Chapter 13
Astrid's POV
The rough bark of the tree dug into my back, but I barely noticed. My whole world was contained within the pages of my drawing book. The pen on the drawing book was the only thing I was focused on.
With it, I could create my own world. And forget about the troubles of this world.
The tree I was seated on was right next to my supposed room. The dilapidated building could be referred to as ruins at this point because that's what it was. Thinking about how everything I had thought was a gift or was the best in my life was now taking a turn made me want to draw. It was an escape and a hobby.
And perhaps that was why I was so lost in my drawing that I didn't hear the approaching footsteps. Not until his scent hit me, anyway. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced – a blend of fresh rain, pine needles, and something else… something wild and untamed. My wolf, stirred restlessly within me, a low, almost purring growl rumbling in my chest.
I snapped my head up, my heart pounding against my ribs. There, at the foot of the tree, stood Kaeleen.
He was even more striking in the sunlight. His dark hair was tousled, as if he had run his hands through it, and his eyes sparkled with amusement. He was dressed casually but he still managed to exude an effortless kind of charm. Why did he look so handsome?
"What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice a little breathless.
"Come down, and I'll tell you." He said to me,
"Tell me now," I countered, crossing my arms.
He shook his head. "Nope. You have to come down first."
I hesitated for a moment, then sighed. He wasn't going to budge. Carefully, I climbed down from the tree, my bare feet finding purchase on the rough bark.
When I reached the ground, I realized how close we were. The space between us felt charged, electric. I had the sudden, overwhelming urge to reach out and run my fingers through his wavy hair, to trace the lines of his jaw, to taste his lips.
I blinked, forcing the thought away. I was still mated to Leon. I was still in love with him. So why was I reacting this way towards Kaeleen? This intense reaction towards him was twice what I had felt towards Leon.
"So?" I asked, trying to ignore the way my heart was racing. "What are you doing here?"
Kaeleen stared at me, his eyes filled with unhidden curiosity. "What were you so engrossed in up there?" he asked, gesturing towards the tree. "I could have been standing here for hours, and you wouldn't have noticed."
I instinctively hid the drawing book behind my back, suddenly reluctant to show him what I was working on. To be honest, I had no idea what I was working on. I just let my hands lead me. And with how interested he seemed, I didn't want to show him especially when my drawing was still mediocre.
"Nothing," I mumbled, avoiding his eyes. "Just…thinking."
He raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Thinking requires you to use a pencil and a drawing book? I've never seen one think with those things."
"Well, now you've seen one." I said to him,
"Astrid, come on. I'm sure we are past the stage where we hide things like this from each other. I know you were drawing something up there." He said to me,
I decided to ignore his last statement. "We are nowhere past the stage where we hide things from each other."
"Hmm, I beg to differ. If you are not past it, I am. Now can I just see what you were working on? Please?" He asked me.
I was still reluctant to show him but then he hit me with the puppy dog eyes and he was excellent at it. Those green irises of his made me give in.
"Fine." I said as I extended the drawing book to him. "Don't judge me, I'm not as talented as Yvonne. I'm still a beginner."
Kaeleen gently took it from me, his fingers brushing against mine, sending a shiver down my spine. He flipped through the pages, his expression softening as he studied the drawings.
He stopped at the latest one, the one I had been working on when he arrived. The lines were still rough, but the eyes already held a spark of life.
"This is…amazing, Astrid," he said, his voice hushed with admiration. "You're incredibly talented."
A blush crept up my neck, warming my cheeks.
"It's not that good." I told him.
Kaeleen gave me a frown. "Not that good? Do you see what I'm seeing?" He asked me but before I could answer he continued. "Well, you can't because if you could you wouldn't be downgrading this masterpiece."
"It's not even complete."
"And it's beautiful already. I know shit about drawing but this..this is awesome. You are so freaking talented. More than that brat, Yvonne."
"Now that's a stretch." I said to him,
I felt warm and fuzzy inside from his praise.
"I now understand your interest in Yvonne last night," he said with a teasing smile. "You were admiring a fellow artist."
I ducked my head, trying to hide my embarrassment. "She's…she's very good," I mumbled.
"So are you," he insisted, reaching out to gently lift my chin. "Don't sell yourself short, Astrid. You have a gift."
"Thank you." I muttered as my gaze went down.
As if waiting for the opportunity to ask, "Why did you leave without saying goodbye?" he asked, his voice suddenly serious. "Did you really think sneaking away was going to stop me from coming after you?"
"I didn't sneak away," I protested weakly, but the look in his eyes made me crack. "Okay, maybe I did a little."
"Why?" he pressed, his gaze intense.
"I didn't want to wake you," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "You looked so peaceful sleeping."
Kaeleen's expression softened, but his eyes still held a hint of steel. "I don't care if I looked peaceful," he said, his voice low and husky. "You should have woken me up."
"But…"
He cut me off, stepping closer, until there was barely an inch between us. "I almost had a heart attack when I woke up and found you gone," he confessed, his voice laced with concern. "I thought something bad had happened to you."
His words hit me with the force of a physical blow. My father hadn't cared when I ran away from home for weeks and even years, but Kaeleen, someone I had just met, someone who had just woken up, cared more about my whereabouts. The realization was both touching and incredibly painful.
Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision. I couldn't understand it. Why was he so concerned about me? Why did he care?
"Astrid?" Kaeleen asked, his voice laced with worry. He reached out to cup my face in his hands, his thumbs gently wiping away the tears that were streaming down my cheeks.
"Hey," he murmured, his voice soft and soothing. "What's wrong? What did I say?"
But before I could speak up, I heard a female voice. "So this is where you were?"