Slipping on Kaleb's clothes was every bit as perfect as Kaia had imagined it. She wasn't sure what bliss felt like, but this must have been pretty close to it. The sweater smelled so strongly of Kaleb it was like he'd just taken it off and wrapped her in it to keep her warm on a cold day. It was soft. She felt snug in it, so perfectly comfortable. She didn't want to question why it made her feel so safe.

She'd almost forgotten about her injuries the moment she felt his dark clothes against her skin. Honestly, they'd healed strangely quickly. Rosy had mentioned something about lycanthrope-related ability to heal, something about saliva and science jargon...but Kaia did not want to go down that road. 

Kaleb's clothes were too big. That wasn't a surprise, though, considering how tall and muscled he was. They were huge on Kaia, the dark pants significantly too long and the shirt and sweater falling far past the tips of her fingers. She didn't mind, though. It kept her hands warm.

And besides, it wasn't like she could walk around the building wearing her hospital gown. That'd be ten times as embarrassing as wearing clothes a bit too big for her. Kaia sighed and looked at herself in the mirror; she'd realized that there was a bathroom connected to the room she'd been staying in and taken advantage of it to make her appearance somewhat more bearable.

She hated the thought that Kaleb had seen her with her hair so disheveled. But he hadn't seemed to care when she'd touched him and felt what he'd felt. That was something else that she wasn't sure she wanted to question, but couldn't help it. Why was it that she could feel what others did, see their memories? Was that normal around lycanthrope? She wanted to believe that but was worried that it was just one more thing that made her unusual. Or, just maybe, it had to do with her being human yet still somehow mated to Kaleb?

Mated to Kaleb...wow. She was a bit weirded out by the thought but still didn't know what it meant. It felt bizarre. Why was her whole world suddenly flipped upside down and turned inside out?

Once she'd asked one question, though, she'd opened the gate a crack. The pressure of the million other questions she had was enough to force it open the rest of the way.

What did it mean to be Kaleb's mate? Did it matter that she was human? Or didn't it? How could she break a rib and be fine the next morning? How did this whole lycanthropy thing work? What was the Pack like? Would she survive that pressure of being introduced to them all? And what about her dad? About Cole? Were they worried about where she was and if she was ok?

Kaia watched as the line between her eyebrows got deeper with each question she asked herself. She pressed her fingers to it, making it disappear. All Kaia could do was focus on what was happening. So she brushed her hair and her teeth with what she could only assume Rosy had brought her and splashed some cold water on her face.

Face it, Kaia. Your world is insane now. Accept that fact and move on.

So she did. And she eased open the door to her room. She peered out into the hallway, which was lengthy and adorned with impressive abstract art. Doors lined the walls in between the paintings. A long red carpet ran along the entire length of it like a velvety tongue, and crystal chandeliers hung overhead. Fancy. 

"Kaia."

She jumped sky high, her heart beating. "Jesus!"

"Name's Lionel. Hurt that you forgot me, though," he said, smiling and leaning forward.

Kaia placed a hand flat against her chest as she defended herself, "I didn't forget, you just scared me."

Lionel winked, "I know. Also, you don't need to call me Lionel. My friends call me Lion." He started down the hallway, but Kaia just stared after him.

"Is that what we are?" Kaia asked.

He turned around and looked back at her, "If not now, we will be." He shrugged, "Don't overthink it."

Kaia let out a sigh of a laugh, "Don't overthink it? Not my strong suit, Lion."

Lionel smiled and gestured down the hallway with a tilt of his head, "Come on. Pack's waiting."

Kaia took a deep breath and followed him, pulling Kaleb's clothes close around her and burying her nose in them for comfort. It was probably creepy, but she didn't quite care. Lionel must have noticed her nervousness, because he added, "Kaleb's also waiting. He can answer any questions you have now that you're up and about."

And suddenly Kaia felt calmer, like Kaleb's name was a cure-all for nerves. Kaia sighed. She was in deep, wasn't she? "How come he didn't come get me?"

"Ah, I see," Lionel said immediately, "You'd rather your mate came to get you. I'm wounded." His voice didn't sound wounded, though. It was more like he was amused at the awkwardness of the situation he'd just put Kaia in.

