Torrent (Alpha Love - a Paranormal Werewolf Shifter Romance Book 4) (22 page)

She woke up every morning with a sense of wonder. She could sense things she would never have new even existed when she was human; the sound of a caterpillar climbing the tree by the house, the smell of the dew on the grass at dusk. The more she could see and hear and scent, the more beautiful she saw the world. It was easy to understand why the Lycans were so united with nature. It was impossible to ignore, their senses made them as aware of Mother Nature as they were of their own selves.

The first night she spent as a werewolf, Ashton had told her that she was special, more so than any of them could ever have known. She was a white wolf, the only were of her kind they had ever seen or were ever likely to again. But she didn’t feel special because she was a descendant of the wolf that had turned Lupo or because she was able to outrun anyone in the pack. She felt special because of the man that stands beside her and the secret she carries inside.

She follows Ashton out of the trees and into the outskirts of Beaumont. The town still shows signs of what happened there. The anti-wolf graffiti is in the process of being covered up, but things will take a long time to go back to normal. None of them really knew what normal was anymore. Most of the people in the town had come out in support of the Lycans. After the battle that was waged at the drilling site, it hadn’t taken them long to realize that the wolves they were afraid of were the same people that they had grown up with, lived with, laughed with, for years. It was going to be a slow process, but things were improving all the time.

“Ash?” Sofie calls out as she morphs back into human form and slips into his furniture store. She was sure that she’d seen him disappear inside. She pads quietly through the store, taking in how much work they’d done to get it back up and running and how much was still left to be done. The Humans First Brigade had really done a number on the store, smashing everything they could find and covering the walls with obscene anti-wolf slurs. It still made her angry that anyone would do something like this, but that was something else that Gus was teaching her, to control her anger. She breathes deeply, remembering his lessons and finds her equilibrium again.

“Back here! Thought you would have got here faster, sugar.” Ashton’s tone is mocking and Sofie picks up her pace, following the sound of his voice into the back room that had been his workshop.

He stands in the middle of the space, showing her what he’s been doing in secret. Sofie can’t even speak as she looks around. The workshop has been divided into two parts. In one were all of Ashton’s tools, his new work-bench and all the equipment he had managed to salvage from when the store was raided. But it’s what’s on the other side that makes her breath catch in her throat. In the other half of the room is a desk, a state of the art microscope, a bureau filled with geological field tools, books and everything she could possibly need to carry on with her research.

She walks around the space, touching everything, as if she wants to check that it’s real, her mind reeling. “How did you get all of this?” She knows from experience that nothing that she has seen is cheap.

“Darwin gave me a little help. He said Shale wouldn’t mind donating their resources to their best geologist.” Ashton’s voice is low in her ear, he’s come up behind her in the silent way he does and she shivers as his breath blows onto her naked neck.

“You mean their ex-best geologist.” Sofie corrects him automatically, too caught up in what she’s seeing. She’s touched beyond belief that Ashton would do this for her.

“No, I meant what I said. Darwin and I had a long talk and he made it very clear that I wasn’t to distract you from your work. I think he might have used the word ‘tomfoolery’.” Ashton looks at her, lapping up the awe in her eyes as she takes it all in.

It takes a few seconds for Sofie to process what Ash has just said. “What do you mean?”

“Well, Darwin figures that there’s still a lot to learn about the rocks in the canyon, the minerals
etc.
and he thinks you’re in a unique position to lead the way in the research. You said it yourself, Shale are investing more in research for the sake of science, instead of greed.” He pauses, watching her as the realization of what is happening dawns on her. “So, what do you think?”

It’s only then that Sofie realizes how nervous Ashton is and it only makes her love him more, if that were even possible. She looks at him with tears in her eyes and flings herself into his arms, holding onto him tight as she rains kisses down on his face.

“I’ll take that as meaning you like it?” Ashton looks at her ruefully once she lets him talk.

