Northwood

Days after the arrival of her brothers Adline sat outside in the blistering cold, she felt something was wrong. There had been no threat and no news on Tobias and his family. Kane had been keeping himself busy and Myrna was always pre occupied. Frosty was keeping to herself and kept giving Adline excuses that she wasn’t feeling well, which was understandable but still. Adline felt alone.

“Why are you out here? He’ll be mad if he sees you freezing your petite ass off.” Turning at the sound of the sudden voice that filled her ears Adline was surprised to see Esme on her own. She was dressed in a thick black coat with layers beneath. Her hands were covered in leather gloves and she wore a black beanie that came down over her ears and kept most of her hair down.

“I won’t tell him if you don’t?” Adline bartered quickly as she turned to face Esme with a warm smile on her face.

A fresh covering of snow littered the grounds and although much of it had melted on the patio there were still piles left in very stubborn areas. The concreted patio was large and expansive. The banister around was made of short concrete columns with a rail over the top, it was not at all to Adline’s liking but she assumed it was exactly what Myrna would have wanted.

She seemed rather spoiled.

“What’s on your brain?” She asked curiously as she stepped to Adline’s side and turned to lean against the railing so that she was facing the house.

“What makes you think I have something on my brain?” Adline questioned curiously.

Much to her surprise Esme snorted and began shaking with laughter as if what Adline had said was the funniest thing in the entire world.

“What?” Asked a very confused Adline, “Did I say something funny?” She questioned a little more serious. She didn’t much like being laughed at.

“Oh please,” Esme began answering as she cocked her head to the side. “Of all the girls Kane has been with you are probably the most curious and constantly questioning of the lot which means you are smart or stupid.” It came as a revelation to Adline that someone like Esme would even think that of her. Not when she thought Esme hated her guts.

“How do you know that?” Asked Adline curiously. The pair barely spent any time together and in the time Adline had been in the Northwood region they never saw eye to eye whenever their paths crossed. Adline much preferred to be around people that tolerated her.

“I’m paid to observe princess. What do you think? I could mind read?” And just when Adline thought Esme had a change of heart she needed to add something in to make Adline wish she’d stayed inside.

“Why do you do that?” Asked Adline quickly. Her eyes narrowed on Esme who casually leaned against the railing still. The dark haired guard’s arms folded across her chest as a smirk settled itself on to her lips.

“Do what?” She feigned stupidity that did not sit right with Adline.

“Don’t play dumb you know what I’m talking about,” she retorted rather annoyed. Did Esme love pressing and stomping on her buttons all at once?

With a shrug and the slight hint of a proud smile Esme turned to look at Adline full on. “You expect everything to be given to you and you expect everyone to feel sorry for you because of what you’ve been through.”

For a moment Adline was speechless, she didn’t know what to make of what Esme was saying. Surely she wasn’t that bad? She knew well that she’d been feeling sorry for herself when she was first apprehended crossing through Northwood but she thought she’d changed. At least a little bit.

“That isn’t true! I don’t expect anything from anyone!” She replied with ferocity. “What do you expect from someone who has lost everything and then is held captive against their will?” She didn’t know how else she could explain herself. “My life wasn’t butterflies and ponies and it hasn’t even been many months since my parents were murdered.” She was working herself up and could feel her heart beat quicken along with her breathing, “how am I supposed to react to that? Like you? A stone faced bitch with no heart?” Adline had never been so mad in her entire life! She’d been terrified beyond comprehension and the loneliest person in the entire world but she had never been so mad.

“Really original,” replied Esme in the blink of an eye, like she expected it.

“What the hell is your problem anyway? Are you jealous that Kane wants me? Do you still wish he was with you?!” Adline knew her questions were ridiculous but they slipped out before she could even comprehend what she was saying.

Esme scoffed, “yes princess I want Kane, you have that absolutely correct.” In that moment Adline couldn’t tell if she was being serious or not.

Adline’s cheeks were red with fury, her chest rose and fell with every intensive and laborious breath she took. The cold stung her lungs like needles of ice and her head began spinning.

“Alright calm down I can see you’re working yourself up,” Esme pleaded quickly.

“Leave now,” came a voice from behind Esme quickly. It was one she knew well and one she was more than a little terrified of.

Turning on her heel she came face to face with a very livid Kane, not even Adline knew he was there. She was so deep in to her anger that it blinded her and blocked all of her other senses.

“Alpha I-” she began feebly trying to save herself. She had meant well and wanted to help Adline back inside but being around her just reminded Esme of everything she didn’t and would never have. She would never admit it to anyone but she was jealous. Adline was still young and unsoiled. She still had an innocence about her that men would find attractive, she wasn’t used goods.

Since her mates death Esme had started seeking validation and acceptance in empty relationships and as a result her children and parents suffered.

“Go home Esme, your services are no longer required.” Kane had a very authoritive tone to his voice that very few were able to argue with.

He waited patiently and saw the conflict racing across Esme’s features, he had heard every single word she said. He wanted to see what Adline would do and while it was an attempt to stand up for herself she needed more work. As soon as Esme was gone Kane walked quickly to Adline and scooped her up in his arms as she began falling.

Unfortunately for Adline the encounter and confrontation with Esme left her so dizzy that she couldn’t see straight.

Kane cradled her in his arms, “it’s okay Adline, let’s get you inside.” He was more than a little curious to know why she was outside when it was so cold. He felt her cheek pressed against his and the difference in temperature was more than a little alarming. Why had she been outside for so long?

After his meeting with her brothers they’d gone in to town to grab a few things they needed and wouldn’t be back for some time. If he’d not been watching Adline from the window in his office he would never have seen Esme approaching her and would not have been there to intervene. It was clear that Adline was not made for arguing but she did have a fighting spirit.

Walking up the stairs to of the patio he entered through the kitchen and took the smaller staircase up to the second floor. He walked towards Adline’s room as she groaned in his arms. He couldn’t tell if she was asleep or just trying to get warm.

Pushing the door open to her room he carried her straight to her bed and removed her shoes. By this time she was a little more coherent but still pretty out of it. She helped him get her coat off and as he tucked her in to bed Adline took hold of his hand.

Kane was more than surprised when he looked down and saw her smiling up at him, “please stay with me?” She asked hopeful. She was so frightfully cold and all she wanted was warmth and she knew he could give that to her.

Nodding his head slightly Kane removed his shoes and climbed in beneath the covers with Adline. She scooted over so he had enough space and no sooner had he put his head down did she seek the warmth of his arms.

“Thank you for staying,” she murmured against his broad frame as she pulled herself closer to him.

“Any time,” he couldn’t help but smile in return. The feeling of utter warmth and acceptance that flooded and inundated him was more than he could have hoped for. He lay there with her just comforting her in his arms for as long as he dared to but when Adline woke near nightfall she was all alone. The warmth she felt from Kane still with her as well as his scent lingering on her sheets.