“You know I don’t get involved with soon-to-be-married women, Cam,” I say. “That’s a disaster waiting to happen.”
Cameron laughs. “You’re a better man than me.”
“Don’t I know it.” I nod toward the winery. “We should probably head back and get ready for the party.”
The sun starts to dip behind the mountains, casting a pinkish-orange glow over the vineyards. It’s beautiful and serene, but sunrises are my favorites, especially when the vines are covered in mist. The sun will glisten across them, making everything shimmer like diamonds. One day, I want to share the experience with my mate … if I ever find her. So many members of my pack are finding their true mates, and I’m happy for them. Everyone keeps asking why I haven’t found mine yet, but I have no answers. Most of the alphas in the surrounding packs have found theirs, which makes me wonder what’s wrong with me.
“You okay?” Cameron asks. “You got that serious look on your face there for a second.”
I focus back on him. “I’m good.”
Cameron glances over his shoulder at my house up on the hill. “Any changes with Kara?”
Following his gaze, I shake my head. Kara’s in my underground wine cellar, locked away from everyone. “Nope. She’s still comatose. It’s not going to be fun when she wakes up.”
Cameron snorts. “That’s for damn sure. At least we don’t have to worry about her ripping off our balls.”
If she still had her power, there’s a high possibility that she could. Royal wolves are genetically stronger than most other wolves like the grays, reds, and other arctics, but I think I could’ve been a match for Kara. I’ve never physically had to fight against a royal to know how my strength would’ve compared. Kara’s strength has been stripped away from her, and all that’s left is someone no tougher than a human. She’s going to be pissed when she wakes up. Still, it was for the best. Zayne and Amelie completed their bond, which means if Kara were to attack them again, she’d undoubtedly fail. Mated royals are the strongest of us all.
Turning away from my house, I focus on the winery, and we continue our walk. The twinkling lights around the veranda turn on, and Ayla waves at me through the window. She has the same gray eyes as Cameron, but Ayla has dark brown hair like their father while Cameron inherited the lighter brown from their mother.
“Ayla loves her lights,” Cameron says, smiling at his sister. “If she had her way, she’d have them draped all over the grapevines.”
I can envision it in my mind, and it makes me chuckle. “I’m glad Ayla decided to stay in town after college and work with us.”
It was Ayla’s idea to hang the lights. She said it added a romantic feel to the layout, and it put people in the mood to drink wine. So far, she’s been right. That’s why I’m happy I have her and Cameron as business partners. Our families were savvy at business, but bringing in the younger generation brought fresh ideas to the table. Work has never been better.
Cameron sighs. “Me too. We all thought she’d want to move to New York or some other big, badass city, but she surprised us.”
I’m thankful she didn’t. She’s been in charge of our marketing, and I’ve seen a twenty percent increase in sales, and it keeps going up each month.
We stop at the door, and Cameron places his hand on the handle, but then turns to face me, his expression curious. “So, what’s going to happen when Kara wakes up? She’s not just going to sit back and do nothing. She still has Channon Vineyards to run, and she’s our biggest competitor. Sooner or later, someone will notice she’s disappeared.”
It is true. I’ve tried not to think about it. I’ve known Kara for the past ten years, and we’ve been hardcore competitors for seven, ever since she put Channon Vineyards on the map. She’s had award-winning wines, but she’s never beat me in a competition. And for that, she’s loathed me, but I could always sense her desire, even though she made it abundantly clear that I’m not good enough for her. It never stopped me from trying to get close to her to see if I could break through that ice queen shell of hers. I always failed, but it was fun to get a rise out of her. When I found out she was an enemy to the Royal pack, I felt a level of disappointment I never thought I’d feel. Yes, our relationship has always been tense at competitions, but it was never as enemies; it was raw and primal. The alpha wolf in me wanted her and still does. But now I’m conflicted. I’m her jailor, and I shouldn’t still have those feelings for her, but I do. She may be a foe to the Royal pack, and I know some want her dead, but she has so many other qualities they don’t know about. She turned a piece of desolate land in Virginia into a top-notch winery in just a short amount of time. I’ve never seen anyone do that, and my family’s been in the wine business for over a century. Kara has her empire, and I don’t want to be the one to take that away from her.
Blowing out a sigh, I meet Cameron’s gaze. “You’re right. She won’t sit back and do nothing. That’s why, if it comes down to it, I’ll figure out a way to keep Channon Vineyards from collapsing. Kara might be a cold-hearted bitch, but she knows her wine. I don’t condone what she did to Amelie and Zayne, but it’s not my place to take her livelihood away from her.”
Cameron’s gaze narrows. “After everything she’s done, you still want her, don’t you?”
I can’t help it; I’ve wanted her since the first time I laid eyes on her. It was at a wine competition in France. I knew she was a wolf, but she hid who she truly was. She was a mystery to me, and I was hooked.
I shrug. “It’s not about wanting her; it’s about helping her,” I end up saying.
Cameron snorts. “Good luck with that. I think she’s way past saving. You forget I’ve been around her at the competitions, too. The only thing I’ve seen is a whole lot of attitude in skintight dresses. I prefer my women to be a little sweeter.”
A car pulls into the parking lot, and it’s one of the bridesmaids for the bachelorette party. When she smiles and waves at us, Cameron turns back to me and winks. “It’s showtime. I’m heading in to get a couple more things set up. I figured you’d start them out with the whites and work your way through the reds?”
I nod. “Sounds good to me. I’ll be in there in a minute.”
Once he’s gone, I peer back at my house, which is still a reasonable distance away, nestled at the top of the hill. It’s been strange having Kara in my place, hidden away in the dark cellar. I was told the sleeping spell would last at least three weeks, maybe longer. However, with Kara and knowing how stubborn and strong she is, I feel she won’t be under for much longer.
The winery fills with laughter and high-pitched gasps and shrieks from the bridesmaids, all talking about the wedding tomorrow. I stand by Ayla at the entrance to our private wine tasting room and watch all the ladies take their seats at the bar while Cameron enjoys every minute of their attention.
Shaking her head, Ayla moves in close. “He’s loving life right now.”
“Yes, he is,” I say, smirking. “I’m almost tempted not to help him.”