Alpha Raven | #1 in the Trueblood Series

Azraiel quickly left his office and started walking towards the medical wing. He quickly ran his hand through his hair.

Shit!!

He didn't want to meet her like this....all stinking of sweat and tired. Both he and his wolf were angry at Theo for doing this to him and yet somehow the fact that he would be spending time with her trumped everything else.

The door to her room was open today. She was standing, her back turned towards him and a nurse was helping her hold the crutched properly. Her aura and smell engulfed him in a soft cocoon, making him relaxed all of a sudden.

He honestly has no idea how these nurses worked in her presence. If it was this overwhelming for Azraiel, then he can't even imagine how it must be for others.

Azraiel waited for the nurse to finish and then knocked on the door. Charlotte turned around at the sound and gave him a confused smile.

Aah...Fuck!

Sure...he is excited to see her but what if she didn't want to see him? She made her plans with Theo after all.

Azraiel clenched his jaw at the image his mind conjured of Theo and Charlotte walking together in the park, smiling at each other, him helping her with those crutches.

He took a moment to calm himself while the nurse just greeted him and left them in silence.

"How are you doing?" Azraiel didn't even ask if he could enter. He has a feeling his brain doesn't work at par when he is around her.

"I am good. Dr. Humphrey said that I can walk with the help of crutches." Charlotte replied with a smile, the happiness of being able to walk again radiating off her face like anything.

"That's really great, Charlotte! This means we can shift you to the cabin soon and start your training." Azrael was happy.

Seeing her happy made him happy....and then he remembered why he was here in the first place.

"Uh...I know Theo offered to take you to the park today. Unfortunately, he got stuck at work. So...Would you mind if I take you there instead of him?" Azrael asked hesitantly. He didn't want her to agree under pressure.

"Sure, I mean you don't have to...I can go another time if you are not free. But I really don't mind going with you." Charlotte surprised him by answering without hesitancy.

"I want to." Azraiel cleared any doubt that might have lingered.

"Um.....Is it okay if I take my crutches instead of the wheelchair? I...I just want to walk a bit more."Charlotte asked shyly.

"Of course, you can take your crutches. Do you need any help?" He asked while walking towards her.

"No...Just help me if I start falling. Okay?"

Always, Charlotte.

Always.

*********

Do you remember that odd feeling of butterflies fluttering around in your stomach? The one that we get when we are around someone we like or admire? Or the one we experience when we are nervous about something? Well, Charlotte was experiencing a similar sensation and it was not just in her stomach. The worst of it was that she has no idea why she was feeling like this.

Her mind was flashing a certain someone's name in bright neon colours and Charlotte was hell-bent on ignoring her inner voice. She absolutely ignored the name even when the said person was walking by her side.

Fuck!

He is so close...I can smell him....ugh....How the hell does he smells so good at this time of the day?

Oh God, Why did she even agree to this?

Oh Yes! Because she didn't want him to think that she didn't want to go with him. It would have been rude to say no when he clearly could have canceled the whole plan and gone home instead of coming to her. Besides, she was really hoping to see him today. But now, as she was walking beside him, her body refused to cooperate. She was very well aware of her thumping heart and the sweat trickling down her neck. She was nervous and she refused to acknowledge why.

Nope.... It's really not what you think it is!!!

Sureeee.... Her inner voice drawled out.

"I was hoping that you'd see your home before Saturday. You can see if you need anything else there...and maybe we can arrange it before you move in?" Azraiel broke the silence.

"Uh...Sure. Just let me know when.....and Alpha...Thanks... for everything." She replied quietly, being reminded just how much this man has done for her in such a short span of time.

"It's Azraiel..please. And you can stop thanking me. You are my responsibility till you are on my land. And also...we can visit the home now...if you'd like?"

"Oh..okay.I don't mind." She really didn't mind. It would distract her mind from him. She started following him quietly...well as quietly as she could with her crutches.

They walked out of the park and continued walking towards the back of the medical wing. After a while, Azraiel took a turn and walk some more and Charlotte was surprised to see a house tucked between tall looming trees.

As they walked closer to the house, she realized that the trees weren't cleared to build the house but were rather planted all around it.

When they reached the house, Charlotte was blown away by its beauty. It was everything she imagined him to be living in. It was elevated on a platform, towering over them with its two floors all in its glory. The facade has blocks of glasses, which she assumed were see-through from one side. It has more than one section, she could see them hidden behind the trees. The patio in front of the house was decorated with chairs and potted plants.

Charlotte has no idea why but this place gave her a fuzzy feeling. The good kind of fuzzy feeling.

"This is my house." Charlotte turned towards him just now realizing their proximity.

"It's..It's beautiful Azraiel." She breathed out. You are beautiful.

It was getting dark and the only light there was from the street light in front of his house.

