"Are you sure you don't want a glass of wine?" he asked.
She shook her head no and sighed deeply. "Thank you for bringing me here. I'll never forget it."
He could tell she meant it, but a tinge of regret slipped into her words. Which made him hopeful she'd want to stay with him longer.
Dinner, drinks, and then an intimate tryst with a human woman was the usual fare for him when he felt the need and found a woman who wished it as much as he did.
Except he hadn't felt the need since taking over the pack several months ago. Not with any other woman.
He really wanted to be with Cassie for the night, although he felt her pulling away again. Since she was human and he couldn't develop a long-lasting relationship with her, it shouldn't have bothered him that she was leaving soon, but strangely it did.
"You said you slept with the wolves. Didn't this domesticate them somewhat? I thought wolf biologists didn't interact much with the wolves they studied for fear the wolves wouldn't be afraid of man anymore.
Which could put them in a world of hurt if hunters came across them."
She shrugged. "We study them to help educate people about the wolves' true natures. They're wary of humans until those of us who study them show we're not to be feared."
Axel Ash raised his brows. "I see. I was curious about your calling to wolves. I've never heard of someone howling so that a wolf would understand."
A human anyway. He hadn't ever met a wolf biologist before, so what she really did was still a mystery in part.
"That would be understandable since you're a rancher and I doubt you'd be running around with a pack of wolves." She almost seemed to smile at the mention. Almost.
He sat back in his chair and smiled at her. If only she knew. "I'd love to hear you howl. You should have done so for the teens. They would have gotten a kick out of it."
"I don't normally demonstrate for human audiences. I really don't think that Mr. Hollis would have appreciated it. I don't believe some of the other men in the audience would have, either.
If you'd like to experience such a thing, they have howling outings for people at the International Wolf Center near Ely, Minnesota. Or howl-ins at Wolf Haven International where they take in captive-born wolves or Wolf Park where they have howl night programs."
"Really," he said, with surprise. "So I take it you've been there?"
"Of course. Wolves everywhere and anywhere interest me." She motioned to the treed booths. "You and I are in a restaurant with civilized folk. I'm sure no one would appreciate it if I suddenly let out a howl."
He motioned to the forest surrounding them. "We're in the woods."
"What if I attract a bunch of wolves?" She lifted her water glass, and her lips curved up slightly.
"I'll assure them that you're with me," he said.
The same amused expression lit her eyes, entrancing, mysterious, like looking into darkened green windows, a hint of something just beyond.
She shook her head. "I'm sure the management wouldn't like it."
"I'm friends with the management."
This time she smiled broadly.
"Come on. Just once." He really didn't believe she could manage a good howl, being human, although his own kind could. He was curious how she'd sound.
"All right. You get us kicked out of here, you remember I told you so." She took two deep breaths, held them, cupped her hands over her mouth, and tilted her face up to the black velvet ceiling mimicking the night sky.
She let loose a howl, rising up and slowly tapering off in perfect cadence, just like a wolf would.
And she was beautiful.
Four of his people walked by, looked them over, smiled, and went on their way. She chuckled. "Guess there aren't any wolves around here."
Yeah, except the ones that just inspected them, maybe now thinking she was a lupus Garou and not a human.
Hell, half his people here tonight were probably dying to see her but were cautious, not wanting to annoy him. "Very nice howl. I imagine you can gather an entire pack."
"I do pretty well."
When she was talking about wolves, she seemed in her element. He was curious what else she did in her spare time beyond studying wolves. He envisioned her collecting stuffed ones and paintings of them.
Maybe she had some statues collecting dust around her place. "Have any hobbies?"
She paused and sipped her tea, looked at him thoughtfully, and then said, "No, not really. I'm pretty busy with my job. What about you?"
She sounded a little sad, and he realized his situation mirrored hers.
He shrugged. "Ranching tends to take a lot of my time." And chasing down wayward newbie werewolves, not to mention trying to heal a pack scarred by past leadership.
Which probably had something to do with his interest in Cassie. He was always so busy taking care of others that he didn't much cater to his own needs. And for the first time in aeons, he really wanted to enjoy a woman's company.
"Are you sure you don't want to dance?" he coaxed. "A quick one?" He almost said to work off some of the extra calories she'd just eaten, figuring that would convince her, but then decided that might not be such a good idea. He rose from his seat and reached out his hand.
She looked from his hand to his eyes. She wasn't saying no. She was considering it.
"Just one. I promise. You pick the music. We can sit by the dance floor and have water to drink, and when you get in the mood..."
"My tires are probably already fixed by now."
He noted she didn't wear a watch. In fact, she didn't clutter her natural beauty with jewels and baubles of any kind. No earrings, no bracelets, or anything, which reminded him of his own kind. "I'm sure they are. One dance and I'll take you back to your place."
He couldn't believe how desperate he sounded. He could see in her eyes that the desire was there and yet fear, too. Not of him exactly, though, or she wouldn't be considering dancing with him. Maybe fear of letting go. He wasn't certain.
"Come on," he cajoled, taking her hand and pulling her gently from the bench. "Just one dance."
Her heart was beating hard. So was his, as if both were preparing to synchronize the rhythm of their blood with the beat of the music. As he escorted her to the bar and dance floor, conversations at booths where some of his people were sitting died down, gazes following him and his date, while small smiles accompanied expressions.
No one would say anything to his face when he returned to the ranch, but he could hear the buzz behind his back now. Axel Ash had found a redheaded beauty to make his mate.
Not in this lifetime. Not with all the stuff he'd had to deal with recently pertaining to newly turned lupus groups. Or maybe they were glad to see him finally live a little.
"Just one dance," she said, "and then I have to go."
"Just one dance," he agreed, a little too eagerly, and hoped he could keep on dancing until the club closed at three the next morning.
All the drink tables by the dance floor were filled and the sprinkling of disco lights overhead made it appear as though a rainbow of fairy lights illuminated a forest.
One of the couples seated nearest to them quickly vacated their table, smiling at him and at Cassie. She didn't look at them, as if she was embarrassed to let down her hair like this with a perfect stranger.
Yet when he motioned for George to bring them water and the waiter hurried to follow them, Cassie kept walking toward the dance floor.
"Two drinks of water," Axel Ash mouthed to George, hoping Cassie hadn't planned to dance to only one song that was half over as he hurried after her.
The bandleader cast Axel Ash a knowing wink, and Axel Ash gave him a wry smile back, then took Cassie's hand and pulled her gently into his arms.
She danced like a fairy, her heels gliding across the floor with ease, never faltering, always in step, her body soft and light and graceful. Why had she resisted dancing to such a degree?
She was a superb dancer, and he could have stayed with her like this through the night. Then again, he wondered how she could dance so well if she was so busy observing wolves and hadn't time for much else.
The music played on and on, and he rested his head lightly against the top of hers. He noted amusement on his peoples' faces, glances at the band as they didn't end the song when it should have finished, smiles from other dancers just as tickled.