Lionel had been right. Kaia did want it to be Kaleb walking with her now. She had a feeling that she would always want that. But she didn't want to say that, not directly to Lionel's face. If they were to be friends, she couldn't just say, "Yeah, you're right. I'd rather be with Kaleb. Could you just...I don't know...go now? Thanks."

So, instead, she said, "No, I'm just wondering why...is all."

"You mean, why didn't my mate come to fetch me? Aren't I supposed to be the love of his life? Shouldn't he be the one to escort me?"

Kaia looked up at him to realize that he was making fun of her. She grumbled and crossed her arms over her chest. Lionel laughed and shook his head, "Honestly, Kaia, I'm pretty sure he just doesn't know how to handle you right now."

Kaia's shoulders slumped. Great. "But..." Lionel added, "That doesn't mean that you're not his one true love."

Kaia felt her cheeks warm up and she clapped her hands to them. "That's embarrassing."

Lionel shrugged as they turned a corner together and went through a big polished wooden door. "It's true, though. It's normal for a lycanthrope, not embarrassing; we've grown up expecting to find our mate and know instantly that they're the one. The whole 'love' thing is easier for us, I suppose. Having a mate is like dancing on rainbows and falling asleep on fluffy clouds. At least, that's what I'm guessing."

Kaia looked up at him, surprised, "You don't have a mate?"

Lionel smiled down at her, his voice sobering a bit, "No, I have a mate. Somewhere out there."

Kaia grinned and looked at her bare feet as she walked, "Well, I'm sure she's lovely, wherever she is."

Lionel chuckled, "Kaleb's lucky he's got such a sweet girl."

Kaia was about to respond, but Lionel quickly pushed another big door open, this one even bigger than the last. It swung open with a creak, and what she saw on the other side stole her words before they could pass her lips.

Kaleb was standing in the middle of a circular room. It looked like an office of some sort, with bookshelves lining the walls and a large, ornate desk in the middle of the room. There was a ladder on one side of the study which would bring its user to a balcony, where they could examine the books on the second level, far above Kaia's head.

Kaia took a deep breath, hugging herself. Kaleb turned to her, leaning against the desk. "Um..." Kaia started, unsure of what to say. Kaleb wore somewhat formal clothing now, a far cry from what he'd been wearing last she saw him; the new look seemed out of place on him, like he was a teenager being forced to dress up for an event. He was wearing a simple blue collared shirt, buttons loosened at the top, and regular black slacks.

Kaia watched as he rolled his sleeves up to his elbows. She was getting used to the urge to run to him, to get close to him; but Kaia held herself back. "...Hi," she managed. Awkward. Lionel let out half a laugh before stifling it, trying to pass it off as a cough. Kaia smacked his arm, "Shut up, jerk."

Lionel shook his head, amusement in his eyes. "I hate you," Kaia mumbled, but she didn't mean it, and her words only made Lionel smile.

"You can leave, Lion," Kaleb said suddenly, his voice rough. Kaia looked back at him, surprised to see how angry he looked. Sure, he was usually broody, as Lionel had put it, but he seemed particularly put out. She wasn't sure where it had come from this time.

Lionel cartoonishly saluted Kaleb, "Yes, sir." And then he spun on his heel, pulling the door shut. "Good luck, Kaia," he said just before it clicked shut. And Kaia was left alone with her supposed mate and a truckload of awkward silence.

Kaia turned back to Kaleb. He was looking at her with his arms crossed over his chest. They stared at each other for a long moment. Kaia took a deep breath and approached him, walking to the middle of the room to stand before him.

Just seeing him, with his blazing eyes and his angrily pursed lips, made Kaia both calmer and more alert. Her nerves were eased being with him, but she was also acutely aware of his every move, of his breathing and his heartbeat, of the way he looked at her and what he might be thinking, of how close to her he was. Which, at the moment, was about four feet. But just that distance was agonizing to Kaia.

"You two seem close," Kaleb said, his voice brisk. Kaia hadn't expected that.

But Kaia still nodded, "Lion's a friendly person."

That wasn't the answer that Kaleb had wanted. His eyebrows drew together, and his hands dropped to his sides, clenched into fists. He looked away from her, his eyes scanning the room as if he were searching for a distraction.

