The Falcon Ridge Series Book 4: Art of a Girl

(Chapter song ‘IDK You Yet' by Alexander 23)

BASTIAN

“Where is she?”

I sit at my desk in my office with my hands laced on my desk top and blink at Nigel standing on the other side.

“She’s at home. She had some sort of emergency and is taking the day off. She said she’ll be in tomorrow morning.” He informs.

I lean back in my chair and rest my hand on chest. “Did she mention what kind of emergency?” I ask with concern.

“No. It’s not really anyone’s business.” He says.

I chew my cheek. “No… I guess not.”

“Don’t worry Bastian. She’s having one of her assistants working on it. Your schedule won’t fall behind.” Nigel ticks his head.

I clear my throat and sit up. “Good. I was under the impression she was reliable. This better not be a habit.” I scowl.

“I don’t think it will be.” He states.

“It better not.” I pull out some papers. “I have work to do.” I mutter as I pick up a pen.

Nigel nods and leaves. I raise an eye to him and watch him shut the door behind him.

I rest my elbows on my desk and hold my pen between my hands. I stare out into my office.

I did some more reflection when I got home last night. I realized that I really had no business saying what I did to Sam and I should at least apologize for that. I was going to tell her when she got in, but now that she’s not here…

My phone rings and I pull it out.

“Cole.” I answer. “Alpha…Nice to hear from you…Testing starts next week?… Wonderful!...9 am…Perfect… I’ll add it to my calendar… Thank you!... You have a good day, too.”

A big grin spreads on my lips as I hang up and shove my phone in my pocket. “ANTON!!” I rush out of my office, turn left and head to my Delta’s office.

“Yo!” He opens his door and steps out.

“You have Samantha’s file right?” I lean on his door.

“Yeah.” He crosses his arms and leans on the frame.

“Do me a favor and extend a well wishes to her family. She had an emergency last night and I want to show her that the pack house is concerned about her health.” I say roughly.

“The pack house.” He smirks.

“Yes, the pack house. She’s an employee and she deserves a courtesy call. I’d do it myself but I can’t be bothered with such a trivial phone call. I’m entirely too busy preparing for my promotion.” I smile.

“Sure, Alpha. I’ll get right on it.” He taps my arm and I leave him.

I walk into the ballroom and look around. There hasn’t been much progress, but it’s still early.

I walk to her work table and take peeks in her boxes. I shouldn’t snoop, but I’m kind of curious. I pull out a book and open it. A sketch book?

I flip the page and see my windows and sketches of drape designs. I like them. I flip another page and see the area with the fireplace. I look up and see it empty in the distant corner and unpainted. I look down and it’s like life was brought to it. There's sketches of couches, pillows and tables. It’s…fabulous. Not just the ideas. This art of a girl that was initially mouthy to me is really telling. Her lines and shading choices. She seems disciplined, but free at the same time.

I close the book and put it back where I found it. I walk along the table and push papers around slowly with my fingertips. One had me pause. It's a pen drawing. An eye. I pull it out from beneath other papers.

I hold it in my hands and look it over. This is chaotic. Not neat. Most of it’s scribbled. If it was words, it would be a jumbled mess, but there are two clear images in the center of it all. Two angry, penetrating eyes of a wolf.

If I had to depict my own wolf in art, I’d probably do the same since, really, that’s the only thing we can clearly see and it’s very quick during the shift.

Still, there’s a feeling I get from this one. I can’t really pinpoint it. Just…off. Like not so much a representation doodle, but more like a question. I huff a chuckle. I’m most likely reading too much into a simple pen doodle, but I do have an appreciation for art. From what I see here, Sammy is a wonderful artist.

“Can I help you, Alpha?”

I quickly stuff the paper under the others and spin around to a man around Sammy’s age. He’s blonde with blue eyes. “Just…checking in. You’re Sammy’s assistant.” I straighten up and make like I wasn’t just snooping through her stuff.

