" eyes meet, and then look away "
___

The castle is magnificent, outstandingly beautiful as it is built tall and proud encased with vines around the brick walls. That was only the outside that took my breath away - then there was the inside.

One couldn't help but gasp in awe, my feet flying ahead of the King by themselves as I take in the grand entrance. Gold was the primary colour so it seemed, it ran swiftly through the pallets and white stoned architecture. The setting sun flying through the arched top to bottom windows making everything glow.

My feet swivel around, my eyes trying to take in the magnificent high top roofs, the spiral staircases that split into twos and held balconies above leading to different sections of the castle.

"Ever since I first saw this castle I always imagined what would be within," my voice resonates around the the room, my eyes catching onto guards - no warriors of the Royalty Pack, they were called - who I had missed in my spur of wonderment.

They stare at me with bemused eyes, I just give them a beaming smile before glancing over to Alpha King Nolan who's eyes meet mine in question. "You've been here before?"

"Not inside." I walk back towards him, still taking in everything around me. "A few years ago, when Sarah moved into the pack I came to help her out. She was quite nervous," I smile recalling the event, "we drove past here and I remember wondering what it would be like inside."

"Right here the whole time," He says so lowly I barely make out his words. He blinks back at me, shaking his head. "Tell me, does it fit to your imagination?"

He sounds nervous for my answer.

"Even more." I breathe out, smiling.

"Care for a personal tour?" His eyes twinkle with happiness, holding out an arm once again.

I relish in it, curving my arm around and tucking myself in beside him, I almost - almost - find myself curling into him completely wondering how I fit so perfectly. "Please."

I'm not aware of time as he gives me the grand estate tour within the castles, it flies by as we both talk - well, he talks and I do the questioning - both of us slowly walking around as he explains to me the routes, passages, the wings of the castle and how all hallways lead back to the entrance if I were ever to be lost.

It was amazing.

The paintings, the decor, the atmosphere that held power and sophistication.

"I'm sorry for all the questions, your highness." I say, after he's done explaining the history behind the throne and how everything came to be.

"I told you Cassandra, you can ask me anything."

"Just Cassie," I murmur shying away from his intense gaze and instead turning to run a hand across another painting.

"Cassie. Then I insist on being called Nolan."

"Nolan." I repeat, testing the name on my tongue as the words fly out of my mouth before I can put them straight back in. "This painting is beautiful."

"My mother painted that one."

"She was a painter?" I ask in awe, still eyeing the beautiful piece.

"Majority of the work you see around this side of the castle was my mother's doing."

I hum, titling my head a little to stare at it further. "She's much better than me that's for sure."

"You paint?" There's a tone in his voice that I can't comprehend.

I shrug, sending a little smile over my shoulder to him before turning away. "A little here and there."

That was a lie.

"You're being humble." He comments.

I turn to look at him in surprise. "How did you- right werewolf."

I laugh lightly waving my comment away, I don't miss the way his lips curl up as the brown of his iris' glint golden in his stare. "I guess you could say I'm a painter, it really is a stretch though I just sell pieces on the side."

"Come. I want to show you something then."

Again I take his arm as he leads me out this room and further down the hallway.

"It's quiet around here."

He nods. "During the day everyone is out doing their jobs so it's quiet, the palace becomes more lively at night when everyone returns."

"That makes sense. Is it a simple nine to five shift like the human world or are shifts different here?"

"We have the day shift and night shifts where it's an on and off roster similarly to the human world I suppose. However, everyone in the castle takes a break for dinner as the cooks all create a feast."

"Everyone gathers together and eats?"

"Breakfast starts at six until nine, lunch is twelve through to three and dinner is six until eight."

"Like a buffet."

"Precisely."

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" I giggle, watching his expression in interest as he shakes his head in disbelief.

"Your fascination fascinates me." Nolan admits, head titling to the side examining me like a puzzle he can't quite understand.

"I've always held a fascination for this world, I suppose. Sarah gets annoyed at all my questions and the amount of books I read don't quite describe it the way you do and Delta Andrew says half the time they're false." I explain, tucking a piece of blonde hair behind my ear. "I just like the way everything is structured, maybe, I'm actually not sure."

