His Mortal Bride

♱Chapter 27♱

Raven's P•O•V

Alec and I walked down the hall closely, my shoulder occasionally brushing against his bicep.

In my mind, the lack of distance between us was riveting. I had grown quite a liking to being near him. Although, I'd admit that his presence had engrossed me yet many times before. Even when him and I weren't as quote-on-quote intimate as we had now become.

I let Alec guide me through the castle, recognizing it as the way I went to go find Alec in the stables a couple weeks ago.

The door leading to the outside was opened by a guard. I realized that he hadn't been there the time I had gone out before. Seeing him there briefly reminded me that times were different now that DeMalo was missing. Seemingly, the events that had happened over the past three weeks had sparked a deeper sense of fear into these immortals.

I thanked the guard at the door and he bowed to me respectfully.

With the winter now fading and the snow starting to melt, I could breathe in deeply without feeling the icy chills fill my lungs. I sighed and followed Alec through the courtyard that was now starting to green.

"It's beautiful out today." I stated, trying hard not to get too excited for spring. Alec turned his head while we walked and smiled. He held his hand on the small of my back curtly.

"Just wait until everything starts to bloom." Alec leaned down as he spoke, his eyes bright not with hunger, but with joy.

I smiled and followed him to the end of the courtyard and onto the cobblestone path that lead to the stables.

I could see the fence and stables ahead as we neared. Instead of going up to the fence, Alec took me through the stables where the workers cleaned stables and brushed the horses. They all smiled as Alec and I entered. Some said hello in their thick Romanian accents as we walked through.

I followed Alec to the end of the long line of stables. At the opposite side of the barn was a set of gates leading out into the pasture. Alec unlatched the hefty metal gate and pushed it open.

I looked at him for a second, a little hesitant to enter the territory of these giants.

"Well c'mon!" Alec laughed, pushing the gate open further for me. "They don't bite," he assured me, "much..." He mumbled underneath his breath but looked at me playfully. I rolled my eyes with a soft laugh then followed him into the green grass.

We walked a couple hundred feet before the small herd noticed us. Their heads were held high as they raised from the grass and looked at Alec. I felt my face flush, thinking they may stampede at any moment.

Alec must have noticed my tension. He stepped closer to me and wrapped an arm around my waist gently. I instantly relaxed.

Alec whistled and I expected them all to come running. All of them stayed still. Alec stood waiting until I heard a loud neigh come from inside the group of horses. I looked and saw the horse I knew to be Alec's favorite. The large Friesian looked around the herd until he saw Alec from a distance. Behind him followed a mere white shadow of him. And I gasped at the sight.

The Friesian ran to Alec and I. Next to him was his polar opposite; a white Shire female. They approached us steadily. Alec instantly greeted his horse while the Shire bent down to sniff me. I stood still and let her do so until she bent down and held her head on my shoulder.