A Wolf's Claim

CHAPTER 39

*Stella*

We arrived at a small opening with three buildings, each sitting across the other in a small circle. The buildings looked old, small cottages with high-pitched roofs, surrounded by the forest. Jace parked the truck several feet away, and hopped out of the driver's seat. He walked around and opened my door, offering me a hand out of the truck. He helped me down and held onto my hand, guiding me towards the center of the buildings.

It was beautiful, there were lights strung across all the buildings, lighting up the area just enough. A well was sitting in the center, as well as outdoor tables and chairs, and a small fire pit. Jace pulled me toward the center building, the biggest one. We walked up a small flight of stairs, toward a large wooden door with designs carved into it. He opened the door and loud music filled my ears, but it wasn't music that I heard everyone around town listening to. This was soothing, soft, and delicate. Violin, cello, piano, and the harp blended beautifully well together.

The floors were cherry oak, and the walls were a soft cream with white swirls. There was a small fountain in the center of the room, with two stone wolves howling upwards, as water spewed from their mouths. Beyond the fountain was a small kiosk, where a woman with brown curly hair stood.

The woman walked out from behind her kiosk, holding what looked to be like menus, as she welcomed us with a smile. Her grin faltered slightly when her eyes fell on me, but nothing was said. Jace draped his arm across my shoulders, walking beside me, as we followed the woman.

Turning a corner, I realized we were in a restaurant, walking past several booths and tables. Everything matched perfectly, and it felt pristine, which was unexpected given the outside appearance. The booths were wooden, matching the cherry oak floors, but with a cream plush cushion on the seat.

I wonder what the other two buildings are? I hope Jace plans on showing me.

We are seated at a small booth, next to a beautiful statue of a woman holding a harp. Glancing up at the statue, I notice a small hum vibrating from my heart, and extending through the rest of my body. We order our food, and Jace orders wine. When the wine is delivered, he pours both glasses halfway. Smiling, taking a sip of his instantly. I don't want to be rude, so I take a sip as well, but wine has never been my thing.

"You don't like wine?" He asked, stifling a chuckle.

"Uhmm... it's okay." I shrugged, not wanting to hurt his feelings.

"It's okay to dislike something, Stella. I want to learn more about you, so tell the truth." He stated, his voice firm and strong.

"I don't usually drink wine." I remarked, biting my cheek, "But this isn't terrible."

"Order whatever you'd like." He smirked, taking another sip.

"Thanks..." I muttered, blushing. "So, what brings us here?"

"Well, I wanted to ask you something, actually." Jace said, but stopped there.

"Okay?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

"I can tell there's something preventing you from becoming my mate, and I was hoping you'd tell me." He said, his words so delicately phrased, something that ignited a spark in my heart.

"Well... it's a lot of commitment." I muttered, feeling my eyes widen with every second that passed.

"It is." He agreed, nodding. "Is that something that scares you?"

"Kind of," I nodded and dropped my gaze from his, "but not because of you, not because you're a werewolf."

"Then why?" He was persistent, and I guess he deserved to know the truth.

"Because I'm afraid I'll get hurt, or you will... I... I don't know. I don't see myself with anyone else, other than you, but I'm afraid to make the final leap. What if I'm not good enough? I mean... what if I'm not what you were expecting?" I stuttered, my nerves rattling me from head to toe.

"What exactly are you talking about, Stella?" Jace asked, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"What if... you're disappointed with me, after we're mated?" I finally spit it out, and felt my heart try to escape next.

"That's impossible, love." Jace chuckled, dismissing it completely without a second thought.

"How do you know?" I asked, not convinced.

"I just do." He smirked, and before I could retort, the waitress delivered our food.

We both ordered steak, one of my favorite foods, and it smelled amazing. I will say, this steak paired with red wine was actually surprisingly delicious. Wine by itself was gross, but with steak, it adds a level of brilliance to an already amazing meal. The food was so good, neither Jace nor I wanted to indulge in conversation while eating. We waited until we were finished to continue talking. Which was fine with me, because our last topic was only making my face permanently red with humiliation.

We finished eating and Jace paid the bill, offering me his hand again. I took it, allowing him to guide me out of the restaurant. We walked next door, to another building. This one was bustling with people scurrying in and out of the doors. When we walked inside, I found a plethora of items stocked on high shelves. It's a market of sorts. There's an aisle for food, but the rest is filled with clothes and decorations. Everything in this store is unlike anything else in town, and everything is catching my eye.

I make eye contact with a gorgeous feathered gown, white and light gray with a pure black neck line. It was tank top style, with a low V neckline, as well as on the back. The bottom of the gown gathered on the floor, with a small train that followed behind it. I couldn't help but feel drawn to the dress, and soon felt myself touching the feathers that decorated the waist. My fingers trailed from the feathers, across the rhinestones that edged the top.

"You like that?" Jace asked, smirking crookedly, standing close by with his hands shoved in his front pockets.

"It's beautiful." I grinned, but shook my head, "Just admiring it."

"This is the local market," Jace said, walking with me further into the market, "Everything here was handcrafted by a werewolf. It's a place to trade and sell."

"This stuff is amazing," I was awed, staring at a painting that captivated me, "I love everything in here!"

"There's something I wanted to get while we were here. Follow me." He said, tugging gently on my hand.

Jace lead me toward a glass cabinet, where all kinds of jewelry lined the shelves. They had everything from ornate diamonds, to soft and gentle pearls. I was captivated by their unique selection. After admiring some of the jewelry, it occurred to me that we were looking at jewelry! My heart jumps, leaps into my throat, as I try to gulp it down. My palms start sweating, and my breathing becomes rapid.

"Calm down," Jace softly whispered, "I'm not asking you to marry me."

"I didn't say anything." I muttered with tight lips.

"You didn't have to," he chuckled, "I just wanted to get you something to signify our bond, for you too. Marking you is what werewolves do, but I know that's not a human thing. So... I read jewelry was a good way to show your girlfriend that you cherish her."

"I see," I said, feeling my lips pull into a broad grin. "That's very sweet of you."

"I like this one, it reminds me of you." Jace said, reaching into the case and retrieving a ring.

It was silver with diamond wings, like that of an angle. It was small, dainty, but beautiful. Jace slid it on my ring finger, on my right hand, and it felt right. A smile was consuming my face before I even realized it, and I threw my arms around him. Snuggling against his chest, I felt his arms curl around me, pulling me flush against his body.

I was getting closer and closer to accepting his proposal, becoming his mate and allowing him to mark me. I guess I wasn't entirely sure what was stopping me, other than my commitment issues. That's something that could ruin this, and I won't let that happen. I'll step out of my comfort zone.

"Thank you." I smiled, placing a small peck on his lips.