Helanie:
"What are you thinking about? Don’t worry, I’m not going to abduct you away from your friends," he said with an awkward smile.
The word abduction hit too close to ho, and my body visibly shuddered before I quickly nodded to mask my discomfort.
"What is this about?" I asked, my voice steadier than I felt. He narrowed his eyes slightly, studying , almost as if he were judging my reaction.
"Follow ," he said softly. He didn’t move, though, waiting for a response from .
I hesitated, my thoughts swirling with uncertainty. Should I follow him? A part of wanted to refuse, but my heart whispered that I should hear him out.
"Oh... okay," I replied, giving in without much resistance this ti. He had done so much for that I felt comfortable following him.
He began walking ahead of , and I stole a quick glance at the hostel to make sure no one was watching us walk away together.
That’s when I almost tripped from not paying attention to the road. I stumbled straight into Kaye’s back, grabbing onto his coat to stop myself from falling. His strong and srizing cologne hit my nostrils like a truck full of bricks. It was so sudden and out of the blue, but his scent had a sense of calmness to it.
He turned swiftly, his hands reaching out to steady , but I had already pulled my hands away.
"Did you ask anyone at the hostel about ? Kaye! What if they find it weird that—" I started, my words rushed and anxious. I didn’t want any more complications, so I was trying to be cautious. But sohow, my concern soured his mood.
"Forget the hostel, and screw what they think. If they bother you about this, let know. I’ll show them what privilege can do," he snapped, his tone harsh as his jaw clenched tightly.
That’s when I realized sothing was wrong. Why had he co out of nowhere to talk to ? What could be so important that he couldn’t wait for to be at the academy?
"I’m not angry with you, I would never use a harsh tone with you," he quickly added when my silence lingered too long. A forced smile crossed his face as he tried to soften his tone.
"What do you want to talk about?" I asked again, taking a step back.
"It’s... uh... just co with ," he said, avoiding a proper explanation. Without waiting for my response, he began walking toward his car.
I followed him quietly. When we reached the car, he opened the back door for , and I slipped in without a word. He got into the driver’s seat and started the engine.
"I’m guessing you skipped breakfast," he said after a mont, adjusting the rearview mirror to glance at my expression.
"I wasn’t really hungry," I replied honestly. I hadn’t had much of an appetite since finding out about the pregnancy.
"You need to take care of yourself. And if you can’t—then I will. And I’m not taking no for an answer," he said firmly, his tone leaving no room for debate.
The sudden shift in his mood caught off guard. His open concern and determination to care for were... unexpected. Even his words were more open to show emotions and feelings.
"You’ve already done enough, Kaye," I said, my voice softer now. I hadn’t forgotten all the ways he had helped .
"That was nothing. You have no idea how I could turn your life into a fairytale," he said playfully, though sothing about it felt odd.
The Kaye I knew was kind, yes, but he rarely showed any emotions. He usually kept a calm, almost distant deanor. But today, he seed cheerful—almost overly so.
It felt strange, and I wasn’t sure how to respond.
"What’s going on? And where are we going?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of .
"We have this... um, project," Kaye started. "There’s an abandoned pack we’re preparing for comrcial use by rogues. We’re planning to develop malls, playgrounds, parks, and even cafés. In fact, one rogue has already signed up to start a café there. I think it’ll be a good way to offer rogue mbership and keep them safe from wild rogues. Anyone working on the land will be given privileges and protection under the law."
I nodded as he carefully explained the plan. "That sounds amazing," I said sincerely.
"So, I wanted you to try the café with ," he added, a smile appearing as he glanced at through the rearview mirror.
"Why ?" I asked, skepticism creeping into my voice. I’d learned to be cautious about random acts of kindness.
"Helanie, I... need to talk to you about sothing too. Let’s get to the café first," he replied. Yet again, his deanor shifted whenever he brought up the reason behind his visit to in such early hours.
"I don’t do well with the anxiety of suspense," I murmured, hoping he’d understand that dragging it out wasn’t helping.
He suddenly pulled the car to a stop in the middle of an empty road, letting out a sigh as he rested his hands on the steering wheel.
"Okay," he said, "but you need to eat sothing first. I want you to feel your best—and right now, you seem... down."
He reached into the dashboard and pulled out an energy bar. Then, without warning, he stepped out of the car and opened the back door for .
"Here," he said, handing the bar.
While I finished eating, he walked around the car, keeping his distance but clearly waiting for to join him. Finally, I stepped out of the car, determined to press him for answers.
"Tell now," I insisted, crossing my arms over my stomach.
He stood in front of , tall and determined, the faint morning light filtering through the clouds and framing him from behind. His broad shoulders make him look even hotter.
Then, in the softest tone, he said, "We are mates."
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