Chosen by the Fates

Modern Prince Charming

Aisling ~

Ashleigh is holding my shoulders, standing so close to me that I can feel the warmth of his body within inches of mine. 

I've all but forgotten his shirt I was washing as he holds my gaze with his impossibly bright eyes.

I swallow slowly, still trying to process his answer. He can't possibly have understood what I was asking. I try to think of another way to ask.

"No I mean. Have you ever really visited the minds of other people in your sleep, and then woken up and you both remember it?"

It's as if a dark cloud is lifting from behind his gaze, his eyes becoming even brighter with some strange expression of hope. He nods.

"I understood you the first time, Aisling. Yes. I do." When he says my name it rings inside of me like a bell. The name doesn't sound familiar on his tongue, but his voice using a name that is mine is entirely right. 

Does that mean...? Did we...? Does he really know what I'm trying to ask? 

After a long silence where my mind is circling the topic, he asks, "Do you?" The tenor of his voice is gentle, giving me the sense that he may already know the answer. 

Looking into his eyes I consider the risks of disclosing anything to someone I've only known for a day. I finally hedge my answer carefully, "I sometimes think so."

"Aisliiiiiinggggg~" Tiffa's voice interrupts us as she pops her head around the door frame. "Ooooh what did I miss?" Her eyebrows are up. 

"Nothing." Ashleigh's voice is a mutter. He drops his hands to his sides and goes back to leaning on the wall.

"Well it's about five. Don't you have work at six?" I lose track of time easily, I cannot express in words what a life saver Tiffa has always been about time.

"Omigosh. Thank you so much. Yes!" 

"No problem roomie!" She ducks out.

I check Ashleigh's jacket and shirt to be sure I've gotten all of the coffee stain out. Fortunately his clothing is already dark toned.

"Alright, this should be good once it's dry." I hang his stuff up in the bathroom, flipping on the fan. "I'll leave it hear so you can take it when you're ready to go."

"You work pretty late tonight." Ashleigh seems more relaxed for some reason.

"Yeah, it's my turn to run some inventory and do stocking in my department." I sigh. "I'm a night owl, so I don't mind it."

"-But its hard work, and you're on your feet for the whole shift?"

I blink at him in surprise. How does a famous dancer know anything about my manual labor job? "Yeah..." 

He smiles at me, eliciting a flipping sensation from my heart. Have I seen him smile before?

"I know you'll be exhausted after your shift... but can we finish this conversation once you've gotten some rest?" Something in his tone almost sounds pleading. As if he is a drowning man, and I am the only one with a lifeline.

Is this even the same man who was frustrating me so much not fifteen minutes ago?

"Well I have a few days in a row of late night stock work. I'm always wiped after it." Disappointment overshadows his features, his gaze shifting away. "-But I have two days off after that. You are welcome over either or both days?"

His eyebrows go up in surprise. He nods. "Both then." His tone is a demand, but rather than feeling irritated, I feel flattered. He sounds so certain about wanting my time. 

"I promise to text you when I finish my last shift then." 

He nods, then steps closer to me, leaning in. His voice is soft, "Unless we speak in your dreams first?"

I feel as if my heart just stops. My breath catches in my throat. My eyes are drawn to his lips. I still can't be sure about that dream... can I?

His mouth is drawn in a faint teasing smile. He is looking over my features as if seeing me for the first time. "Don't forget to change your shirt before work."    

I laugh nervously, my heart skipping a few beats. "Right, thank you." I really had forgotten about spilling the coffee on myself as well.

With a sideways glance, he brushes past me to rejoin Tiffa and his brothers in the living area.

After a quick change of my top, I run for the door. 

"Don't worry! I'll take good care of the brotheeeers. By the time you get back we'll have even cracked the case!~" Tiffa calls cheerfully after me. I can't help but smile at that.

Between my thoughts racing with unanswered questions about my dreams, and my late night stocking shifts, my mind is finally completely distracted from the unanswered text with Sol.

***

Sol~

As Aisling leaves my wolf practically loses it. I pull off the road and towards the spot I usually meet my pack for our hunts. 

Unlike the media, it's not normal for wolves to lose control. Much like our wild wolf brethren, true wolves abhor hunting anything that isn't their natural prey. We are stewards of our territories, and we certainly never war with one another or hunt humans.

