Three

CHAPTER 3

I arrived at the clinic very early in the morning, hoping that being busy could distract my mind from last night's strange dream. The shadow of the golden-eyed wolf still haunted my thoughts, and I wasn't sure whether it was real or just a hallucination from the stress of moving.

Dr. Hayes was already there, preparing equipment for a small surgery on a cat. He glanced at me with a worried look.

"You look like you didn't sleep well," he commented while handing me a cup of coffee. "Bad dreams?"

"Something like that," I replied while gratefully accepting the coffee. "Maybe I need time to adapt to a new place."

Before Dr. Hayes could respond, the familiar sound of a pickup truck engine was heard from outside. My heart immediately beat faster—I had memorized that engine sound since yesterday.

"Kael's coming this early?" I muttered, trying to sound casual even though my stomach was already fluttering.

Dr. Hayes smiled thinly. "He said he wanted to check on Thunder again. Though I think Thunder has completely recovered."

The clinic door opened, and Kael entered carrying two coffee cups and a fragrant paper bag. He wore black jeans and a dark blue flannel shirt, which made his gray eyes even more striking. His black hair was slightly messy, as if he had just woken up, but somehow, that made him look even more attractive.

"Good morning," he greeted, his deep voice immediately making my entire body tremble. His gray eyes immediately sought mine, and when they met, I felt again the same electric sensation as yesterday.

"Morning," I replied, trying to sound normal even though my heart was beating like a drum.

Kael approached the counter where I was standing and placed one of the coffee cups in front of me. "I thought you needed better coffee than what Dr. Hayes usually makes."

"Hey!" Dr. Hayes protested with mock offense. "My coffee isn't that bad."

Kael smiled—the first smile I had seen from him, and my God, that smile could make my knees weak. "Sorry, Doc. But this is coffee from Moonbean Café. They have the best barista in town."

I lifted the cup and inhaled its aroma. Coffee with a mixture of vanilla and cinnamon—exactly like what I liked. "How did you know I like coffee like this?"

Something glinted in his gray eyes. "Lucky guess."

But I felt it wasn't just a guess. There was something in the way he looked at me as if he knew more about me than he should.

Kael opened the paper bag and took out the still-warm pastry. "And this is a cinnamon roll from the same bakery. I thought you hadn't had breakfast yet."

My stomach rumbled right at that moment, and I felt my face redden. "Thank you. You didn't have to go to the trouble."

"No problem," he replied, his voice softer. "Besides, I really did want to check on Thunder. He looked a bit lame this morning."

Dr. Hayes looked at both of us with a knowing smile. "Alright, you two check on Thunder. I'll handle Mrs. Peterson and her cat."

We went outside to the trailer where Thunder was waiting. This morning, the black horse looked much calmer, though his eyes were still wary when he saw me.

"Hi, boy," I greeted gently while extending my hand. Like yesterday, Thunder immediately calmed down when I touched him. "How are you feeling today?"

I examined his leg, which had been injured yesterday. The wound had dried well, with no signs of infection. But what confused me was that when I touched Thunder, I could feel something strange—as if there was another presence around us, something strong and protective.

"He's healed," I said while stepping back. "There's no problem with his leg."

Kael looked at me with an intense gaze. "Are you sure? This morning he seemed uncomfortable."

"Maybe he was just sensing your restlessness," I replied without thinking, then immediately regretted my words. How could I know Kael was restless?

But Kael didn't look surprised. Instead, he stepped closer until I could smell his intoxicating masculine scent—a mixture of wood, mint, and something wild.

"You can feel that?" he asked softly, his voice almost like a whisper.

The distance between us was only a few inches. I could see the golden flecks in his gray eyes and could feel the warmth of his body. His breath touched my face, and I could barely think clearly.

"I... I don't know," I answered honestly. "Sometimes I can feel things I can't explain."

Kael raised his hand as if wanting to touch my face, but then stopped it in the air. "Aria..."

The way he said my name made my entire body tremble. There was something in his voice—longing, possession, and something deeper that I couldn't identify.

"Yes?" I whispered.

"Want to see my ranch? I mean, the real ranch. Not just trailers and horses."

My heart beat even faster. The rational part of my brain screamed that this was too fast; I had only met him yesterday. But another part of me—the more primitive and instinctive part—screamed to say yes.

"I... I'm working," I replied hesitantly.

"Dr. Hayes won't mind," Kael said confidently. "Besides, this could be considered a professional visit. I have many animals on the ranch that might need to be examined."

Before I could answer, Dr. Hayes came out of the clinic. "Aria, why don't you go with Kael to his ranch? Today isn't too busy, and you need to get familiar with the surrounding area."

I looked at Dr. Hayes suspiciously. "Were you eavesdropping on our conversation?"

He smiled innocently. "Small clinic, thin walls. Besides, Nightshade Ranch is one of our biggest clients. You should be familiar with the place."

I glanced at Kael, who was looking at me with hopeful eyes. There was something in his eyes that made me unable to refuse.

"Alright," I finally said. "But just for a little while."

The smile that appeared on Kael's face could light up the entire town. "Of course. Just for a little while."

But from the way he said it, I felt that "a little while" would be longer than I imagined.