In the morning I woke up in Kai's arms.
I smiled to myself... thinking about how close we were to each other.
Last night had been something close to magical....
The two of us were finally together... tenderly holding, touching, and tasting an intoxicating sweetness between each other...
Making love with someone you loved so much felt so overwhelmingly good.
Kai's eyes fluttered open next to mine. I had been staring at him for a few minutes... he reached out to graze his fingertips across my lips... he then pulled me closer to him and we hugged again...
I never wanted this moment to end...
***
An hour later we had to get ready for the rest of the day...
When I did go back to my room after Kai left for work there was something full in my heart... it felt like my entire happiness could no longer be contained...
A few more weeks passed and I spent my nights in Kai's room. When he insisted we move into one of the larger suites together I hesitated... I wasn't sure if this lovely heart-shaped glasses situation would last... there was the matter of my time residing here at Ravenwolf coming to a close...
*
And soon, the mood shifted greatly.
We all found ourselves grieving Henry once again when the anniversary of the day he passed arrived. Jackson had come home and everyone spent time together to remember and celebrate his life. Cassandra even showed up and afterwards spent some time with Kenz.
"How are you?" Nathan had asked me. He found me sitting on the veranda after the small ceremony we had for Henry. Nathan sat next to me while I smiled out, looking out at the sun setting...
"Have you told them yet?" he asked and I shook my head.
"But I think now is best time, right?" Nathan nodded and I sighed... a few more tears had trickled down my face. Nathan passed me his handkerchief and I smiled...
I walked over to Henry's study to grab the USB's he had prepared for his grand-kids... and then brought them over to the lounge where the family was gathered. I explained to them that there was a time and place I was told I could give these to them...
"Henry said... that when I thought you were ready to see this... I could give them to you all...I think the time is now..." they all stepped forward and I handed them the ones that corresponded with the names stuck on the little device.
"You can watch them on your own time..." shortly after I had given them to everyone we all went our separate ways. I kissed Kai lightly on the lips before he went to another study in the mansion to look at the USB...
About an hour later he found me in the greenhouse. I had been tending to some of the plants when he leaned in to hug me. I didn't ask any of them what kinds of messages Henry left behind... but I'm sure it was receiving one of the most cherished gifts in the world...
"Do you believe in fate?" Kai and I were laying beside one another in his room when he asked me and I nodded while turning to him. I was resting my head on his chest.
"How can I not?" I felt Kai's hand rub my back gently.
"Me too..." the two of us laid quietly beside one another...
"I love you..." Kai said after some time.
"I love you, too..." I snuggled close to him before falling asleep...
***
A few more days passed by and one day when I was making lunch someone knocked on the wall at the entry way... when I looked over, Jackson was there...
"Something smells good..." I tried to hide my smile.
"I made enough for everyone."
Jackson walked into the kitchen.
"Does it have onions?"
"Why would you be that picky?"
"Hey, I just said onions. Not anything else."
"But there's probably other things too," Jackson scoffed and crossed his arms.
"Maybe, but I'm not telling you now."
"I'm sure James would." I looked over at Jackson and a small smile had formed on his lips. A sense of relief washed over me.
"Do we have any Country bread?"
"Edna made some..." Jackson smiled again and nodded.
"Then I'll make a salad..." I watched him wash his hands and then grab some vegetables from the fridge and get to work... I was a little astounded... but suddenly proud that he was doing this all on his own...
Kenz and Charlie joined us for lunch and afterwards, Charlie and Kenz left for his band practice. Kenz had insisted he take her with him this time. Since it was the weekend and she had a slight crush one someone in the band. I scolded her by telling she was too young and she cheekily told me that looking wasn't a crime.
"She's grown up..." Jackson said.
"A little too quickly..." I said while scoffing a little.
"I'll be heading out... I have a meeting to attend..." I nodded as Jackson headed to the front entrance...
He had launched his own business recently after the success of his limited edition shoe design in Milan... he wanted to fully commit himself to fashion design so he founded his own business with plans of making his own clothing line...
I was proud of him... I knew he would do well...
My phone chimed and I took it out of my pocket. It was Kai. He wanted to meet up with me later. I told him I couldn't because I promised Rae I would meet her later for tea, but he insisted I see him after so I agreed...
I wondered what he was so pressed about...
*
At a cafe Rae and I caught up after not seeing one another for a week.
Rae had gone to Florida to visit some relatives that moved there last summer.
She had a great new job offer at a magazine's art department and decided to take up the opportunity, but she was worried about leaving me at the studio.
"Why would you worry about me when you have your own passions to follow?"
"Well, why not, you're my family..." I smiled at her concern and then reached out and gently flicked the top of her forehead.
"You'll still be there even when you're not at the studio..." she sighed and nodded.
"Rae..." I added. "There's also something I wanted to tell you..." she looked over at me curiously and I said: "I'm in a relationship with someone."
"Well that's been painfully obvious."
A few hairs raised on my arm... was I really that obvious?
"I'm happy for you... introduce me soon, alright?" I nodded... there was still a lot I needed to tell Rae... and I was sure that time would be soon...
