Awakening (Kiss of the Jaguar Series Book 1) Read Online Free Page B

walk.
     
    When her mother pulled into the paved drive and Alesha got her first look at the house, she gasped with her mouth wide open. The place had the appearance of a plantation mansion. White walls with black shutters and huge white pillars. Stone steps leading up to the front door which looked like it was made out of thick glass. The house was three stories high and was massive. Now how in the hell did two people need this much space?
     
    “Are you sure we’re at the right place?” Alesha asked as her mother stopped in front of the door.
     
    A guy dressed in a butler’s uniform with white gloves came out from the house, down the steps and right up to the driver’s door, opening it.
     
    “Come on,” Ashley smiled at her.
     
    Alesha and her mother followed the butler into the house. The great doors swung wide onto a foyer inlaid with white marble. Two grand staircases curved up opposite walls and met with a balcony on the second floor.
     
    “I feel a bit underdressed,” Alesha mumbled to her mother.
     
    Walking behind him, he led Alesha and her mother down the hall, then the butler stopped and pushed open the sliding doors on his right to a large front room. Stepping back, he motioned for the two of them to go inside.
     
    “Alpha Devanta will be with you in a moment,” The butler said before giving a short nod and then he turned and was gone.
     
    “This is something out of a damn book!” Alesha chuckled. “Look at this place.”
     
    “I’m glad you like it.” Alesha jumped and turned, as did her mother. Standing in another doorway, dressed in a very formal suit was an older man. His dark eyes seemed somehow familiar. “Ashley Sulwen. It’s been a very long time.”
     
    Her mother brightened up. “Noah.”
     
    Alesha stayed put, keeping an eye on her mother as she went to the older man and embraced him as if they were old friends. When they pulled back, she went to his side. “My daughter, Alesha.”
     
    The man extended his hand out and came over to Alesha. “A pleasure to meet you.”
     
    A bit hesitant, Alesha took his hand and shook it.
     
    “My son will be here shortly. He had to tend to something with one of the packs,” he said to Ashley.
     
    Turning his full attention back to Alesha he seemed to study her. “She has her father’s eyes.” The statement had Alesha instantly going on guard. “Come, have a seat.”
     
    Alesha took a seat with her mother on the white sofa across from Noah. He didn’t stop smiling, and had Alesha feeling a bit like she was on display.
     
    “So, how do you like our little village?” Noah asked Alesha.
     
    Alesha first looked to her mother who only gave her a slight nod. “I think it’s going to take some getting used to.”
     
    “I’m sure it is,” Noah said. “How old are you, if you don’t mind me asking. My old mind sometimes forgets things like that.”
     
    “I’ll be twenty in a month.”
     
    “Yes, that’s right. Your mother was pregnant with you when she left. I can see she’s done a fine job with you.”
     
    “So did my father,” Alesha didn’t miss the slight twitch of his eye when she mentioned her father.
     
    “Yes, I’m sure he did.” A servant came in with a glass of wine for each of them. He served Noah first then her mother before going to her. She took a glass and watched as the servant went back to Noah and said something low. “Thank you,” he said to the servant. “My son has returned and is cleaning up now.”
     
    “I can’t get over the changes you’ve made to the place,” Ashley said.
     
    “You were here before?” Alesha asked her mother.
     
    “When I was a little girl,” mother said. “The families had a rule that all males came before the Five first before they went out to pick a female. I came with Garek to the meeting for one of the lower families.”
     
    “Yes, the place had a dull feeling to it. Took me a few years to redo everything and brighten it up.” He took a drink,