Chapter 75 Kaelen offers help 2

Chapter 75: Chapter 75 Kaelen offers help 2

Talia’s POV

I closed my eyes tight and braced myself to crash, but I did not hit the floor, because Kaelen caught me.

For a second, I thought I was dreaming.

His arms were strong around me, his chest was warm, and I could feel his breath on my forehead. I had never been held like that before, not by anyone, ever. I wanted to stay there in his arms, away from everything. Just for a moment, and just a little longer.

His arms wrapped around my waist tighter, and he pulled me against his chest. His body was warm and solid, and I could feel his heart beating through his shirt.

I opened my eyes and looked up at him. His gray eyes were locked on mine, and his face was only inches away.

Neither of us spoke or moved.

The heat between us was intense, and I could not look away. His hand was pressed against my back, and his fingers were spread wide, holding me steady.

In that moment, the world outside the study disappeared. In my head, there was no trial, no Stoneclaw Pack, and no pressure. Just me and him and the space between us that seemed to shrink with every breath I took.

His chest rose and fell against mine, and his heart was beating fast too. I could feel it, steady and strong, pounding against my ribs.

I wondered if he could feel mine.

His fingers tightened on my waist, and for a moment, I thought he might kiss me. Truthfully, I wanted him to.

But he did not.

He just held me there, frozen in time, with his gray eyes burning into mine.

My heart was pounding so hard I thought he could hear it.

Then he set me down gently, and his hands lingered on my waist for a moment before he let go.

"The ladder is old," he said. "You should have asked for help."

I could not speak, and my face was burning hot.

He reached up and pulled the book from the shelf, then he handed it to me.

Our fingers brushed when I took the book from his hands, and a spark of heat shot up my arm. I pulled back quickly, but he did not move. He just stood there, watching me with those unreadable gray eyes.

"You should be more careful," he said.

"I will," I answered, but my voice came out breathless.

He stepped back, and the space between us returned. I missed his warmth immediately, but I held the book tightly to my chest and tried to calm my racing heart.

’What is happening to me?’ I thought, as I tried to calm my racing heart with slow, deep breaths.

"Thank you for keeping me safe," I whispered finally.

He nodded.

The walls between us cracked further in that moment.

I saw a different side of him that was softer, and more human.

He was not the Alpha who commanded armies, or the cold Alpha who kept everyone at a distance. He was not the warrior who fought three wolves at once either. He was just a man, sitting in a chair, teaching me about negotiation, bringing me tea, and catching me when I fell.

He was still Kaelen, but he was also something else.

I wondered if anyone else had seen this side of him, or if I was the first. The thought made my chest ache.

We spent hours together in his study.

He taught me about negotiation tactics, about reading body language, and about finding common ground with an enemy. He showed me how to listen for what people were not saying, how to use silence as a tool, and how to make the other side feel heard without giving away too much.

I learned quickly, because he was patient with me, and he kept explaining things I did not understand without making me feel stupid.

"You are a fast learner," he said at one point.

"That’s because I had a good teacher," I answered.

His lips curled into something almost like a smile, but he quickly brushed it off.

Soon we took a break, then he stepped out of the study for a while. When he came back, he brought me tea. The cup was warm in my hands, and the steam rose in the cold air.

"Thank you. But why are you helping me?" I asked, looking at him.

He was quiet for a moment, and his gray eyes moved across my face.

"Because I want you to succeed," he said.

My heart pounded, and I nodded slowly, because I did not know what to say.

He did not look away. "We should keep practicing," he said.

I nodded again.

Then we continued until the sun set. The light faded from the windows, and the fire burned low, but I did not want to stop, and Kaelen did not either.

The fire had died to embers, the room was dark except for the moonlight coming through the window, and the faint candlelight.

I raised my head, and looked at Kaelen, only to see that he was watching me. Not assessing, and not calculating, just watching, like I was something worth looking at.

I held his gaze. And for once, I did not look away.

Neither did he.