“You did all of this, for me?” Sofie looks into his blue eyes, wondering if there is ever going to be a time that she gets to the bottom of this man, when he can no longer surprise her. Just when she thinks she knows everything about him, he turns around and amazes her again.

“Well, I can’t take all the credit. Darwin had a hand in it too, or maybe I should say an iron fist! But when I told him what I had in mind he pretty much jumped at the chance.” Ashton circles Sofie in his arms, enjoying how happy she looks.

“How did you know? How did you know how important it was to me?” Sofie shakes her head like she still can’t believe what she’s seeing in front of her.

“Because I know you, Sofie Braun. I know that scientific mind of yours is a part of you just as much as your kindness, your bravery, your strength and everything else about you that I love.” Ashton cradles her face in his hands, looking at her as if she were the answer to all of his questions.

Sofie holds her breath as tears of joy prevent her from being able to breathe or even speak. This man, this incredible man, he is her lover, her mate, her other half, he is all that she could ever have dreamed of and so much more. She has been waiting for this moment, trying to find the perfect time to tell him.

“Before you say anything, there’s on more thing.” Ashton holds up his hand, stopping whatever was about to come out of her mouth. “I’ve been trying to figure out the perfect time to do this, but nothing ever seems quite right.” Ashton shakes his head as if he were annoyed at himself at his own indecisiveness. Sofie doesn’t think that she’s ever seen him this flustered; it wasn’t a word that she would ever associate with him, the Alpha male, the pack leader. But that’s definitely how he looked right now.

She reaches out her hand, stroking the soft bristles of his blonde beard. “It’s alright, whatever it is, we’ll figure it out.” She looks into his baby blues, wondering what it is that has him so tied up in circles.

“Well, I’ve already figured it out.” Ashton levels her with a meaningful look. “I think I figured it out the first time I saw you, it was like I just knew. The pack already sees you as their Pack Mother. Now it’s time to make things official.” He closes his eyes and takes a breath like he’s gearing himself up for something big and Sofie feels her heart beat faster. “A life without you doesn’t make any sense to me, you’re everything I want, everything that I need. You drive me crazy, but it’s the best kind of crazy there is!” His wry smile smoothes out, turning his face serious. “Sofie Braun, I want you to be my wife, I want you to have my children. Say you will.”

For a few seconds Sofie doesn’t say anything, she thinks she might have actually lost the ability to speak, there are too many emotions threatening to overtake her. That’s when she realizes that this is the perfect moment, the one she had been looking for. She chalks up the courage to tell Ashton the only thing she’s been able to think about since she found out.

“Ashton, half of that is already taken care of.” She takes his hand and covers her belly with it, staring up into his face, waiting for his reaction.

He looks confused but then his eyes widen with realization. “You’re pregnant?”

As Sofie nods, Ashton kisses her hard and then drops to his knees, kissing her bare stomach so tenderly it makes her cry. “I can’t wait to meet you, little one.” He whispers against Sofie’s belly, stroking her. He looks up at her and rises up to his feet, wiping her tears away. “Don’t cry, baby girl. You’ve almost made me the happiest man in the world.”

Sofie looks at him with narrowed eyes. “Almost?”

“Well, you still haven’t answered the other half of my question.” He raises his eyebrow at her.

Sofie laughs lightly. “Yes, Ashton, my wolf-man, I’ll marry you. Nothing would make me happier.” She watches as his shoulders visibly relax and he brings her face closer to his, kissing her gently, tenderly.

“Our family.” Ashton says the words with reverence as he enfolds her into his arms, keeping one hand on her belly. He kisses her gently and she feels the familiar warmth stirring inside of her. She loves this man beyond reason, beyond all rationale, but she knew now that reason and rationale were overrated. Before, reason would have told her that there was no such thing as werewolves, no such thing as love at first sight, no such thing as soul mates. Now she knew she was mistaken on all three counts, and it had never felt so good to be wrong.

THE END

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