"I think I know why." He says but before I can ask what he means he's pulling open a door and leading me in.

My breath hitches at the sight of the roof to floor windows that take up the whole room leaving the vast wilderness of the the land before us on display. "Wow."

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

"That's one way to describe it." I murmur, stepping forward in awe and leaving Nolan behind to glance out the window.

The forest trees in the distance outline the horizon, deep green but that's not what captures your attention. It's the garden below, the mass of flowers and kindly kept bed gardens of trees, bushes and shrubs down below that follow a path stone ridge up a hill.

Nolan behind is shuffling around behind me but I'm not paying attention. "As much as the view is beautiful, that's not why I brought you here. Turn around, love."

When I do my eyes widen. Having being to captivated I failed to notice the painting gear surrounding us. There were blank canvases set on easels, paint brushes, tin cans and other gears neatly placed all around - a white spreadsheet had covered it all as if it hadn't been touched in years.

There was one canvas that stood out to me the most, where Nolan stood beside it watching my reaction. I walk on over to the canvas, it was half complete not even that but even without the completion you knew what it was of.

"Is that the castle?"

"My mother's greatest commitment. She has a lot of finished paintings of the castle but she always said there's something missing and would scrap it and start over again." I can feel Nolan beside me, hard chest pressed to my shoulder as he stands halfway behind me.

I try to ignore the thundering of my heart and startled breathe. "She never finished it?"

"No." He steps away, I can here the sadness in his tone and I turn to give him a comforting smile. "Perhaps, you can."

"Me?" I gape.

He chuckles it's a toe-curling sound that lasts for a only a split second before it passes. I wanted to hear more of it as I look away bashfully at his gaze. "Yes, this rooms yours to do whatever you please."

"I couldn't possibly, your highness."

"Nolan." He corrects. "It hasn't been used since her passing, I've kept everything up to date but I'm not artistic in the slightest."

"That's probably not true."

"Trust me, it is."

There's a hidden joke there I'm not aware of.

"I can't possibly-"

"Cassie," He sounds almost exasperated and I take note of how he runs a hand through his mused brown curls, "please, love. No use has come out of this room until now."

Love, it turns me into a puddle mess and wonder if he's aware of it.

"Well, alright." I finally breathe out taking another spin of the room and looking deeper. "I don't know if I can touch your mother's unfinished work though."

"It's up to you but I believe she would have wanted someone to finish it."

"Maybe some time soon." I yawn out, suddenly feelings the days activities deep into my tired body.

Nolan's eyes soften. "Come. I'll show you to your room."

My room turns out not to be far, I know we're in the Upper West Wing - the Royalty Wing where the Royalty resides such as the Alpha King, the Royal Beta and what was once the Royal Delta Andrew who had moved once finding his mate (a.k.a Sarah).

The room is gorgeous as we enter the chamber that's large enough to be an apartment itself.

I startle with a small squeak. "Oh, hello."

Nolan follows close behind me, almost immediately at my side before relaxing upon seeing the maid.

"Your majesty." The woman bows, her head dipping downwards. "Apologies in startling you madam."

"Oh no worries at all, just didn't expect anyone to be in the room."

"I was just packing away your belongings, they're in the closet your majesty."

Your majesty? Why was she calling me your majesty? Oh wait, she was talking to Nolan, you know, the King behind you Cassandra? I think sarcastically to myself.

Then I realise she'd unpacked for me and I brighten up, beaming at her. "Thank you so much, I appreciate you doing that. Goodness knows how much I hate unpacking, what was your name?"

The maid steps back almost in surprise at me talking to her and shock. Her eyes flicker to behind me then back to me as if disbelieving. "Uh, um, Penny madam."

I step forward towards the woman and hold out my hand in greeting, "Well I'm Cassandra. It's nice to meet you, Penny."

Penny shakes my hand enthusiastically, beaming with pride as she does so. "It's an honour, Miss."