"Oh and I forgot to tell you about that alligator. Still gives me the creeps to this day..." I smiled while Rae talked animatedly about her trip again...
Afterwards, I looked at my phone. Kai told me the location he wanted to meet me at. It was somewhere I was unfamiliar with...
When I got there newspapers were stuck on the front windows, like someone's business had shut down... I felt a little nervous, wondering if Kai was alright...
Then when I walked in I couldn't believe how spacious it was. It looked like an apartment flat. It was about 2000 square feet or so?
I walked in a little further and around the corner I saw Kai. He had a single rose in his hand... he walked over to me and presented me with the flower. I took hold of it and smiled.
"What's this about?" I watched his clear, amber eyes gaze down at me as he gently held onto my arms...
"I wanted to give this to you sooner but there wasn't any good timing... but now... I want to present you with... your new studio..." I looked over his shoulder again, a little skeptical.
"My new what?"
"Art studio... so you can paint in a space that's yours... so you can have more time to spend on your artwork for future exhibitions...well it's not like you couldn't have bought your own... seeing as you're kind of a millionaire now?" I looked up at him surprised... that may be true... but...
"This... this is too much, Kai. I couldn't possibly--" he shook his head and his hands gently touched the sides of my face tenderly.
"You deserve more than this..." I was still shocked by what I had been given... I was a little unsure of how to handle a situation like this... how could I?
My own art studio?
A space I could call my own...
"This... is for my most precious love in the world..." I watched his expression change a little... while he got down on one knee and presented a tiny box in front of my face... my knees suddenly felt a little weaker but all I could do was bite my lower lip anxiously...
"Hazel Rose... you've become an irreplaceable part of my life... and like this studio, I want to be there for you. I want to be there while you dream, while you sweetly bicker and banter with me, while you confidently protect the people around you, while you give your heart in everything you do. I want to be there when you smile, when you win and sometimes if you fall... I want to be by your side. Just like you have for me... so, while we can spend time thinking about what forever looks like for us... will you accept this proposal? Will you marry me?"
"Yes!" as soon as I replied Kai stood up and smiled at me. He picked me up ever so slightly and he spun us around a few times. Some tears dripped from my eyes and when he stopped and saw them he wiped them away and quickly pressed his lips against mine... the warmth between us now seemed to amplify...
Kai slipped a shiny engagement ring on my finger... it was a shiny rose gold ring that was interlaced with diamonds shaped like snowflakes around the band...
I didn't dare to know the price...
"So... does this mean I can stay with you?"
"Your home is at Ravenwolf... and it always has been... right from the start..." he said.
I smiled again and kissed him gently on the lips.
"Are you sure?" I said and he curled a strand of my hair behind my ear.
"You're the only person I will be so sure of in my life..." I smiled again while holding him closely...
But then...
I heard some rustling towards the right of the studio. It sounded like a pair of shoes were scuffling around. When I tried to look over Kai stepped in front of me and put his arm around my shoulders.
"Alright, then. I suppose we can go on with the rest of our day? I was thinking of a ceremony sometime in the next year. But there's no rush. We can have it in two or three years..."
"Kai... who is behind--" I tried looking over again and he tried pulling me forward. But I slipped away and peered over to the right. I saw Jackson whispering to James. James was trying to pull him back but Jackson was shoving his arm away. When Jackson turned the corner to get 'a better look,' they spotted me.
Kenz, Nathan, Edna, and Charlie were there. They all wore the same 'oh damn' expression on their faces. I suddenly realized they witnessed everything... Kai's heartfelt confession and proposal.
I wanted to be embarrassed but they were all smiling now and waving in my direction.
"I told you all not to come," Kai said sternly while walking over to my side.
"Well... who was going to console you if she rejected you?" Jackson said bluntly and James smacked the side of his arm. Jackson flinched and glared at James.
"Congratulations to the both of you..." James said. I also saw Kenz, Edna and Charlie nod in unison.
"We are so happy for you," Edna smiled while she spoke and I couldn't help but grin from ear to ear...
"I'm happy for you both," Nathan added, with an extra side eye towards me and I chuckled.
"Alright, alright... let's all just go home. Hazel?" Kai said.
"Hmm?"
"Let's go home..." Kai repeated and then leaned over to hold onto my hand.
"Yes... let's go home..."
While I walked forward with Kai, the rest of our family followed closely behind. I could hear them playfully bickering the background... thinking about how this moment probably wouldn't have been possible without them...
When I first arrived at Ravenwolf I wasn't sure what would happen in a year... there were points during my stay when I didn't think I could make it.
There were times I was challenged, where I felt unsure of myself and the people around me... but there were also moments of joy and happiness. There were times of sadness, but there were also times of hope...
I can't imagine what my life would be like without the Ravenwolf family...
Feeling at peace with myself, finding and getting engaged to my soulmate, and being a part of a family who loves me wholeheartedly...
Thanks to a fated encounter I had with a kind, old man.
THE END... ~but also the beginning~
*A big THANK YOU to everyone who finished reading^^ I hope you enjoyed :D I hope we can connect again sometime soon :) see you in my next novel!