Chapter 10 - Nile

I had everything set up and ready for my date with Violet, but even though I had prepared for it ahead of time, I was still surprised that she agreed to join me. Everything had been tense between us ever since she had joined the pack, and it felt as though there were no guarantees that she would agree to keep spending time with me.

"Where are we going?" Violet asked.

We had been walking for a while, and I hadn't told her what I had in store for her yet. We had nearly reached the edge of town by now. All that was left was to climb up a short hill that would give us a view of the forest.

"It's a surprise," I said. "Don't worry, we're almost there."

As we walked up the hill, Violet surprised me again when she reached out her hand to hold mine. There was no one around, and it warmed my heart to think that maybe the iciness between us was melting at last. I felt her fingers intertwine with my own and relished the closeness we shared. Her palm was warm, and soon I found myself tracing patterns on the back of her soft skin with my thumb.

At the top of the hill was a pagoda, which had been built as a lookout for the pack to monitor the outlying forest. Today, there was no one on duty but us.

"This is so cute," Violet said as we walked up the stairs.

The wooden supports were decorated with fairy lights, and the deck was covered with a comfortable oriental rug. I had brought floor cushions. Between them, a small easel sat on a short table.

At first, Violet was distracted by the view of the forest beyond the city limits, but soon she noticed the art space I had set up for her.

"What's all this?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

"I remember how much you always loved painting, but I haven't seen you do any art since you've been in Pinedale," I explained. "I thought you might like the chance to do some painting. We can stay as long as you like. Tonight, you don't have to worry about taking care of anyone else—it's all about you."

She blushed and immediately walked toward the canvas. Her shoes were discarded as she sat cross-legged on a pillow and pulled the table closer. She rummaged through the box of supplies I had brought, searching for her chosen implements.

I smiled at her enthusiasm and pulled my cushion where I could see her face. I could always look at her painting later, so I wanted to make sure I had a good view of her expressions as she worked. Her heart-shaped face was fixed in a look of intense concentration as she set about her task. I watched as she tilted her head and stared at the empty canvas, seemingly willing the blank space to communicate it's purpose to her.

"Any ideas on what you want to paint?" I asked, leaning back on my hands and stretching out my legs in front of me.

"Only about a dozen," she said. "I'll just have to wait and see what my hands decide to work on first."

She took a wide brush and began to prime the canvas, her strokes deft and sure. I was glad I had asked Walter to gather the supplies for me, because I'd had no idea what I needed to get for her.

"What does that layer do?" I asked.

"The primer makes it less likely that the painting will corrode over time," she explained. "And it also helps make your brush strokes smoother. It can be hard to notice if you don't know what you're looking for, but primed canvases always look better than if you just paint directly onto the surface."

She finished her first step and began to sort through the box of acrylic paints. Every once in a while, she would take a bottle out and squeeze a small amount onto her palette before returning it to the box. Brown, green, black, white, and blue were among the colors that joined her selection.

For the next few hours, I watched her—mostly in silence—as she relaxed into her work. She was excited and eager at first, but now her movements looked more like a ballet. Her hand moved gracefully, delicately placing small portions of paint across her work surface. It was clear to me, even without being able to see the painting, that Violet was a skilled artist. But even more than that, she was happier than I had seen her in a long time. This night was shaping up to be everything I had hoped for and more.

When the sun had nearly set below the horizon, I gathered the courage to ask how her progress was going.

"Would it be okay if I looked at your painting?" I asked.

Violet nodded, a faint smile playing across her lips. "Yes, I think I'm done," she replied.

She set her brush in a water cup, which held the other brushes she'd retired over the course of the night, and turned the easel to face me.

My jaw dropped as I looked at what she had done. "You painted… me?" I asked.

The likeness was shocking, especially because Violet hadn't looked at me once since she began her painting. She didn't need a reference. This painting came entirely from her mind.

It wasn't quite like looking into a mirror, as this version of me was a few years younger and with slightly longer hair than I had now. The background was dark and obscured, but I could see trees and a moon shining through wispy clouds.

"It's what I remember you looking like when we first met," she explained. "The night you and your pack saved me from the rogues."

My stomach did a somersault as I thought back to that day and how very close I came to losing her before I got the chance to love her. Nothing could have prepared me for the lives we would live and the things we would go through before being reunited again.

