Chapter 37 A crack in the Ice 2

Chapter 37: Chapter 37 A crack in the Ice 2

Talia’s POV

His eyes were soft, just a little. I had seen that look before, on the night he touched my chin, and on the morning he brought me hot chocolate.

It was not kindness, not exactly. It was something deeper. Something he did not want me to see, but I saw it anyway.

Then he stepped back, and cold air rushed in between us as I shivered.

"Go back to your room," he said. "It is not safe here."

I froze. "Not safe from what?"

He did not answer. He just turned and walked away.

I stood there, frozen, watching him go.

He walked toward the hallway as his footsteps echoed on the stone floor and he did not look back.

I pressed myself against the wall, with my heart still pounding, and my face still burning.

He had seen me, spoken to me, said my name, and then he had walked away. Maybe tonight, he would come back to the room.

I took a deep breath and turned to look at the training ground door once more.

Jax stood there smiling brightly, and as our eyes met, he waved and went back in.

I waved back and my face burned from being caught again.

I pushed off the wall quickly, and started walking back toward my room. My legs were shaking, and my hands were trembling, but I kept my head down and my eyes on the floor.

I turned the corner, and there he was.

Kaelen was standing at the end of the hallway with his back to me. But he was not moving.

I stopped walking.

He turned his head just enough to look at me over his shoulder.

His gray eyes met mine and for a moment, neither of us moved.

Then he turned away and disappeared around the corner.

I stood there frozen again, staring at the empty hallway. My heart was still pounding, and my face was still burning.

I wondered what was wrong with him, or if I had done anything to make him hate me all of a sudden. But I could not think of anything.

"You are still here, Luna," a voice called.

I spun around, and saw Jax leaning against the wall behind me, with his arms crossed. He was not smiling, but his eyes were bright and amused.

"I was not expecting him to be here," I said.

Jax shrugged. "Neither was I." He pushed off the wall and walked toward me. "I think he’s just confused for a bit. So please give him some time."

He stopped in front of me and tilted his head.

"Kaelen never goes too close to a woman. So I think there must be something about you, aside from you being his mate," Jax said.

Then he walked away, still shaking his head like he was confused.

I stood there for a long moment, staring at the place where he had been.

I walked back to my room in a daze. The hallways were empty, the torches flickered, and the shadows danced on the walls as my footsteps echoed in the silence.

I opened the door and stepped inside.

The fire had been lit, and the room was warm. A tray of food sat on the desk, carrying the same bread, soup, and a cup of water.

I sat down and ate, as the bread was still fresh, and the soup was warm. I ate it all and pushed the tray aside.

Then I washed my face and changed into my nightgown, before I climbed into bed and lay in the dark, staring at the ceiling.

I waited for the door to open, and I listened for his footsteps in the hallway.

But there was nothing.

I had thought that since I ran into him during the day, he might come back tonight. But the hours passed, the fire burned low, and the room grew cold. And still he did not come back.

I lay there, staring at the ceiling, thinking about his gray eyes and the way he had said my name.

TALIA.

I touched my lips. He had not kissed me, and he had not touched me. But the way he had looked at me felt almost like a touch.

I closed my eyes and tried to push the thought away, but it would not leave.

I did not understand what I was feeling.

It was not fear. It was something warmer. Something that made my chest ache and my hands want to reach for him.

I had felt this way once before, even though it was a long time ago, when my mother tucked me into bed and kissed my forehead. That was love.

’Was this love too?’ I did not know.

I did not know why he had come to find me, if he would not come back tonight, and I did not know why he had let me watch him.

He could have sent me away. He could have ignored me, and he could have pretended I was not there. But he did not. He looked at me, spoke to me, and he stood close enough to touch. And then he walked away, twice.

I did not understand him at all, and I wanted to.

But I knew that things were changing fast, and I did not know if I was ready for it.

I closed my eyes and waited for sleep. But it did not come.

I turned on my side and faced the door. The wood was dark, the handle was still, and no sound came from the hallway. Just silence that was heavy and cold.

I whispered into the dark. "Where are you?" No one answered. Just the fire crackling, just my heart beating, and just me, alone again.