He walks in and sets his briefcase down on the table. “Yes. Dylan Gale.” He offers a hand.

I smile and take it. “Gale? Relative?”

“Brother. Well…adopted brother.” He supplies.

I take my hand back. “You’re adopted?”

“No. Sammy is. My family adopted her when she was 8.” He informs.

“Oh.” I take a few steps and turn. “How…How is she?”

He smiles. “She’s fine.”

I nod. “Good…um… Get to work.” I say sternly.

“Right away, Alpha.” He turns to the table and pulls out Sammy’s books.

I take a last glance at the ballroom before leaving. It looks different without Sammy in there.

I know it’s only been a week, but I think I’ve come to expect her in there plugging away at my project. The fact that she’s not here gives me a tiny bit of pause. I don’t know her, but it feels like I…miss her? Ugh… This is ridiculous.

I laugh at myself and shake my head as I enter the dining room.

“Bastian!”

I hear my name sung and I groan as I walk in and get a coffee. I snatch my cup as the irritating woman comes up behind me.

“Bastian.” She coos.

The headache I had yesterday, came roaring back as I slump into a chair at a table. I set my cup down and straighten the table cloth as the tall, blonde slides into the seat across from me.

“You canceled our lunch date, Bastian.”

I roll my eyes then look into her blue ones. “What do you want, Caroline?”

She folds her arms on the table. “Why did you cancel?”

I raise my cup to my lips. “I had better things to do.” I sip then put it down.

She snorts as she sits back. “Please. You can’t take that attitude with me. I know you too well. This whole selfish act is bullshit. Why did you cancel on me?”

“Caroline. I’m not discussing my life with you. You’re here for one thing and one thing only.” I smirk.

“What would that be, Bastian?” She tilts her head.

“What all your type wants.” I get up and walk to her. “My cold, hard cash.” I tick my eyebrow and leave the dining room. She’s right on my ass.

“That’s not true, Bastian!” She trots up behind be. “I care about you a lot.”

“Right.” I snicker as I head upstairs.

“I do. I mean, if you canceled because of some emergency…” She says as she follows me.

“Yes, Caroline. It was desperate emergency that tore me away from giving you attention.” I roll my eyes as I walk to my room.

“And that’s fine.” She flicks her long, blonde hair over her shoulder. “You can make it up to me next week.”

“Next week?” I raise a brow as I get to my room door and turn to her.

“Yes.” She smirks as she gets close to me. “It’s my birthday next week and I was thinking a party in your little ballroom.” She stands on her toes and kisses me sweetly. “What do you think?”

I look down into her dreamy eyes. “I think…” She kisses me again. I grab the handle of my door, open it and step into my room. She almost falls on her face. She stands straight and glares at me. “I think you should ask one of the boy toys you're fucking behind my back to throw you a party.”

Her jaw falls, anger fills her face and I slam the door shut.

I turn and rub my forehead. “Fucking woman.” I grumble as I walk to my dressing closet. I stare at myself in the mirror and rip off my tie. I pull out my dress shirt and undo the buttons.

As I dress for my gym I have downstairs, Sammy enters my mind again. I said I’m a pretty good judge of women and I can tell Sammy is no Caroline.

There’s something about her that’s just different. Besides, not kissing my ass for attention and money.

I’m going to need more than just a peek. If she’s going to sit in my head, I need to find out why.

****

The next morning, I feel a little more chipper today. I don’t have to deal with Rennet. Testing starts and I’m in the running. It’s just a really good morning.

I straighten my tie as I leave my room and close the door. As I brush my sleeves and look over myself, my nose twitches.

I look up to the stairs. I take a little sniff. My brows cinch as I walk slowly to the stairs. I take the first couple of steps and sniff again.

My eyes float around the front of the house. “Nigel!!”

“Common room!!” He calls out.

I jog down the stairs and enter the common room the smell got a little stronger and I’m more confused.

Nigel is doing paperwork on the coffee table. “Good morning.” He says without looking up.

