Page 49 of Free for Adventure
She was in heat.
Chapter Eight
Amby was at the dock at dawn, and an unfamiliar boat pulled up. An alpha who was beautiful and golden moved to moor his vessel. “Ambermarle?”
“Yes.”
“I am here to take you to the butterfly island. The Daring Company is closed for the day. Come on board.”
“Oh. Well, thank you.” She handed up her equipment to him and climbed on board.
“No problem. I live nearby.”
She watched him unravel the line he had just fastened, and he moved around the boat as they drifted free of the dock. He settled behind the wheel, and they were off.
She moved near him and sat on a very nice padded seat. “Thank you again for this. Do you know what happened to the charter company?”
He smiled. “Their mate is in heat, so they are rather busy.”
“So, one mate for the whole company?”
“There are only three of them.” He grinned.
“Oh. Right. What is your name?”
“Exeter. The butterfly island is owned and run by my twin. Exoval.”
“Oh. Twins?”
“Fraternal. You’ll see.”
Clear of the port, he accelerated toward an island that was still shrouded in the mists of early morning. The boat bounced on the waves, and she kept her phone pointed at her island destination.
It was a half hour on the water before he glided in against the dock. He tied up and said, “Exoval is at the top of the hill. Enjoy the hike.”
Amby nodded. “Should I call you when we are done?”
“Exoval will get me. I live on the next island over. It will only take ten minutes or the time from the butterfly sanctuary to the bottom of the path.”
She nodded and put her pack on one shoulder. “I will see you later.”
He chuckled and nodded then cast off and carefully backed his boat up before turning and heading toward the island he had identified as his home.
Amby hiked up the path, saw a few butterflies that were familiar to her, and smiled as they landed on her shoulders and hair. She recorded them as they got thicker, and then, there was an archway and gate across the path. The gate was locked, so she looked around for a bell or alert or something.
A small bell was sitting next to the gate on a plinth. A butterfly had settled on the bell, and she carefully moved to avoid disturbing the blue and crimson insect. The bell chimed softly. A person approached her, and to her surprise, it wasn’t an alpha. The man with golden hair, tanned skin, and vivid blue eyes was smiling at her. “Good morning.”
She smiled in greeting. “Good morning. I’m Amby.”
“Exoval. You are here for a walk in the gardens?”
“Yes, please. I will be recording with my phone if that is okay?”
“Sure. Did you want to set up a stationary camera for the central gardens?”
“May I? I brought a tripod and everything.”
He gestured, and the white shirt that he wore fluttered with the motion. His clothing appeared to be made of a dense cotton gauze, and it caught the breezes. She was wearing one of the outfits Ahheel had chosen and some comfortable sandals.