Once Forgotten Twice Loved (6 page)

“I can pick you up here or wait for you at the bar downstairs in the dining room. The lodge is packed, so we may have to wait a few minutes for a table. We can have a drink while we wait and talk.

Larken looked back at the mini-bar and saw the opened bottles of liquor. “Or we can just drink water or coke.”

Ash looked over at where Larken was staring and laughed because she knew what he was talking about.

“A beer would be great. I will meet you and Nash downstairs at the bar.”

“Okay, I will see you in a few.” Larken lingered for a moment. He was telling himself not to reach out and kiss her. It would scare her. Larken’s wolf was lurking, telling him to take what was his and mate with her. Larken walked out the door before he listened to his wolf and reached out and touched her. He walked to the elevator, telling his wolf to be patient.

Ash didn’t know where those feelings were coming from
.
Kiss me, please. What are you thinking, Ash? Don’t give in. Okay, I won't give in. Go get in the shower, girl, and cool off before you do something stupid, like kiss him.

***

Nash stood at the bar beside Larken and Jonas. Larken felt better after talking with Ash. He laughed at Jonas, who was telling jokes. Larken knew the moment she walked into the dining room. He smelled her apple scent across the room. Nash smiled at Ash as she walked toward them. Her eyes focused on Larken as his eyes were fixed on her. She was simply gorgeous. She had on a pair of dress pants and a shirt that fit her body like a glove. Her outfit was a dark-gray color, and she had on a pair of black heels. Ash had a great full figure. Her breasts were big but not so big that they were too much. Larken swallowed his beer, almost chocking as she walked across the dining area.
Damn, she is beautiful. Who cares that she is human. She is my mate and look at her. Just breathe taking.
It was hard watching all the other men looking at her as she walked.
She is a drink of cold, wet water to a man who was dying of thirst.
He couldn’t blame the men as they stared, but he didn’t like it either. He started growling as she walked toward him.

“Careful, Alpha. Don’t scare her off,” Jonas whispered.

Larken immediately stopped so he wouldn’t scare Ash. It was the way of the wolf, when he felt that his territory was being messed with. Growling usually scared off any suitors prancing around his mate or in his case, potential mate. She was drop-dead gorgeous, and he could tell she didn’t even know it. Ash looked over at Nash and smiled. Before Larken could say something, Ash walked over and stood at Nash’s side. She still wasn’t ready to stand with or beside Larken. She was very uncomfortable. She felt like everyone was watching her because of Larken. Little did she know she was a beautiful woman, and they watched her because she was a breathtaking beauty. Larken cleared his throat then introduced Ash to Jonas, his best friend, and the Alpha of the Glenndale Pack.

“Ash, this is Jonas Glenn, and he is the Alpha of the Glenndale Pack. He is also the Sheriff in his county, too, so he will be at the Conference with you.” Ash extended her hand and shook hands with Jonas.

“It’s nice meeting you, Sheriff.”

“You, too. Is your name short for something?”

“Yes, sir, it is short for Ashland,” Ash responded.

“Like the city in Georgia?” asked Jonas.

“I don’t know, sir, I’ve never heard of a city named Ashland.”

Jonas smiled and winked at her. She couldn’t help it, but Jonas made her laugh. He didn’t make her nervous. She knew she would probably like Jonas. He was in law enforcement, so he was a flirt. That she could take. Those types of men were what Ash was used to. She knew how to be herself around cops.
Now this one I can handle. Jonas is a cop, and he is just flirting. I can handle him.

“That is a beautiful name for a beautiful lady.” Ash smiled, embarrassed. This time she moved more toward Nash.

“Well, Ash, on another day, I will tell you a story of Ashland, Georgia, and the story of The Trinity.”

“The Trinity? I’ve never heard of it.” Ash sounded intrigued.

“What would you like to drink, Ashland?” Larken asked, changing the subject.

“A beer would be fine, any kind.” Larken smiled, turned around, and ordered Ash a beer then handed it to her.

Ashland turned around, looking over the place. She loved this lodge, with its high ceiling log beams and the windows that were glass from floor to ceiling. She loved the tables and chairs. The lodge gave you the feeling of home.
Why does this feel like home to me? Stop it, Ash. You can’t get comfortable here. This isn’t your home. Your home is in New York.
Ash shrugged her shoulders, not wanting to have those kinds of thoughts.