“Did you have the florist change the house flowers?” I question as I blink at him.

He looks at me and smiles. “No.” He chuckles.

“Why am I smelling gardenias everywhere?” I place my hands on my hips.

“I don’t know. I don’t smell anything different.” He goes back to his paperwork.

“My mother loved hyacinths. I've got to find out who’s overpowering the smell.” I turn and step to the door.

“Bastian. There’s nothing wrong with the air.” He laughs.

I wave him down as I track it.

One thing I don’t tolerate is trying to ruin my families traditions. My mother filled the house daily with flowers. The house has only ever smelled of her and now this offending smell is taking over. I need to find it.

I follow it through the hallway and to the ballroom. I chew my lip as I get closer. The scent is gardenias, but there’s an underlying earthy tone that feels almost alien. Unique. A scent never smelled before. It compliments the gardenias nicely, but this is my mother’s memory it’s fucking with.

It gets even stronger as I enter the ballroom. The entire room is filled with it and I feel it penetrating me. I’m sure it’s sticking on my clothes. I jut out my chin as I walk to the table and look around.

My jaw falls when I see her in the back corner by the fireplace. She’s on the floor, heels off and her tiny toes are wiggling as she’s bent over a presentation board on the floor. A smile threatens my lips as I look her over in her black, pin stripe business suit. Her hair is messily piled on her head as she fixes fabric on the board.

I suck in my top lip as she sits back and looks over her work. I watch her silently as she unbuttons her jacket and pulls it off her shoulders.

My wolf does a spin behind my ribs at the sight of her soft arms. She tosses her jacket aside and I bite my lip when I see bandages on her forearms.

The scent swirls around my head and I’m reminded why I came in here.

I clear my throat and she turns her head to me. I have to blink because her eyes struck me like the first day and I wanted to push it aside.

“Good morning, Alpha.” She mumbles then turns back to her work.

I stuff my hands in my pockets and saunter over to her. “Good morning.” I get within 10 feet of her. “I have a strict policy on strong perfumes in the mansion.” I twist my lips and she turns to me.

“Oh. Thank you for telling me.” She says to her board.

“Your perfume is stinking up my house.” I grumble.

She sits up and looks at me with confusion. “I’m not wearing…”

I smile. “Can smell you from upstairs. Don’t lie to me.”

She stands and fixes her clothes. “I am not wearing perfume. I’m allergic.”

I snort. “Shifters don’t have allergies besides silver and wolfsbane”

She scowls and folds her arms. “Well, I am allergic to perfumes.” She snaps.

I study her closely and she holds firm. “Well…find some way to mask it. It’s bothersome.”

She shakes her head and turns back to her work. “Fine.”

My eyes land in her wounds. “You… You ok?” She glances at me as I motion to her arms.

“I'm fine.” She mutters as she turns away.

I stroll closer and squat down. “Can I ask what happened?” Honestly, it looks like something shady. That doesn’t look like just an accident.

“No. I’m fine.” She insists.

“If you need…” I start.

“I’m fine, Bastian.” She side eyes me.

I hold up a hand. “Ok. If you require any medical treatment, see Anton. He'll take care of you.”

“I’ve got it covered. Thank you.” She picks at her board.

I stand. “Listen, Sammy, I…”

“Bastian?”

I turn and see Caroline in the doorway who has her arms crossed and a heel kicked out. I turn back and Sammy is glancing between us both. I can see in her eyes that she’s putting us together.

I look down on her. “Get back to work.” I say low and sternly.

I spin on my heels and walk out to Caroline, who apparently still hasn’t got the message that I really don’t want to deal with her. But, I accommodated her because for some reason Sammy’s attitude toward me irritated me. I know something went on with her and I kind of felt offended that she wouldn’t tell me what happened.

I shouldn’t, I know. It's just I felt like I was really concerned about her and her safety and I had hoped that she felt it. Apparently, not.

Fine. She says she has it covered, I won’t get in the way.

I'll just make a few calls.