A/N Thank you so much to everyone who is waiting patiently for this story. I don't like to post until I have at least a few chapters to share so I'm only posting every couple of weeks.
I promise I will keep going until Elle and Daciana's story is complete. Keep being patient and I will keep publishing.
Thanks, again for all of your amazing and supportive comments. I love Elle and Dachee and I'm so pleased that you all seem to like them too.
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Chapter 18
As it turned out my "hot new girlfriend" (Delia's words) and "free booze" (Daciana's words) were enough to convince a hell of a lot of my college friends to come to the cabin for a birthday weekend. Several canceled plans and at least two were willing to miss Saturday classes. So, Friday at 3 PM, I and eleven of my closest college friends and their significant others were in the parking lot by my dorm when a huge bus pulled up. Ted jumped off first and was followed by Adrian. The driver, a wolf I didn't recognize but who must have been additional security, stepped out and examined me and my companions. Ted, subtly, checked the area before giving a nod to the bus. Daciana danced her way down the stairs and into my arms.
Although we had been on video calls at least twice a day all week, wrapping my arms around Daciana still felt like coming up for air after being underwater for far too long. The relief made me want to cry. Daciana must have felt it, too, because she squeezed me tighter than I would have guessed her capable of squeezing. "I missed you," I breathed into her hair.
"I missed you so much," she answered. Her breath was shaky.
I made the introductions. It took a few minutes for everyone to get their bags loaded under the bus and then we all climbed aboard. Daciana dragged me to an empty pair of seats and pulling me into one, snuggled tight against me so that our arms and legs were tangled together.
Steph, sadly, had gotten sick and was staying home so Delia was without a seatmate. She wasn't lonely for long, though, and when I glanced up, again, she was leaning into a conversation with my brother, and her knees were pressed against his thigh. Daciana had also seen Delia's seating arrangement and she and I shared a look before breaking into giggles. When she stopped laughing I kissed her. "I'm really glad you are here," she whispered. I nodded and kissed her again.
Once everyone was settled, Ted gave the driver the OK and we pulled out of the parking lot. Ted came and sat in the row across from Daciana and me. I looked around, confused. "I thought Pr- um- Julian was coming. And your friends, April and Felicia?"
Daciana nodded at my near slip and nodded. "They are. Julian had a late meeting and Felicia's flight wasn't getting in until a little later, so Julian and his companions are picking her up. April stayed with Julian so Felicia wouldn't be the only woman. They'll get to the cabin a couple of hours after us.
"Have you told them?" I was whispering now. "About us?"
Daciana half shrugged. "They think we're dating. I didn't tell them about the bond. I want to tell them this weekend."
"How do you think they'll take it? I mean, I know what you said about Julian but the others?"
Daciana touched my face and smiled softly. "We'll find out." She kissed my nose. "Everything is going to be fine, Baby. I promise."
I looked at Ted. He grinned at me. "She's always right. About everything. It's annoying actually." Daciana punched Ted in the thigh and he laughed. He winked at her.
Daciana gave him a dirty look and I laughed. She turned back to me. "He's right, though. I am always right. You'll see." She kissed my nose and leaned her head on my shoulder. "You'll see."
Chapter 19
About three hours later, the bus pulled off the paved road and onto a long dirt road in the middle of nowhere. A few more turns and 15 minutes later we came to a gravel driveway. I saw, though I doubted any humans did, the guards in the tree line. I counted at least four and guessed there were more around the perimeter. I hadn't thought about what it would mean for two of the king's kids, one who was the crown prince, to spend a weekend in the woods. For the first time, I wondered what my future might hold if Daciana and I made our relationship public. If we got married. I squeezed her hand.
Then the house came into view. It may have been smaller than the palace in Avion, but I wouldn't have sworn to it. Several of my friends gasped and even Aiden and I, who knew who Daciana was, strained to look. It was huge. It was also beautiful. It was made from logs and had enormous windows.
The bus pulled up in front and the driver started unloading the luggage. Ted disappeared into the trees for a moment, to check in with a hidden guard I was sure, before returning and becoming "Daciana's friend, Ted" again. He seemed more relaxed than I'd ever seen him before now that we were somewhere controlled by the pack and surrounded by other wolves.
Daciana was an enthusiastic and gracious host. She unlocked the front door and gestured broadly to the common rooms as she lead our group through the house. "There are bedrooms here," she motioned down the hallway, "and more in the other wing." Three couples and five singles chose rooms in the south wing of the house.
Daciana led Adrian and me to the other end of the house. "Julian's room is there," she pointed to a door opposite where we were standing. "His guards will want to be in the rooms on either side. Assuming that Elle is sharing my room-" She glanced at me and I nodded. "Ted will stay there." Ted nodded and stepped through the door. "The girls will probably share that room," she pointed, " and you, Adrian, can choose from either of those two rooms."
Adrian opened a door to one of the rooms she'd indicated. "Ah, yes!" He moved inside and Daciana and I followed him. He dropped his bag on a chair and fell onto a giant bed. "This is amazing!" Daciana and I laughed and threw ourselves onto the bed on either side of him.
"This is nice." I laughed.