A beautiful woman walked over to Larken and advised him that their table was ready.
Had to be a werewolf
, Ash thought. It had to be in the gene pool. Even Nash and Jonas were good-looking men.

“Ash, would you like to go sit down? Our table is ready,” Larken asked.

“Sure, that would be great.” Ash put herself on the other side of Nash, so she wouldn’t be stuck in the middle. Larken’s smell was getting to her.
Why does he smell so good? He looks so yummy in the black dress pants and the buttoned down white shirt. Even his shirt is unbuttoned a couple of buttons. Showing me just a little bit of hair.
What do you have underneath your shirt?
She could tell he had ripped muscles under that shirt and thought he might be around six foot four or taller. She just knew he was a big boy and that made her mouth water when she looked at him. Even thinking about him was getting to her libido.

While in the shower earlier, she started to visualize what it would be like if she was with Larken. Ash knew she had always wanted to move near Nash, plus she loved the outdoors. She loved her job, but Nash said he knew the Sheriff, and she could still work and help people.
Okay, stop thinking about this right now
. A part of her wanted to believe that Larken was truly interested in her, the person, but that was yet to be seen.

Larken tried not to look upset that Ash was continually putting herself on the other side of Nash and away from him. He tried to control the urge to grab her and run away with her. Making her believe she was his mate and to only stand by him. Larken knew if he touched her, then he would take her to his room. Jonas was trying to help, but all Larken wanted was to have Ash alone and in his bed.

Nash knew that Larken kept looking at him because Ash continued to move away from him. Nash decided there wasn’t anything he could do, so he decided to let Ash move wherever she wanted to. He decided he would take the backlash from his Alpha later. He already hurt Ash enough. He was trying to be neutral, but it was getting harder and harder. He loved them both.

They sat down at the table near the window so Ash could look at the mountains and all the lights twinkling up on the ski slopes. “Wow, this is a beautiful sight.” Everyone turned to look in the direction of the mountain. Everyone except Larken, who couldn’t keep his eyes off her. Ash blushed and looked down at her drink.
Those eyes of his are doing it for me.
She dreamt of a man who would look at her like that. She never believed it could happen to her. Now, here she was, faced with it, and she didn’t know how to act. She felt like a teenager on a date for the first time.

“So, Larken, how long have you owned the lodge?” asked Ash.

Larken knew the getting to know each other session had started. He already decided to go with it, and hopefully she would learn to like him. “Well, my father built the lodge in 1978, and it has been in my family ever since. Most of the pack works here or in town, so it has been beneficial for my family.” Larken smiled at Ash. He was about to ask her a question when Betty, the waitress, walked up to the table to take their order.

“Welcome to the Meadowland Lodge, folks. My name is Betty, and I will be your server today. Would anyone like another drink from the bar before you order? Maybe some appetizers to start off with?” Betty smiled down at her Alpha but didn’t address him. All the men ordered another beer. Betty looked down at Ash, who seemed to be casting glances at Larken. “Would you like another one, ma’am, or something else to drink?”

“Oh, yes, that would be fine, Betty, thank you,” replied Ash.

Betty smiled at Ash. “No problem, sugar. I will be right back with your drinks.” Before Betty turned around, she stopped herself and asked Larken, “Would y’all like some appetizers before your meal?”

“Any suggestions, Ash?”

She looked up, surprised Larken asked her. Ash always had an appetite, so she suggested one. “Well, I think I would like to try the Calamari.”

Nash laughed. “You still like that stuff?”

Ash giggled and looked at Nash then Larken. “Yes I still do, but I forgot that you and everyone else likes meat, so I will pass. You suggest something, Nash.”

“Betty, we want some Calamari for the lady, and I know I want to try the potato skins. Everyone says they put a lot of bacon on them,” Larken said as he looked up at Ash and winked. “What else would you like to try? Jonas, you suggest something.” Larken nudged Jonas, smiling.

“Okay, well it says here that you have pieces of ham and cheese rolled up called pinwheels. That is what I want to try.” Everybody started laughing as they looked at Jonas. “Well, I haven’t had them, so I’m going to live a little, and since you are paying for it, hell, let’s try everything.” Jonas looked at Larken, smiling back at him, chuckling.

Ash liked the bantering back and forth between Larken and Jonas. It made the atmosphere more relaxed.

“You heard the man, Miss Betty. We want a variety of everything.”