"Just Cassie." I correct, "again thank you for unpacking."

"No, thank you. Please, if you need anything do call." Then she's bowing again, "your majesty." Then flittering our the room with a happy pep in her step.

"She was nice." I comment offhandedly, making my way to the closet and opening just to be sure everything was there because it was like that for me. "You said Penny was head of the maidens ward, didn't you?"

There's no answer.

"Your majesty?" I look on over to see him dazed and staring in the distance. "Nolan?" I speak again, this time his name that rolls off my tongue.

"What? I mean- pardon?" Nolan clears his throat, head snapping to me but still rather dazed.

"Are you okay?"

"Penny is the head of the maids, we've had her around since she was a teenager."

"She's nice."

"Sure." He distantly says.

"Nolan, are you okay?" I quietly ask, approaching him and laying out a hand to rest on his shoulder. Again he doesn't answer, eyes drifting to where I had placed my hand then back to me. "Are you okay?" I repeat much more concerned.

He blinks a few times and clears his throat again.

Then he smiles, a genuine happy smile that takes my breath away and almost knocks me off his feet. His eyes crinkle upwards, and two dimples prominent in his cheeks as he looks at me.

Then he speaks softly, "never been better."

I was in awe, just staring at him almost forgetting all of my concern from before. Rendered speechless until I'm left blinking up at him.

"I'll leave you to rest, Cassandra." He steps away allowing my hand to fall back to my side.

"It's Cassie." I whisper out.

He's already gone.

I blink a few more times before shaking my head in disbelief to the Alpha King Nolan who was no one I had ever quite imagined.

"Weird."

That night after falling peacefully asleep I'm woken up by a deep howl that was easily miles away but it echos throughout the whole of the castle - prominent and powerful.

Two seconds later there's a rumble of howls that follow after it as a response.

My mouth curves up in a smile unconsciously.

___

"Hey." I greet, out of breath from the major work it took to get ready this morning as I bounced around pulling up my jeans. Andrew stood in the doorway, well, he leant amusedly in the doorway watching me. "What are you doing here?"

"Sarah threatened me that if I don't take you to breakfast this morning and show you around I wouldn't be able to see my daughter."

I snort out a laugh. "She's already using that threat, huh?"

He groans. "Cassie, she has used so many threats already it's hard to keep track at this stage."

I laugh even louder. "Come on. Take me to breakfast, Delta Andrew."

He leads me down the hallway and still a little bit awed with the place I loiter behind him. "So, do those howls at night happen every night like clockwork or a specific time?"

"No. Not at all. It happens when a joyous announcement is made and everyone is able to reply no matter where they reside." Andrew answers, big bulky statue taking up half the hallway - I'd noticed that with the Royals, they all were humongous with their tall frames and bulky arms.

"So the first howl was the Alpha King?"

"Yes."

"What was the announcement?" I curiously ask.

His footsteps hurry up and he turns around a corner, "come on Cassie we're going to miss breakfast."

"I'm coming. I'm coming." I murmur to myself, rolling my eyes and hurrying my footsteps. "You're just eager to get back to your mate."

A few more turns and steps, I finally manage to catch up to his fast paced footsteps and fall next to him. "You know you don't have to stick around, you can go back to Sarah. I'll walk over to hospital once- woah."

The dining area was huge.

A long mahogany table stretched along the room, a good forty chairs or so placed around it. To the left hand side there was another table filled with a buffet fit for, well, a King. To the side of the buffet was two swinging doors, where butlers and maids trickled in and out with plates of food and drinks.

"This is amazing." I appease, following Andrew further into the room.

There were a few people sitting about, plates in front of them as they ate their chosen breakfast. Their heads immediately snap over to us and I give them a kind smile in greeting.

To which they bow their heads with smiles of there own, I assume it's towards Delta Andrew who pays them no mind and makes a beeline for the buffet.

"What would you like?" He asks, picking up a plate from the side going to serve me.

"I would like to serve myself, Andrew." I reply, chuckling and shaking my head. "Pass me the plate, please." He does so with a roll of his eyes. "And grab your own food."

