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ancestor granted my line a gift should this contract come to pass," he replied.
    "A gift?" I repeated.
    Ethan slowly inched his way toward me. His shadow stretched out and engulfed me as I sat in the chair. "Yes. The gift was revealed in a letter passed down through my family. There is only one difficulty in obtaining the gift. You must give it to me freely," he told me.
    I stood and scurried to the opposite side of the table. I was keenly aware of the shut door at my back. "What is it I must give you?" I asked him.
    "A kiss."

Chapter 6
     
    I stared at him as though he were mad. "A kiss? What reason would I have to kiss a human?" I argued.
    "I am your betrothed," he reminded me.
    I straightened and scowled at him. "You are not. I have no betrothed," I countered.
    "Hasn't your father offered your hand to someone? You hesitated to discuss choosing your own betrothed when I asked you of it," he pointed out.
    "That is none of your concern! Let me out and I will be sure never to see you again." I spun on my heels and marched quickly to the door. To my relief his footsteps didn't follow and I reached the door without harassment. I lay my hand on the handle and froze when a howl filled the air. The wolves were come back.
    "You cannot leave," Ethan told me from his place on the other side of the table.
    I turned and glared at him. "Why not?" I challenged him.
    "The woods demand that the pact be kept. The contract was signed beneath these ancient trees, and they never forget a promise," he replied.
    A thought came to my mind and I narrowed my eyes at the human. "Are you causing this witchery?" I accused him.
    He furrowed his brow. "Witchery? I am causing nothing," he insisted.
    "Of course you are causing all of this." My hand slid from the handle and the howling ceased. I felt my point was proven by the silence and marched over to stand before him. I wouldn't be intimidated by a human. "You led me to your grove this morning to encourage an infatuation with you, but when you found you could not succeed with your looks you would succeed with your wiles. You created these wolves to attack my mother and all of us at our picnic, and-"
    "That's enough," he interrupted. His stern voice and unwavering eyes caused me to cower before him. He was human, but this human had confidence. "I led you nowhere, nor do I know anything of a picnic. I met you earlier by the will of the forest, and even now it wills you to remain here. It has even called forth the shadows of the wolves my ancestor destroyed to keep you here and ensure the pact signed beneath its branches is kept. Your father certainly doesn't have any intention of keeping the promise." He looked me over and his face softened. "Would you break the oath and join your father in his disgrace?" he asked me.
    "I am not a part of this oath," I argued.
    "You were not a part of its making, but you are a part of its fulfillment. As such, you have an obligation to keep your family's oath," he pointed out.
    I stepped back and pondered this deal. "The oath can be fulfilled in two ways, can it not? I can accept your offer of marriage, or you can refuse to marry me, correct?"
    "Yes," he agreed.
    I straightened and looked him in the eye. "Then I demand that you refuse to marry me." He laughed. The human laughed in my face. "What is so funny?" I growled.
    "I never imagined a woman would be so willing to flee from a marriage," he chuckled.
    "An intolerable marriage to a human," I reminded him.
    He silenced his humor. "Now we are back on the subject. I ask for a kiss to show you that your prejudice against me is misplaced," he insisted.
    "And I ask to be released from this contract and to leave," I countered.
    He shrugged and seated himself in the chair. "Then we are at an impasse. I will not budge on marrying you, you will not budge on not marrying me, and the woods will not budge until the contract is fulfilled one way or another."
    I plopped myself in my own chair and scowled at him across the table. My