Chapter Twenty Three: How he adores her

Elara stirred, a soft sigh escaping her lips. The warmth that had enveloped her was slowly dissipating, replaced by a cool air that kissed her skin. Her eyes fluttered open, and the first thing she saw was Kaelen. His gaze was fixed on her, intense and unwavering, like a lifeline he couldn't afford to break. She could see a flicker of something akin to fear in his eyes, a primal worry that she might vanish like a dream.

"Kaelen?" she mumbled, her voice still thick with sleep.

A relieved smile touched his lips, chasing away the shadows in his eyes. "You're awake. I was beginning to worry you'd decided to make your dream your new home."

She chuckled softly, pushing herself up to sit on the bed. Kaelen was instantly there, his hands gentle as he helped her sit upright. He retrieved a plush, floral-embroidered robe from a nearby hook and carefully draped it around her shoulders. But the robe didn't stay on for long.

With a tender look in his eyes, he help her get off the bed and up on her feet before he peeled the robe off, revealing the exquisite dress he had waiting for her. It was a delicate creation of flowing silk, the color of twilight with tiny silver threads woven through the fabric. Delicate lace adorned the neckline, and the sleeves billowed like flower petals.

"Oh, Kaelen," she breathed, her voice filled with awe.

He held it out, and she slipped into it. The silk felt like water against her skin, cool and soothing. He watched her expectantly, a silent invitation to see its full effect.

Elara obliged, twirling in a slow circle. The skirt swirled around her legs, the silver threads catching the light. She giggled, a sound that always made his heart soar. "It's beautiful! Where do you even find dresses like these?"

Kaelen stepped closer, his hand reaching out to brush a stray strand of hair from her face. "For you, my love, I would scour the ends of the earth. Your beauty deserves nothing less than the most exquisite offerings." He paused, a playful glint in his eye. "Besides, a woman as breathtaking as you makes a man want to fill her closet with treasures."

Elara blushed, her heart fluttering. Corny, perhaps, but coming from him, the words were intoxicating. "You're impossible," she whispered, shaking her head but unable to suppress the delighted smile playing on her lips.

He took her hand, his thumb tracing circles on her knuckles. "And you, Elara, make me feel... welcomed home. As though I've been searching for you my entire life, and you, my beautiful light, just opened the door."

She was lost in his eyes, the depths of their green pulling her in. He didn't just say the words; he meant them. It radiated from him, a tangible warmth that settled over her like a comforting blanket. And in her head, her thoughts had become a poem about his eyes; "Emerald pools, serene and deep,

Drawing me in, my soul to keep.

Like a forest glade, where love resides,

Your green eyes beckon, my heart abides.

In their quiet depths, I see a home,

A refuge from the world, where I am known.

Their gentle sparkle, like sunlight's ray,

Illuminates the path, leading me to stay.

Midnight emeralds, dark and divine,

Luring me in, with a forbidden sign.

A secret glade, where love dare not roam,

Your green eyes beckon, my heart's illicit home.

In their shadowed depths, I see a sin,

A temptation that beckons, and draws me in.

Their subtle sparkle, like moonlight's gleam,

Illuminates the danger of our forbidden dream."

The reality that embracing this love is forbidden, the thought of returning to Damon's cold, unwelcoming pack house was a sharp contrast to the haven she found here. But duty, both to her unborn children and to her pack, pulled at her. She had promised to return.

Kaelen seemed to sense her shift in mood. He sighed softly and retrieved a small, sleek device from a drawer. It was a phone, gleaming and new.

"This is for you," he said, handing it to her. "Keep it hidden. Very well hidden, Elara. I want you to use it. Call me, text me. I need to know you're safe. I need to hear your voice."

He cupped her face in his hands, his gaze intense. "Promise me you'll use this, Elara. And promise me, if that... if Damon even looks at you the wrong way, you'll tell me. I'll not hesitate to commit murder, you know."

Elara ran a hand down his arm "Kaelen, please don't say that. I will tell you. I promise." She carefully slipped the phone into the small hidden pocket within the dress's lining.

"There's something else," she said hesitantly, a knot forming in her stomach. "Damon mentioned... he wants me to ask you to increase the budget for the project. He said I should use the fact that you 'favor' me to his advantage."

Kaelen's jaw tightened, but his voice remained calm. "He would. Don't worry about it, Elara. I'll give him the requested amount. Even if it needs to come from my personal funds, so be it."

"Thank you, Kaelen. You're too good to me."

He simply smiled, a sad, knowing smile. "I only wish I could be good enough to take you away from all this, Elara."

As he prepared to take her back, Elara held onto his hand, unwilling to let go just yet. She knew the risk she was taking, the dangers involved in their forbidden love. But in his arms, she felt alive, she felt like herself. And that, in itself, was a risk she was willing to take. For now.