We understand the balance of all things, and understand our place in that balance. 

I've never experienced anything like this in my centuries of life. And I don't know anything about the dynamic of mate pairings with humans, let alone resisting one's mate pairing.

Aisling wasn't able to relax and be herself around me until I gave her space. But my wolf doesn't understand why we have to restrain from touching her, being close to her, or following her.  

I don't know if giving my wolf the reigns for a night will help, but it's the only thing I can think of as my wolf thrashes about within me in the aftermath of letting Aisling go.

Like a man on the brink of madness, I struggle just to get free from my car in time. I run for the clearing, but I've already torn through my clothing and lost my things near our meeting spot before I'm even able to stash it. 

My wolf lets out the most heartbroken howl I've ever heard, and then we run.

Everything that is human about me is overwhelmed by my wolf's heightened senses. The smell of the woods, the cool feel of fresh snow in my fur and under my paws. The winds as I run. The rise and fall of the sun and moon. Until all that is left of me is the wolf.

It is nothing like any other time I have ever shifted. Once every part of me is consumed by the wildness of it, the parts of me that were not wild fade into nothingness.

As I run my wolf begins to notice something our pack has never sensed before. It lurks just at the edge of our territory. Crawling along the boundary during the long evening hours. It smells like rotting wood, and death. 

My wolf is afraid to investigate alone. This is something that must be faced by the pack.

***

I have a splitting headache as I return to myself. I don't know who I am, where I am. Something within me stirs in a restless sleep, exhausted after being worn to the bone.

"You're finally awake." The voice is rich, thick, and undeniably familiar. I remember Luna's name as her strong features come into my view. She bends over me with a cool washcloth, placing it across my forehead. "Your fever broke about three hours ago. How are you feeling?"

"Awful." It all comes back to me. I don't need to ask how she found me. My pack is family, and this is our territory. "Did you find my things?"

She nods, "Mhmm."

"You must have been worried. Thank you."

"It is nothing. You know this. The pack bond is fjölskylda." She touches her forehead to mine, her familiar scent and warmth relaxing my nerves. "I am glad you are alright."

"You must tell us what happened, son." Hati's beautiful tenor is musical. They sit beside Luna, taking my hands into their warm calloused ones.

Where to start?

"I met my mate." 

Both Luna and Hati smile warmly. I feel the squeeze of Hat's weathered hands over mine in congratulation. The mate pairing is rare, and for some wolves may not occur for centuries. To experience it is a blessing by the fates. One to be praised and celebrated. 

"She is human." 

At those words, both Luna and Hati still. Hati's gentle features draw into a thoughtful expression of understanding. "Your wolf does not understand."

I nod.

"And you met with them without knowledge of what would become of your wolf as a result?" Hati has put everything together with only that information. There is a reason they are our Alpha's mate, and co-leader of our pack. They have the wisdom of centuries beyond all of us, save Skoll herself.

I nod. 

"Then we must prepare you, so this time you may overcome the challenges you will face." Hati's voice is filled with the patient compassion we have all come to rely on. 

"There is more. There is something at the edge of the park that my wolf does not understand, and is fearful of. It smells unlike anything we've encountered before." 

Hati frowns and nods. "I will tell Skoll. We will gather."

"May I ask, how long until you found me?" I'm afraid to ask, but I need to know. I vaguely remember asking Aisling to text me. I assume she got home safely, but trapped as my wolf I've had no way to reach her...

Luna thinks for a long moment before answering. "About a week." 

I groan. 

Can the mate bond overcome a poor first impression? I can only imagine what texting after going MIA for a week will look like to a woman of this decade.

And I can't exactly tell her I was a wolf for a week because of denying our mate bond's pull.

If I wasn't such a bad liar, I could tell her I was hospitalized for one of those conditions humans experience because of how fragile and short lived they are. 

I heave a sigh. 

At the very least, I'm probably better off finding a way to see her in person for an apology.

There is no right answer to this situation.

***

Aisling~

I fall back on my bed with a groan. I'm sore all over. I ended up taking a few more shifts to help out a coworker who got appendicitis. 

I texted my apology to Ashleigh, who was surprisingly completely understanding. In fact, he's been chatting with me through text since our conversation. He still has his entitled moments, but he's also quite sweet and funny.

