Chapter 5 - Diana
Although my eyes were closed, I saw Kaleem. I could see his grey eyes and the way the muscles in his left cheek clenched whenever he was contemplating something.
Last night when we’d come face to face after several years, seeing him had shocked my system. Old emotions I buried long ago resurfaced to mix with my hatred for him, which only made me angrier. It was odd looking at a man that had once felt like a part of me.
Colin was cruel to have asked me to do this, but that wasn’t surprising on his part. What was surprising was that I’d been able to keep it together last night—for the most part.
I’d wanted so much to punch Kaleem in the face.
The first thing he’d said to me after all these years was that he was prepared to kill my pack. In extension that meant me too. Forever the devoted alpha, and as perplexing as that was because I knew firsthand he’d put his pack over me, it was still admirable because Colin would never.
I growled.
Every good thing about Kaleem made me want to rip him to shreds because it was hard to genuinely hate him. Understanding him made it hard for me to hate him, and I wanted to hate him. It would make things so much easier.
He’d looked taller than when I’d last seen him, or perhaps my memory had changed over the years. He was as massive as ever, though, and being near him showed me just how much smaller I was or have become.
His scent… smelling his scent was like the first day I’d met him. It wasn’t something I had to recall or question like everything else. I just knew it, like I knew myself.
Around me, the wind whistled through the trees like a gentle whisper, and I took a deep breath. Strands of my hair blew across my face to tickle my skin, and I could feel the sunlight on me, beaming down from above.
Being back in Wolfcreek was a feeling I couldn’t describe. My soul was connected to this place, and it knew I was home.
My wolf was silent, not asleep but at peace, and I released my breath through my mouth.
The sound of a car approaching forced me to open my eyes, which stung a little with how bright the world around me was. But I didn’t care. All I could smell was clean air and nourished earth, but that was soon overtaken by Kaleem’s scent.
I walked out into the road, and the car approaching skidded to a halt.
With my hands in the pockets of my jacket, I stared at Kaleem through the truck’s windshield before walking to the passenger’s side and getting in.
He drove off without saying a word, and I sat in silence.
If I spoke, I’d lose it, I told myself. So keeping quiet was best. Many things were unsaid between us, but now wasn’t the right time.
His scent alone had woken my wolf, who was now whimpering for him. No matter my rage, my wolf always chose to yearn for Kaleem. It made me sick because my wolf and body weren’t on the same page with my heart and mind.
No, my heart wasn’t on the same page either because it was trying to throw itself from my chest to reach the man beside me.
If I reached out a little, I’d touch Kaleem without even needing to straighten my arms. I’d feel him like I had so long ago.
I could see him white-knuckling the steering wheel in my peripheral vision, and I turned to look out the window. I wasn’t sure if his reaction to me was anger, discomfort, or both together, but I was glad he wasn’t as unaffected as his blank face said.
The silence only kept getting louder with the radio off, and I opted to watch the trees go by. We’d gone on drives like this in the past, so I knew exactly where he was taking us—away from everyone.
After a few minutes, we turned off the main road onto a path through the forest that, to others, wouldn’t look like a car would fit.
I held on while the truck dipped and shook until it stopped, and I got out before Kaleem. I didn’t wait for him. I walked ahead, knowing the way by heart, although we’d only come here a few times.
With Kaleem walking behind me, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end because I could feel his eyes on me. Still, neither of us spoke until we came to a clearing with a fountain at its center. We’d found this place during one of our runs together, but the fountain had been broken and toppled over.
Later, Kaleem surprised me by restoring it, and this became our hideaway.
Without meaning to, I smiled when I saw that it was still in good condition and a bird that had been drinking from the water flew away.
“I still come here,” Kaleem said while walking around the fountain to the other side. “Everyday.”
My jaws clenched. “Will you meet with him?”