"I can't believe you were able to paint that," I admitted. "It's amazing, Violet. Truly."

"Thank you," she said, stretching her fingers. "I forgot how strenuous painting can be when you haven't done it in a while."

She leaned forward to stretch her back, and I saw the necklace I had given her at our mating ceremony flash from under the collar of her shirt. I hadn't had the chance to bring it up yet, and now seemed like as good a time as any.

"Can I ask you something?" I wondered.

"Sure, what is it?"

I paused for a moment before asking, "I noticed that you're still wearing the necklace I gave you, but when Penny asked to see it at our wedding, you seemed to be unsure of it. Did I do something wrong by giving it to you?"

She brought her hand to the pendant under her shirt and gave me a sad smile. "No, not necessarily," she said hesitantly.

"Something upset you about it," I pointed out.

She took a deep breath. "I wasn't upset when you gave it to me, but when Penny said that the emerald was the same color as your eyes, it made me realize you had been prepared to give this very personal gift to whichever she-wolf was chosen to be your mate. It was only a coincidence or a twist of fate that resulted in that mate being me."

I didn't respond because there was nothing more to be said.

It was true that I had not known the necklace would be worn by Violet when I had purchased it, and that I had been prepared to give it to my bride no matter who she would be. I was glad that I could give it to Violet, but in her mind, the gift was cheapened by her not being the intended recipient.

Our shared history was both a blessing and a curse. We knew each other better than strangers would have, but we also carried baggage with us from the past. I worried that she would never understand my ability to marry Jana without feeling love for her. Violet might never be fully convinced of my feelings for her because of my past marriage. It was something I would have to think about, if we were going to overcome it.

"Are you ready to go home?" I asked.

I left the supplies and finished painting where they were for now. One of the wolves would be out later to bring them back to the house for me, and I was eager to show Violet the second part of her surprise.

Penny was in bed when we got home. After I paid the babysitter, I asked Violet to come upstairs and check on her with me.

"I promised we'd tell her goodnight when we got home," I informed her.

"Of course," Violet said with a smile.

We walked up to the top floor and opened the door to my daughter's room. She was fast asleep, but Violet and I crept inside and each gave her a kiss on the head. Penny didn't respond, so we closed the door behind us without waking her.

Violet was about to walk back down the stairs when I stopped her with a hand on her arm.

"One second," I said in a whisper. "I have something else I want to show you."

She looked at me in confusion as I turned the handle on the door across from Penny's room. It had been shut since Violet had moved in, and she had never asked what was inside. Up until this morning, it had been purely for storage, but I had taken the day off from work to transform it into something else.

I opened it and turned on the light, revealing an art room filled with everything Violet might need. It had taken three of my wolves and me nearly half the day to move everything into the basement and set up the space for her, but seeing the awe on Violet's face made it worth the effort.

She didn't speak as she walked inside, her hand trailing over the art desk, the shelves full of paint and brushes, the empty canvases, and various other accouterments. For a moment, I worried that I had overstepped her boundaries yet again, but soon my fears dissipated.

"Is this all for me?" she asked.

"You said that you didn't have anything that was just for you, so this room is yours," I told her. "No one will disturb you in here. I even put a little sitting area and coffee maker in the corner so you can come up here to relax without being bothered."

"It's absolutely perfect, Nile. Thank you so much," Violet said. "It feels like home."

"I want this house to feel like your home. I'm sorry if I didn't make that clear before today, but it's true. Political arrangement or not, you are my mate," I said.

Violet grabbed one of my hands and placed the other on my chest while she took a steadying breath before speaking.

"I haven't wanted to think too much about the future," she admitted. "But seeing how you treated me today makes it seem like our future won't be too bad."

Something about the way she had said "our future" stirred a desire within me that was hard to ignore. Her hand was still on my chest, and I wanted nothing more than to pull her closer until our bodies became one flesh.

I cleared my throat, willing myself to back away. It was obvious how badly I wanted her—there was no denying that fact—but the last thing I needed was to mess up the perfect day. I hadn't done any of this in a bid to seduce her, and I didn't want her to get the wrong impression.

"I'll leave you to enjoy your space," I said, taking a step away from her. "It's been a long day, and I should probably get some sleep."

"Goodnight, Nile," she said.

She was still smiling when I left the room. It was all the proof I needed that this gift was far better than the necklace.