Somehow, the harshness on his face has reduced. He looked even more handsome right now...and...God...the way he was looking at her right now was forcing her to acknowledge some of the emotions she has been ignoring lately.

"Thank You!" There....there it was...that fucking smile....not showing teeth ....not even curving the lips fully upside...but smiling with his eyes.

He took a step forward and said, "Your house is behind my house. For safety reasons, you are to stay on my property.

This is really the end of the residential land of the Blue Orchid Pack. You'll be safe here."

He started walking towards the left side of the house.

"Be careful!" Charlotte followed him quietly, nervous yet excited by the news that she would live on his property.

She watched in silent gratitude as he cleared all the branches stones for her to walk. They walked along the side of his house and once they reached the backside...she was once again blown away.

Azraiel had a large personal property and he did use it wisely....and beautifully...

She could see a lot of plants..flowers and she smelled....lavenders?

As they walked closer and closer....she realized it was in fact a labyrinth made with plants and trees...and beyond the labyrinth, she could see the outline of a small cottage.

They walked in silence until they reached the opening of the labyrinth.

He turned towards her and said," This labyrinth separates your house from mine. Only a few people know that there is another house on my property and since no one can reach your house without crossing my house, you'll be safe here. No one enters here without my permission anyway. We are going to tell everyone that you are living with me and my sister in our house,"

Wait..what?

Sister?

Charlotte wanted to say that he never told her about this part but before she could open her mouth, Azraiel started walking again. He entered the labyrinth from the opening and turned towards the right. After walking on the path for a minute, he stopped. She peeked from behind his back to see why. Well...It was a dead end. There was nothing but bushes in front of them.

Charlotte looked up at Azraiel to find him already looking at her. Their eyes stayed locked on each other for a few seconds and then he abruptly broke the eye contact.

"Uh....People who don't know the correct path will turn away from here but this is actually the only way to reach your house from this labyrinth." Seeing her confused expression, he continued.

"See.....here!" He gently dragged his palm over the bushes in front of him in a circle.

To Charlotte's utter surprise, the bushes started parting from the middle. She turned towards Azraiel with her mouth hung open.

He just shrugged with a lopsided smile.

Ugh....that handsome devil...

He stepped onto the now clear path and motioned her to follow him.

Charlotte started walking after him, her whole body tingling with excitement.

Magic.....It has to be magic!!

They walked for a minute and there it was. Her new home.

This one was made entirely of wood. It wasn't a multi-story but it gave Charlotte some pretty good vibes.

Azraiel glanced at her before opening the door and then unlocked the door and stepped inside. The living room lit up as soon as he switched the lights on.

Oh, God!! It's perfect!

The small living room was decorated with a wooden sofa set and a matching coffee table. There was a simple lamp in one corner and a medium-sized Areca palm planted in a white ceramic pot. White curtains added beauty to her new home. Charlotte turned in a circle...well as much as she could, to take in the details of her room. From the books under the coffee table to the wind chime hanging on the window; from the dense smell of lavenders to the faint woodsy smell of the forest.

"Come on..I'll show you your room."

Charlotte almost forgot he was here.

Just at the end of the living room, there was a door on the left and the on the right side was the kitchen.

Azraiel pushed open the door and stepped aside for her to enter. The bedroom was small but had everything she needed.

A bed was pushed against the larger wall. It looked...neither like a standard single bed nor like a double bed...It was...something in between...Custom made? On one side of the bed was a small table with a small clock on it. It had shelves beneath the top. On the other side was a small lamp.

On the sidewall hung a rectangle mirror big enough to see her whole body accompanied by a makeshift dressing table.

The best part of her room was the third wall which was made of sliding glass doors.

She walked towards the doors and slid them open.

The view was breathtaking. In front of her were trees...trees ....and trees...after a small cleared section for her home. The light cold breeze brought the fresh smell of forest with it. It....It oddly reminded her of him. She turned around and met his eyes. "This...this is beautiful....Thank you so much...Azraiel." Charlotte's eyes watered up a bit as she finished her sentence.Ugh...no...she didn't want to cry but this is so overwhelming.

"You're Welcome. Come...take a look at the kitchen."

Charlotte nodded and closed the door behind her. She couldn't help but smile at the thoughtfulness.

The kitchen was small but it had everything she needed. Right from a microwave to an induction. From a refrigerator to all the crockery. She was sure that the groceries were stocked and there were a few things here that she might never need.

He really did a great job.

Once she was done looking around, she came out of the kitchen...her kitchen and found him leaning against the wall in the living room. He looked so out of place here...his body looking too big in this small space...and yet...it looked perfect to her.

He straightened as soon as he sensed her.

"Do..do you like it? Do you need anything else here?" He asked hesitantly.

"I love it, Azraiel. I can't wait to move in here." Charlotte felt her lips stretching into a big smile. Once again her heart started beating faster and she finally for the first time admitted it to herself.

I am crushing on him...Aren't I?