MINE

Chapter 8- The Question She Asked

VIELLA'S POV

The soft smell of scented candles and vanilla wafted through the air, the moment I unlocked my door.

Kaelan stood directly behind me, close enough for me to feel the heat of his skin.

“How are your injuries?” I asked, pressing my lips together in concern as he launched on my bed.

I dropped my keys on my key stand, and walked to the mini kitchen just directly beside my bedroom.

I lived in a studio apartment, so there was no special place for my bedroom or living room. I had no living room, to say truthfully.

A large open area for my bed, and a spot for a coffee table, and my swinging chair, just by the window.

The kitchen was demarcated by a layout, that place the space in kind of a separate nook.

“Need tea?”

“No. Just sleep”

I nodded, as I started the pot. I came to stand in front of a now shirtless Kaelan.

His body still had the bandages from last night but it seemed as though the wounds had reopened.

The whisting of the kettle made me stroll back into the kitchen and turn off the stove. “I'll treat your wound before my tea”

I took the first aid box from the kitchen single cabinet, and walked towards him. Slowly, I removed the bloodied bandages, and my eye caught something.

“Why–”

I looked up to him, but his eyes were no longer brown. The golden eyes I met at the party were brightly shinning in front of me.

I stumbled back on my feet, as I felt my blood freeze, but my hands and body trembling.

“Your eyes…why are they–”

I let out a startled scream as I heard a knock on my door. I turned to look at Kaelan, as he hurriedly wore his shirt but had a pained expression on his face.

I motioned my legs to move, but my eyes caught the already healing wound on his left side abdomen.

“What are you?”

“Viella?!”

I turned to the door as my mother's voice called me from the other side of it, and looked back at Kaelan who was already on his feet.

“We're talking about that, later” I said, pointing to his stomach and walked to the door. I welcomed my mom into the room, and shut the door behind me.

“What are you doing here, mother?”

“Viella, your father is concerned” She started, as she glanced at Kaelan, and sat on a seat by my coffee table.

“Concerned of what, mother?” I asked her, sitting on my swinging chair. Kaelan still stood in the room but said no word.

“Jalyc saw you with some dangerous people on campus”

She gave a look to Kaelen, and I knew immediately that she didn't want him here. She didn't trust him just yet, I assumed.

“Mother, you remember Kaelan, right? He's a friend of mine” I reintroduced both of them, although knowing fully well my mother's inner desire to be left alone with me.

“I've met him before, honey. Hi, Kaelan” She nodded in acknowledgement to which Kaelen smiled, and nodded back.

“Uh, Vi, can I talk to you? Just a moment?” We both walked to the kitchen, where I suddenly remembered my hot kettle that had held now cold water.

“I told you, later”

“I know…uhm, maybe I can come back when she's gone. We'll talk this night”

He came closer to me. His body heat breathed life unto my skin, and I felt the hairs on my hand rise. He stared into my eyes, and I noticed his eyes had gone back to its normal bright brown color.

I opened my mouth to speak but I couldn't. It felt as though his presence held me at chokehold.

“I…I will. Uh, yes” I gulped heavily, as I felt something in me gravitating towards him. “Yes, we can talk after she leaves”

A small smile played on his lips, as he glanced back at my mom who contemptly looked at us, especially at him.

“I'll see you, Viella” He motioned to move, but I held his arm, making him halt in his tracks.

“How…how will I– How will you know when to come back?”

He turned to me and faced me squarely, a cocky smile on his lips. “I'll know. Just wait for me when she leaves”

I stared at him, as he released my hold on him and walked away. I stood there, lips open and breathless.

I pressed my lips together, as I furrowed my eyebrows in utmost confusion, and attraction.

“You like him? You just broke up with Jalyc less than two weeks ago” I rolled my eyes as my mother's judgemental tone brought me out of my Kaelan haze.

“What do you want to talk about, mother? It's getting late”

My mind started drifting off to seeing him again. Since the first night he came to my house and I saw vulnerable, hurt…I had a drawing to him.

Like I felt a force pulling me close to him.

“You chasing me out, now?” I sighed, as I came to sit in front of her. “Anyways, your father is hearing word that you're running with the enemies”

I c****d my eyebrows, as I leaned forward. “Enemies? You mean the people you call beasts? I see not one in my vicinity. Do you, mother?”

A scowl rested on her face, as I demonstrated around my room with my hand.

“Jalyc saw you with them. He noticed a few from his nights out with your father and the rest of the chiefs, hunting. I don't think Jalyc would lie about such things, Viella”

I groaned, and closed my eyes, as I felt heat rush through my veins. Not heat of attraction, but heat of frustration.

“Mother, you trust the guy so much. And for the record, the same guy that you trust immensely, betrayed your daughter's trust. Can't you see that?!”

I rose to my feet, as I was too heated to seat down.

My mother scoffed as she looked at me like I had grown a second head.

“Viella, he still loves you. He made a mistake, and I'm sure as hell, that you can move past that one incident. Can you not?”

I gasped, as I looked up to my ceiling, fighting back tears. “When will you ever trust me, mother? I'm your daughter for crying out loud. Your only daughter”

She got to her feet, her face in great indifference. “Stay away from the bad company that Jalyc was talking about. You're getting I and your father worried”

She gave me a look over, and walked out without another word.

I looked at my closed door, as the silence engulfed me. I fell to my knees, as the tears I was holding in, fell freely.

I heard my door opening, and I looked up with a stuffy nose and tear-stained cheeks.

Kaelan stood right at my doorstep, holding a bag of takeouts. “Brought snacks”

I laughed, as I rose to my feet and ran to him, pulling him into an embrace.

I cried for sometime, as he slowly stroke my hair. I closed my eyes, freely drowning in the sound of his heartbeat.

“Let's sit and you can tell me all about it”

I nodded my head, as I peered up at him, and pressed my lips together.

“First of…tell me what you are!”