A Wolf's Claim

CHAPTER 29

*Stella*

Jace changed into a black suit and a white dress shirt. It sounds simple, but trust me when I say, he was sexy all dressed up. His black hair was styled to the side and back, the scruff that once covered his jaw was now clean-shaven. I didn't realize I was holding my breath while staring at him, and I slowly started releasing it.

Jace took my hand in his, guiding me down the stairs of the new house. Walking past the front door, he led me through a hallway and into a dining room. There are five chairs, and Jace pulls out a chair for me at the end of the table. Sienna and Adam enter the room, as Sienna sits across from me. Soon, there was a knock on the door. Both Adam and Jace go to get it.

Sienna is wearing a tan dress, with a sheer white material that hangs over the top. She smiled, peering around me to see into the hallway. We heard a voice we're not familiar with, and I watched as she focused intently on the voice. It slowly grew louder, and soon there was a face to match the voice.

A man with jet black hair walked in, it was long on the top and short on the sides, styled back in a pompadour. He was wearing a pinstripe black suit with a white dress shirt, and a bright red tie. He smiled and nodded to us, walking past where he was seated at the head of the table. Jace and Adam sat next to him, with me and Sienna on their opposite sides.

"Francisco, this is Stella, my girlfriend." Jace said, smirking coyly at me. "That over there is Sienna, Adam's wife."

"Nice to meet you ladies," Francisco grinned broadly, "I'm Francisco Civili."

"I hope you like steak, Francisco." Jace said, as the chef brought out the appetizer.

First we'll serve salad and bread, then the main course, which is steak and potatoes, followed by wine and dessert if anyone wants it. I plan to ask a lot of questions, but I have to start slow. I don't want to alarm him, lead him to believe that I'm hiding something. Even though I am.

"This looks lovely!" Francisco beamed, digging into his salad with glistening eyes.

"Our chef is good at what he does, that's for sure!" Adam chuckled, as well as Sienna.

"So, Francisco, what got you into this line of work?" Sienna casually asked, nibbling at her salad.

"Well, my father originally, but then I became obsessed. It's a passion of mine now, lucky for me! I get paid to do my passion." Francisco chuckled to himself, "The business side not so much, but the design and building aspect I just love!"

"That does sound fun." Sienna nodded, giggling.

"Would you like to see the blueprint for the addition to your house?" Francisco asked, eagerly retrieving the rolled up print from his satchel.

"Maybe after dinner." Sienna giggled, and Francisco chuckled.

"I'm sorry, you'll have to forgive me, I'm just so excited about this!" Francisco beamed, causing everyone to chuckle.

"How long have you been doing this?" Jace asked, studying Francisco like a painting.

"For about seven years, give or take." Francisco bobbed his head, finishing his salad.

The chef soon brought out the main course, and my mouth was watering. Those steaks look perfectly cooked, and each one of us gets our own! The chef sets a small plate with roasted potatoes, covered in a savory sauce. It wasn't long before everyone was digging in the food, and conversation was put on hold. The food was delicious, I almost couldn't stop eating.

I leaned back in my chair with a full stomach, sipping on my glass of wine, when I noticed Francisco's leg frantically shaking under the table. Is he nervous? I stared at his face, searching for any other nervous traits. He does smile a lot, but some people are naturally like that. I don't want to be judgmental, but it's hard when you're looking for red flags.

"This dinner was amazing, thank you all so much for having me." Francisco said, wiping his mouth with his napkin.

"We're glad you could come." Jace nodded, pushing his empty plate towards the center of the table.

"I'd like to see that blueprint now, if you wouldn't mind?" Sienna smiled, getting out of her chair.

"Happy to!" Francisco grinned, jumping out of his chair and pulling out the rolled-up blueprint.

Francisco laid it across the table and everyone studied it together. It was a beautiful design, also one that provided ample space for the entire pack. It would cut the house in half, expanding the kitchen and dining room. I find myself smiling as my eyes scan over the blueprint. I get a good feeling about Francisco. I think he's harmless, and if anything, he has a crush on Jace or Adam. He's adorably innocent.

"We'll start with the kitchen and dining room, so your employees will have their kitchen back ASAP." Francisco explained to Jace and Adam, while Sienna and I were still staring at the blueprint.

"Thank you, Francisco." Jace said, and I felt a light tug on my arm.

I turned around to find Jace pulling me towards him with a coy grin, wrapping an arm around my waist. He leaned in to my left ear, close enough to where I could feel his breath and lips tickle my skin. I fought the blush that was threatening to reveal itself, and held my breath while he spoke gently into my ear.

"Nod yes if you trust him," Jace said lightly.

I nodded and watched Jace smile, turning back towards Francisco. Jace and Francisco shared a few words, and soon Francisco was pulling out a pile of paperwork. Jace and Adam were signing papers, while Sienna came to stand next to me. She leaned in close, and whispered into my ear.

"He's adorable!"

I couldn't help but giggle, nodding in agreement. Francisco is adorable, he's got a pure heart. I don't know how I can tell, but I can. There's something I really like about him, already. I think Sienna feels the same way. I know Jace was happy to see that I approved, probably because he liked the blueprint.

Once the papers were signed, Francisco stayed a little longer for another round of drinks, before finally leaving for the night. He was a nice guy, very feminine, and if I didn't know any better I'd say he swings toward men. A smirk caught on my lips. I bet Jace and Adam don't realize this, but I think Francisco might have a crush on one of them.

Adam and Sienna disappeared up the stairs, while I watched Jace organize the paperwork. He peered up at me and smirked, setting the papers down on the dining table. He stood up and held out his hand for me to grab. When I did, he helped me out of my chair and guided me upstairs to my bedroom. It was already almost ten at night, as a yawn broke past my lips.

"I'll be right back." Jace said, resting his chin on my shoulder.

"Before you leave, can you untie me please?" I asked, giggling.

"Of course," he responded in a deep husky tone.

Jace's hands slid up either side of my bare back, pulling on the tie to unravel it. I felt the dress loosen, and Jace's hands trailing back down to the side of my hips. He placed a delicate kiss on the top of my shoulder, before walking away. I released another breath I didn't know I was holding, and giggled to myself.

My feelings for Jace are growing at a rapid pace, but there's a small part of me holding back. I'm not a werewolf. What if this whole mate thing doesn't work with me like it does with Jace? I'm scared that somewhere along the way, one of us is going to get hurt. On the other hand, the way I feel when I'm around him is like nothing else I've ever experienced.

I'm nervous, excited, and over the moon happy. These feelings are unusual, mainly because I've never felt them before, not all at once. I've had boyfriends in the past, but nothing as intense as this. What I feel towards Jace is so much stronger, more serious, it's real.