He gets demanding as a form of playful humor, and I've found it a bit cute. 

Tiffa has not been able to find their friend so far, but she has reached out through social media, and everyone is still hopeful. The brothers have quite a bit of time off as they just finished their more recent tour. They plan to stay for as long as they are able.

The brothers also have been enjoying the anonymity of visiting a place so far removed from most other cities and coastal populations where they'd be recognized and followed for a story. Sionainn has commented several times on how refreshing it is to feel 'normal' and even Cian is starting to come out of his shell. They've been spending their time regularly with her around her class schedule. 

I'm still nervous about the idea of asking Ashleigh specifically through text about the dream I'd had with him. I can't remember any of my dreams for the week, but I almost never do after 12 hour shifts that keep me on my feet and hauling products.

As a bonus for the trade, I ended up with my days off doubled up, so I have nearly a week off. I'm looking forward to finally finishing our dream conversation.  

I check my phone to see a text from Ashleigh, 'So, what would you like to do this evening after you've slept?'

I smile as I tap out a reply, 'You guys should come over. It looked like Tiffa was making something good in the slow cooker.'

'And we can finally finish our dream talk. ;)'

I blush, but banter comes naturally to us now, 'Psh. What will you give me to?'

'I guess that depends on what sort of dreams you want to talk about.'

I laugh at that. I'm exhausted, but I really enjoy it when he teases me. 'What kind of dreams do you want to talk about?'

';)'

I chuckle. As usual, he backs off whenever I tease back. I take in a deep breath. Well the sooner I rest, the sooner I can wake up and enjoy my first day off in 7-8 days now.

***

I wake up to the sound of Tiffa answering the door, and the brothers arising. With a huge yawn, I check my alarm clock. Sure enough I've slept until four pm. Once again my sleep was dreamless.

Miss Meow Meow is stretched bodily across me.

There's a gentle knock at my door. I expect it to be Tiffa, letting me know they're here, but the soft tenor I hear sends my heart fluttering.

"It's Ashleigh...I'm just checking on you and letting you know we are here. Tiffa says you drink coffee any time of day, so I brought you something from the Rise and Grind."

I unceremoniously climb out from under Miss Meow Meow and stumble to the door, cracking it just a little. I can only imagine what sort of wildling I must look like. 

Ashleigh is as gorgeous as I remember, dressed in more casual clothes than I've seen before. I'm willing to bet good money it's all still designer casual wear, though.

He smirks, bright eyes twinkling. "You can't have the coffee until you join us though."

I gasp, "But I must have the coffee now, lest I sleep for a hundred more years." My long yawn that follows the claim was not planned, but accidentally perfect for performance value.

"Does that mean you will wake with a kiss?" Ashleigh arches an eyebrow.

"Sleeping ladies can't give consent, everyone knows that." I retort.

"There are some moral dilemmas then. Is it better to let a woman sleep to her death if the only thing that would wake her is a kiss? Or is it better to take the blame for violating consent to save her?" He feigns being torn over which course of action will be best. 

"Coffee now, philosophical debate over poorly constructed western fairy tales later?" I plead. I open the door a little wider, reaching for the coffee.

"Your pleading voice is a pretty big turn on...How comfortable are you with full on begging me for the coffee...?" His grin is wicked, and he pulls the coffee back from my reach.

I've finally had a full night's rest, and two can play at that game. 

I step in as close as I need to take the coffee that he still holds in his hand, which presses me squarely up against him. I widen my eyes mock innocence, softening my voice until it's just a little breathless. 

"Please. Every part of me is yours to command. I'll do anything you ask of me. Please. Just give me what I need..."

Startled he practically drops the coffee, his cheeks flushing. He steps back as I feel him hardening against me. I'm pleasantly surprised at his response to me.

"Gods that’s so much hotter than any woman has any right to be." He grumbles.

"I am absolutely not above begging for morning caffeine." I take a sip, happy to find he got me my favorite type of chai.

"I intend to remember that." He's already grinning wickedly again. "I'll let you get ready. When you're up, let me know when you want to talk. We can go for a walk." 

"Will do." I smile.

He winks at me as he heads down the hall to rejoin the others.