"I'm not hungry."

"Eat otherwise we won't leave until you do." I order, passing him a plate also. "You know how much breakfast means to me."

"Well, at least you know how to order people around." He murmurs to himself but I hear and in retaliation I playfully nudge him.

"What's your poison of choice?" He asks, starting to pile his own plate with an array of fruits.

"Are those crepes?" I gasp out, already bee-lining straight towards them, "this is heaven on a buffet table."

I can hear him laughing. "You and your pancakes."

"Crepes, Andrew. I haven't had these in a while and they're my favourite."

"You don't make them?"

"I can't, every time I try they either turn out too thick or runny and it's disastrous." I shake my head.

When we finally dig in a have to hold back a moan as my eyes widen in delight. "This is so good." Andrew is laughing at my excitement still. "Do you think I can ask the chef how they make them?"

"There's three main chefs, Julia is the breakfast chef who has her own team and I'm sure she'll be delighted to teach you."

"Brilliant, can you introduce us?"

"After we eat I can."

We do eat, and I appreciate every bite even going back for a second serve. Then, once we're done a maid takes our dishes after we thank her, Andrew then leads me through the swinging doors and instantly I'm in awe once again.

Okay, grand rooms were beginning to be expected at this stage but still the kitchen looked straight out of a magazine with chef's whirling around prepping and cooking.

An elder woman flies by but halts, a wooden spoon in hand and a bowl curled in her arms as she stirs. She travels back towards us in confusion, "Delta Andrew."

"Hey, Julia. I have a fan here." He nods behind him and she becomes even more confused.

Then I realise he's covering me up and she can't even see me behind his giant figure, so I step around him with a smile at the elder lady. "Hi, I'm Cassandra. You must be the head chef?"

She gapes, in bafflement as she stares at me. "Uh yes, madam that's me. I'm Julia, the, uh, head chef miss."

Then she does something between a bow and a curtesy like she's not entirely sure what to do and quite flustered.

"Just Cassie, please. I wanted to say how delicious the buffet was this morning- all of it was. You've all done a marvellous job."

Julia seemed as if she'd never been complimented on her cooking in her life which I found hard to believe. She looks almost humble as she says, "thank you, Madam. That means an awful lot."

"Well it is true." I appreciate, still smiling kindly. "Although, I had a favourite and it was those crepes you made."

"She ate them like it was her lifeline." Andrew speaks from beside me, and I roll my eyes nudging him.

"I really loved them." I agree, "like a lot."

Julia laughs then, her eyes crinkle upwards as the wrinkles around them emphasise stating her wise age. "I do appreciate that, dear. They're quite easy to make."

"No they're not!" I blurt out, startling like half the kitchen in the process and even Andrew barks out a laugh at my sudden declaration. "Which is why I'm here to be honest, I was wondering if you could teach me your ways."

"My ways?"

"Please," I plead, "I will beg, Julia."

"She will." Andrew quips.

Julia just looks amused and still flustered at all the attention. "I suppose-"

"Yes!" I clap excitedly, "thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Julia. Honestly, I've been wanting to learn for a while. When do you want me to come around tomorrow morning?"

"We start prep at five," she frowns, "we could do it some time during the day instead."

"Nonsense." I wave my hand brushing aside her worry. "I'll be here."

"It's too early."

"It's fine, I promise. I wouldn't want to put you out of your way or anything besides I'm normally up with the sun anyway."

"She is." Andrew again quips.

He was like my mascot.

She still looks wary. "Are you sure?"

"Five it is!" I announce, "come on, Andrew we have to run before she changes her mind on me. I'll see you tomorrow Julia, bye! Also thank you all for a delicious breakfast."

Then I'm dragging Andrew back out the door, smiling widely and leaving behind a confused kitchen.

Andrew was still chuckling as I dragged him along, shaking his head all the way out the castle.

"What? What's so funny?" I finally ask, confused.

"Nothing, Cassie. This Pack just has no idea what's hit them."

His statement only confuses me more.

___

"Oh the castle is beautiful, Sarah. The breakfast was