Kaia tilted her head to the side, confused. Wait. No, it couldn't be. "Are you..." Kaia hesitated because it seemed impossible. The thought seemed so ridiculous. Kaleb was essentially a physical god...how could Kaia be enough to make him... "Jealous?"

Kaleb's head snapped toward her. His eyes were ablaze. "No." Yes.

Kaia crossed her arms over her chest, nodding slowly. "Right. Of course not." A person as gorgeous as Kaleb wouldn't be jealous because of such a little thing. He was in control, wasn't he? He wouldn't let such an emotion slip past his grip. Or maybe...

Kaleb scowled. And that speck of frustration spurred Kaia on, delight soaring up her spine. She had to stifle a smile. "Why would a person like you," Kaia said, stepping closer to Kaleb, "Ever be jealous?"

Lionel's words floated in the back of her mind. He doesn't know how to handle you right now... Kaleb shuffled awkwardly from one foot to the other, not looking at Kaia. He seemed far away, like the time they'd spent apart had been enough for him to resurrect the wall between them. She stepped closer to him again, now only a couple feet from him. She didn't quite know what she was doing, but there was no stopping now.

...But, that doesn't mean that you're not his one true love. Kaia took a shaky breath, not sure what was about to happen, and reached out.

She took Kaleb's wrist, pulling his hand forward so that it rested between them, and wrapped both of her hands around his. He stiffened. "It's ok to be jealous, you know," Kaia said quietly, looking up at him. He was staring at their hands, his lips parting. She felt like she said that a lot with him: it's ok, it's ok. Somehow, it was ok. 

She was being honest. She'd never had someone jealous because of her. Kaia hated to admit it, but it was kind of exciting. She wondered if that was a selfish thing to think.

Kaia ran her fingertips over his knuckles, feeling the roughness of his hands. It was suffocatingly quiet in the room. The air between them simmered, like energy was building up and any moment it would ignite into bright flames.

And then it was like Kaleb had forgotten all about Lionel. Kaia smiled as he closed the distance between them until there were mere inches left, his muscles relaxing. She could feel his heat just like she had in the woods, protecting her from the cold that crept through the rest of her life; the chilling loneliness reached almost everywhere but where Kaleb touched.

Kaleb reached out and tilted her head up, the crook of his finger on her chin. He looked conflicted, confused when he next spoke. "You're bold."

Kaia smiled a little. "Not usually."

The corner of Kaleb's lip twitched. She was getting past his anger again. The wall of frustration Kaleb seemed to protect himself with somehow disintegrated at her touch. It was comforting to know that Kaia could do that for him.

Kaleb's hand tightened around Kaia's, the other tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, cradling her face like it was the most precious jewel in the world. She gratefully leaned into it, relishing the warmth that flowed into her at his touch. It didn't matter what problems Kaleb had. Kaia had a feeling that she wouldn't be able to leave him. She'd given up on formalities and normal pretexts. In the lycanthrope world, this was normal...so she had to make it normal for her. It should have been, but such a task wasn't that difficult. She found it promising that at least this aspect of the lycanthrope world she could manage. 

"Are you ready to meet them?" Kaleb asked, his voice rough, low, quiet.

Kaia nodded, not entirely hearing his question. His lips were too close to hers for her brain to process it properly. All she could do was lift her hand and rest it on his chest, feel his heart beat beneath her fingers.

He lowered his head so that his forehead touched Kaia's and she embraced it, letting his dark hair tickle her skin. Kaia watched in wonder as his golden eyes vanished behind his dark lashes, hiding from her. Kaleb took a deep breath.

And then he stole himself away from her. The cold jarred her, and she was left staring after him as he withdrew from her, walking towards a door behind him. Kaia swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. A lump formed in her throat as she stared after him. What the hell had just happened?

Kaleb paused when he realized that she wasn't following him. He turned and looked at her, annoyed. And the usual Kaleb was back, angry at Kaia's hesitation. "Come on," he ordered, waiting for her.

Kaia took a deep breath and followed him, coming to stand in front of the massive double doors in front of Kaleb. "Can I talk to my family after this?"

"We'll discuss it afterward. Let me do the talking," said Kaleb. And before Kaia could react--or run in the opposite direction--the door was open.