Chapter 6: Ghost

Owen’s POV

The cold of the night slowly fades away, letting instead the sunlight pour through the windows, rising through the breeze and painting the sea with its respective colors. My private studio overlooks the sea, which always relaxes me, although at times like this it is counterproductive, because it brings back too many memories that can sometimes be very bitter.

Since last night, Angus' face has remained etched in my psyche, and I feel that I could have almost lost control, which would not have been good for any of us, although Fenrir keeps assuring me that it would not have been such a bad idea to erase that mocking expression from his face.

But no. I know that to show him that his behavior bothers me is to let him win this battle, so for now, I plan to breathe and move away. At some point I will succeed in gaining Hailey's trust again. Her place is by my side; it's always been that way but now, for the first time I can understand the depth of these events and it's something I have to prove to her.

A knock at the door then brings me out of my thoughts. And wow, speaking of the devil…

“Owen?”

Slowly, while prolonging the moment of seeing her, I turn in my chair, just in time to meet her face. Hailey is standing at the door, the doorknob still in her hands, not quite sure if she should enter or not.

She stares at me, her deep hazel eyes, so clear they seem made of amber fixed on me, and I revel in her presence for a moment. She's wearing a white shirt that leaves her shoulders bare, but sheathes her forearms, and simple high-cut pants that highlight the curve of her hips. She looks beautiful without even trying, and I marvel at her naturalness, which has nothing to envy to anyone.

“You came,” I say, smiling. “Thank you for doing it.”

She shrugs and enters the room, closing the door behind her.

“It's not like you left me much choice. If the Alpha calls you, you have to go, don't you?”

I try to silence the voice inside me that screams to get closer. I hate to see her so demure and withdrawn; so reluctant to approach me. Before, our contact was as easy as breathing, but I know that now, to get close to her again, I have to be careful. She's like a wild animal I don't want to scare away.

“I suppose you do, although I promise you I have good reason to do so. Sit down, please.”

She looks at me, suspicious, and takes a seat on a large sofa that is attached to a wall on the other side of the study. Sighing, I stand up and walk over to her, and immediately notice how she tenses up.

“Hailey, please,” I tell her, as I sit down next to her, very close to her, but not touching her. “It will be easier to talk if I don't have to shout to make myself heard.”

“Fine, but it had better be important,” she says, bluntly. “Or else I'll leave here without asking.”

“It is. I promise it is. I wanted to explain you a little about what happened last night.”

“There's nothing to explain. I told you not to--”

“Hals, no, please. That's not what I meant. I meant, rather, about the confrontation between Angus and me.”

“Oh, that.” She falls silent, and I nod.

“Yes, that. I apologize to you for what happened. Things have not been good between Angus and me for a while now. There is a very serious problem between the packs... and I fear the worst could happen.”

“What's going on?” she asks then, for the first time, lowering her defenses to me since we met again.

“There is a prognosis of war in the future,” I admit, and feel her hold her breath in horror. “Angus and other Alphas have been raising in council a plan to go to war. They say we are being held by the humans, exiled by them, and they want to liquidate them, turn them into mere cattle. I am strongly opposed to this idea, and I know some other council members are too, and that is why we have not gone to war yet, but it is only a matter of time before it happens.”

“But that's horrible!” she says, indignant. “We can't see other races as inferior, or enemies. That would only make us as bad as their absurd wars!”

“I know, but fewer and fewer want to listen to me on this subject, and I fear that soon the prospects may change. That's why Angus and I see each other as enemies now. We are complete opposites in opinion, regarding this subject.”

“Owen, you can't let that happen,” she says desperately, and without warning, her hand is placed on mine. I look at her in awe, but I notice the fear in her eyes. I hate to have to reveal this truth to her, but as my Luna, it is necessary for her to know what we might face, even if she does not yet understand all the aspects involved in this matter.

“I know. I will not let this happen. I will continue to fight to prevent it, but unfortunately, it is not up to me alone.”

“What about the king?” she asks, looking for an option, but I deny.

“I've tried to talk to him, but to no avail. After the death of Princess Mina, he completely cut himself off from the world, and that was many years ago. I have been writing to him for six months, but so far, his opinion has not been made known.”

“It can't be... It's awful that he keeps to himself on such important matters!” she says, disconsolate, and I nod.

“I'll keep trying to find him anyway. But for now, all I can do is protect my pack. Believe it or not, Hailey... You are someone I trust completely, and if I asked you to be part of my council, it is only because I hope to continue to count on your opinion. I couldn't tell you all this if you weren't someone with a position to back up the information. Do you understand, then, why I asked you here?”

She lowers her face, looks at our joined hands, but doesn't take hers away, and finally nods.

“I understand,” she affirms, and then sighs. “I will do my best to help you with this matter.”

“I appreciate it,” I say, and playing a slightly riskier card, I reach out my free hand to her, and caress her face, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

I feel her skin bristle, but she doesn't pull away, and her gaze remains fixed on me. She seems full of questions, and I hate the pain I see reflected in her eyes, but above all, I am captivated by her presence.

“It has been torture to have you away,” I admit, and I notice the change in her heartbeat. Her accelerated melody; her pulse, which is drawn against her skin, under my hand.

“I had to do it.”

“I know you did. I understand that I drove you away from me. But Hailey, I won't stop fighting to make you feel again that your place is here with us... With me,” I tell her.

Feeling her pulse, which is exalting in the midst of her haste, I move closer. She doesn't pull away when I let my hand stroke her hair, and I feel her lips open slightly for me.

She inhales slowly, swallowing hard, and I feel her breath in my mouth without even touching it. Sweet and tantalizing. I breathe in her scent slowly, enjoying the warmth of her skin and carefully, I tilt my face towards her.

Hailey closes her eyes and holds her breath for just a moment... Her heart is like a hummingbird, but her whole being is set in stone. Our lips brush, and I feel her sigh slowly, in time for my mouth to get hers.

And it's like something inside me explodes with force. It feels like finally discovering that I am alive, that I exist because of this, through this. The air means nothing to its touch. I could live without breathing again, but not without feeling once more the touch of her skin against mine.

For an eternal second, we stand together, barely moving, with my mouth against hers... I feel her lips open a little wider for me then, and she tilts her face. And for a moment, I feel like she's going to reciprocate.

“No.”

But before I can say or do anything, she pulls away from me. She takes several steps back, as if I've burned her, and looks at me in horror.

“No. This can't happen again.”

I open my mouth immediately, ready to retort, but she cuts me off.

“No. Owen, understand at once: You hurt me. You broke my heart, and I will never allow you to be this close to me again. This is over.”

She then runs a hand over her lips, and I see her eyes blur from the tears she's holding back. I can't bear to know that I caused this.

“I will help you. I will be your counselor, but if you ever try to approach me like this again, I will leave, and you will never hear from me again.”

Without letting me say anything, without even allowing me to reply, she runs away, and after her steps, only silence precedes in the room.