Chapter 134 The decision 1

Chapter 134: Chapter 134 The decision 1

Talia’s POV

The next morning, I woke before Kaelen.

I lay still in his arms, watching his face in the pale light that filtered through the window. He looked younger when he slept, and he looked less like an Alpha, and more like a man. The lines on his forehead were smooth, and his jaw was relaxed, and his breathing was slow and even.

Then I remembered that I had three days to decide what to do about the charm.

The weight of it pressed down on my chest, heavy and cold. I touched the silver chain around my neck, and the metal was cool against my fingers, but the charm itself was warm, and almost hot. Like it knew something was coming.

Kaelen stirred beside me. His arm tightened around my waist, and his gray eyes opened, soft in the morning light. He looked at me for a moment, and his lips curved into something almost like a smile.

"You are awake early," he said. His voice was rough with sleep.

"I could not sleep," I said.

"I told you that we would work this out together. So do not overthink it, and just tell me what you want to do when you are ready. Okay?" he said.

I just nodded.

He kissed my forehead, then climbed out of bed and walked to the bathroom. I heard the water run, as I lay there, staring at the ceiling, and listening to the sounds of him moving around in the bathroom.

When he came out, his hair was damp and his jaw was smooth. He dressed quickly, pulling on a black shirt and dark pants. His movements were efficient and practiced. Just like he had done this a thousand times.

Then he stopped.

His eyes lost focus for a moment, but he was not looking at me. He was looking at something I could not see.

Then I realized that he was mind-linking.

His jaw tightened, and his hands clenched into fists at his sides. I watched his face change, as the softness faded, and the hardness returned.

When his eyes cleared, he looked at me.

"Cain just mind-linked me," he said. "There is an urgent development at the border. So I need to go."

My heart skipped. "Is it an attack?"

"I do not know yet. But if there was, then he would have told me." He walked to the bed and sat on the edge. His hand cupped my cheek, and his thumb brushed across my skin. "Stay here. I will be back as soon as I can."

Then he kissed my forehead again, stood up, and walked to the door. He did not look back.

The door closed behind him, and I was alone.

I lay in bed for a long time after he left, just lost in thought.

The room was quiet. The fire crackled in the hearth, the shadows danced on the walls, and I could hear the wind outside the window, soft and distant.

I touched the charm around my neck again. The silver chain was cool, and the charm was still warm.

I had three days to decide on what to do about the glamour charm, and to know if I was able to even shift. Because I had honestly never shifted in my life.

I climbed out of bed and walked to the bathroom. The water was warm when I stepped into the shower, and I stood under the spray for a long time, letting it wash away the last traces of sleep. The steam filled the room, and the heat seeped into my muscles, loosening the knots that had formed in my shoulders.

But it did not loosen the knot in my chest.

I dried myself and dressed in jeans and a soft grey top. The fabric was comfortable and easy to move in, and I did not want to wear anything that would add to my stressed heart today. I just wanted to be comfortable.

A knock came at the door.

"Luna," a servant called. "I have brought your breakfast."

I opened the door, and the servant carried the tray to the desk. Then she bowed and left, as the door closed behind her.

In the tray, there was a bowl of oatmeal topped with fresh berries, a slice of buttered bread, and a cup of hot tea. The smell made my stomach growl, but I did not feel hungry.

I sat down and ate anyway. The oatmeal was warm, and the bread was soft. But the food tasted like nothing in my mouth, and my stomach was full of nerves, and every bite felt like swallowing stones.

When the tray was empty, I pushed it aside and stood up. I really needed to think, and make a decision between lying and losing Kaelen, or telling the truth about the glamour charm, and passing the third trial.

I could not stay in the room any longer, because my head was starting to hurt and the walls felt like they were closing in on me.

So I walked out the door, into the hallway, and finally stopped at the library, hoping that if I read a book, it would distract me for a while.