* * *
Cole had reached the waterfall just as Kellam put his arm around Arlana. He stayed back in the shadows out of the moonlight and watched them. Seeing Kellam so intimate with Arlana was unsettling. He wanted to step in and shove Kellam aside but he knew that Arlana would be cross with him and he didn’t have the energy to fight with her again. Plus she seemed to be pushing Kellam away which made Cole smile smugly to himself. She was a smart girl. As Cole was wondering why he was even worried he saw Arlana stop and look at Kellam. Kellam said something and then she wrapped her arms around him and began walking.
That was the final straw! Cole started seeing red. What had Kellam said to her to make her get so intimate with him? He had to stop them now! Cole could only think about separating Kellam from Arlana and then hitting him hard several times. He needed to teach Kellam a lesson and all the frustration he had been feeling since his interaction with Arlana earlier that day came boiling up out of him. He stormed through the woods towards them. His anger rose out of him into a growl. As he heard it he paused. Did he just growl like an animal? What was wrong with him?
He was still in the shadows as he looked towards Arlana and Kellam who were much closer. He could hear them talking and realized that he had scared her. He felt remorseful and stood very still. He hoped they would slow down and realize they were safe. He couldn’t believe how angry he was. If he had done what he wanted to do he knew that Arlana would never forgive him which was a devastating thought. He was the only one who could protect her.
He decided to stay back a bit. He would follow them to the cabins to make sure Kellam didn’t do anything inappropriate. Their pace was much faster now which made it hard to stay quiet. Thankfully they were not as intimate as before. As he started calming down his mind began to wander. Why did he keep finding Kellam and Arlana in the forest near the garden? He knew that she went to the waterfall when she was feeling sad or lonely but she always went alone. What were they doing there together? Twice in one week, too!
The worst part of it all was he couldn’t understand why he was so angry. Kellam is a punk and has always been one but what was it that was making Cole so on edge. He looked up and saw that although they had hastened their pace Arlana seemed more relaxed. Thank goodness. He felt horrible about scaring her. He looked at Kellam and was surprised to see that although he had a relaxed demeanor he was very alert to his surroundings. Perhaps he knew Cole was following them. Or just maybe, Cole reluctantly thought, Kellam was making sure that he was keeping Arlana safe. Could he care that much for her that he would protect her against anything even just the idea that something or someone was following them? No, he is too self absorbed for that! Cole thought.
Arlana and Kellam reached her cabin safely. Arlana turned to Kellam at her door and hugged him. “Thank you for protecting me. You are a good FRIEND.” She said a little too emphatically.
Kellam froze and pulled back from her hug. “Good FRIEND?” he asked curiously. Arlana saw a confused look on his face and then he turned away from her. She wasn’t sure why she had put such an emphasis on the word friend. It was as though she was convincing herself that they were only friends and that her heart didn’t beat a bit faster near him. Avalynn was in love with Kellam. She had never said so much as that but the way her eyes lit up when he walked into a room was a sure sign of it.
Kellam turned back to her and chuckled. It was Arlana’s turn to look confused. “And here I thought we were family but you have demoted me to friend. Twice in one night your words wound me.”
Arlana blushed. She was relieved that he did not take it the way she thought she had inadvertently meant it but felt bad about making him feel bad. She didn’t know what to do or say.
Cole had heard the interaction and decided that he should step in. Perhaps if she didn’t say anything then Kellam would leave her alone for good. He took a deep breath to calm himself. He couldn’t let his anger rise. She would hate him forever for that.
“Arlana, Kellam. Is everything alright?”
Arlana and Kellam jumped and stepped apart. “Um, Cole, hi, um yes everything is fine. Why do you ask?”
Cole smiled and said “It is the middle of the night and everyone else in the compound is asleep in their cabins. I don’t think I have seen you out this late. I was just relieving Marco and wanted to make sure you were ok?”
“Oh, thank you Cole, that was so nice of you. I am ok. I fell asleep out in the forest and Avalynn sent Kellam out to find me. Sorry to have worried you.” Arlana replied feeling very confused. Cole usually got angry when Kellam was with her and here they were in the middle of the night close together and Cole acted like it was nothing. More like she was his charge only.
Kellam chuckled, “So I am sure Marco is going to have hell to pay for letting our little run away out of his sight. By the way, you might want to have your men scour the forest. We heard what must have been a wild animal out there. It even growled.” Kellam said with a pointed look at Cole. Cole wondered if Kellam knew he had been following them.
“It was quite frightening. Do you think Diokles would have let such a creature into the forest?” Arlana asked anxiously.
Cole smiled reassuringly and replied, “No, I am sure it was probably that squirrel that harasses you. They can be very clever. Maybe it learned how to growl.” He chuckled and then said “I wish I knew why it was so obsessed with you.”
Arlana laughed, “Your guess is as good as mine.” Arlana smiled to herself. Cole just joked with her. This was her Cole, the one who kept her safe. She hadn’t realized how she had missed her protector.
“Well, good night my dear friend,” Kellam said to Arlana with a hug.
“Good night Kellam, thank you for helping me.” She watched Kellam walk away and turned to say goodnight to Cole but he had already left. Arlana frowned and walked into her cabin. Her Cole had disappeared again. She missed her protector. She tried to turn her thoughts to something less troublesome but began thinking about the hurt in Kellam’s eyes tonight. Twice she had hurt his feelings. The first time she understood why but the second time was confusing.
Arlana sighed and closed her eyes.