“Sure, Alpha, umm sorry, yes, sir.” Larken winked at Betty, letting her know that her slip was fine. Everyone at the table knew what he was.

“Ash, what do you do at the police department?” Jonas asked.

“I’m a detective.”

“Is there anything you would like to do besides being a detective?” Jonas asked.

“I love it. I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t be a detective. I don’t know about you, Sheriff, but it brings peace to my life,” Ash answered.

Larken knew he was in trouble now. She would want to keep on working. Larken guessed he could ask his brother, who was Sheriff, if he could use her as a detective. He knew she would never be the mate who would just go with the flow of whatever he wanted. Larken sighed.

Nash noticed Larken flinched when Ash said she wanted to continue to be a detective and couldn’t see her life without being one. He needed Larken to see how much Ash loved her job and being involved helping people. That was the reason she didn’t leave with Nash to come live in Colorado. “Ash is great at her job. She has helped lots of families who couldn’t catch a break. She was their voice when they needed someone to help them. She has helped families of abuse find jobs and move out of the terrible neighborhoods they lived in. She is passionate about her job and goes above the call of duty. She is a kind and caring person.”

Ash looked up at Nash, surprised at what he said. She reached out and touched his arm, squeezing it.

“Thank you, Nash. That was sweet of you to say.” Ash didn’t want to look at everyone else. She knew they were all watching her.

“Just telling the truth.”

Larken couldn’t help but feel jealous of the friendship Nash had with Ashland. He tried not to show it in his eyes when he looked at Nash, but Nash got the picture. He looked away from Ash as the waitress brought the many appetizers to sample. Ash looked down at the trays on the table and started giggling. Larken looked up and started laughing, too. “You have the sweetest laugh,” Larken said as he looked into Ash’s eyes.

Ash blushed and looked down at her plate. Nash and Jonas didn’t wait; they just dug in, sampling everything.

“OMG, this is great,” said Jonas. Larken couldn’t help it; he just about spit his food out and started laughing at Jonas’s comment. Ash and Nash started laughing, too. Ash couldn’t stop laughing, and it was as if the tension in the air seemed to blow away.

“What are we, fifteen, Jonas?” Larken asked while laughing.

“Look, it took me forever to find out what those three little letters meant. I had to speak with the teenage girls in my pack about safety since the girl from the Nortic Pack was taken. They kept saying 'OMG' before and after they asked a question. Finally, after the kids left, I asked my nieces, Kammy and Kerra, what OMG meant. They told me ‘OH MY GOD’. They said they would make a list for me to study so I could get on their level and become hip… Kids!”

Everybody at the table burst out laughing. They knew Jonas was serious, but it was how he was telling the story. He was so funny. Jonas sat there shaking his head as they cried from laughing so hard. Ash looked over at Jonas and thought he was a good-looking man, but she couldn’t take her eyes off Larken. She realized then that she was doomed.

Finally, after Ash stopped laughing, she looked over at Jonas and Nash, who were plowing through the appetizers. She reached over and grabbed a couple of pieces of the Calamari, took a bite, closed her eyes, and moaned as the flavors flowed out onto her tongue.

Larken couldn’t take it. The looks and sounds Ash was making made him crazy.
This woman is driving me crazy. I’ve got to get out of here before I grab her, throw her onto the table, and make a meal out of her. Breathe, Larken, breathe.
Across the room, Larken could see a pack member trying to get his attention, so he used this as an excuse to leave the table for a few minutes and get control of the hard-on he had that was about to explode in his pants. Excusing himself, he walked across the dining room with his napkin still held in his hand, conveniently held in front of his zipper.

Chapter Five

“Jonas, you said something about a girl being taken from the Nortic Pack?” Ash asked concerned.

“Yes, her name is Jamie Johnson. She is fifteen years old. Her Alpha, Jake Paul, sent out e-mails about the abduction. He said she was walking to the store with her friends, and when they were halfway down the road, she realized she had forgotten her money. Her friends waited beside the road for her to run back to her house to get her money, but she never returned. Like most kids, they just thought she wasn’t coming back or couldn’t find her money. When they got back from town an hour later, they went looking for her, and her mom said she thought she was with them. By the time Jake sounded the alarm, she was gone. They located her scent at the side of the road about a mile down from where the girls waited. They also found the scent of a male wolf. Too many vehicles go down that road, so they couldn’t make any tire track moldings. It’s like she vanished. No one has called for any ransom. Nothing.”