at Scarlett.

  Adam smiled at Ashlynn, "I don't mind if you want to come with me, but you'll probably find it boring." He stood up and walked back the hall and Ashlynn followed.

  Scarlett looked over to Ben. "Movie?" He nodded. "So what kind of movies do you guys have? What kind of movies do you like?"

  Ben shrugged his shoulders. "I'm really not picky, I'll watch whatever. I'm a guy though, so of course I prefer movies with action scenes over chic flicks."

  Scarlett giggled as she moved down onto the floor in front of the TV and opened the door of the stand. There were stacks and stacks of movies. She pulled them out and went through them picking out the ones she liked, putting them in a pile to the side and putting the others back. "Well you want to come down here and help me decide?" She smiled at him.

  He climbed down on the floor with her and looked at the movies she had sitting in a pile next to her. "What kind of movies do you like?"

  "I'm not picky either, I watch all kinds."

  "Well what's your favorite?" He said looking up from the movies on the floor in front of him.

  "Um, I guess it depends on my mood and what kind of day I've had." She laughed.

  He laughed with her. "Okay, I guess I can see how that kind of makes sense."

  "One of my all time favorites is Pearl Harbor."

  "We have it in here somewhere, I like that movie too." He began to help her look. "Do you like war movies or is it the drama in Pearl Harbor you like?"

  "Do you mean do I like the action stuff or is it Josh Hartnett and Ben Affleck I find appealing?" She laughed. "I like everything about the movie. And yes, I like other war movies too."