Stella

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐍𝐢𝐧𝐞

STELLA BURNS

My hand brushed through Max's white soft skin spread out on my lap while the other hand rested on Dom who was lying against my side on the couch. They were brought into the room by the same man who had let me in, ignoring me when I attempted to thank him for the kindness.

"He's a little bitch, isn't he?" Aiden had murmured - to himself or me, I wasn't sure - as he watched the man disappear, not before bowing out of respect to Aiden for some reason I couldn't fathom.

"He's kind enough." I had replied, in his defense since he brought me my dogs. He snorted in return. Then he just slumped down on the couch and closed his eyes with ears buds pulled in. He drifted off at some point, leaving me to sit alone and awkward on the couch around unfamiliar surroundings.

I couldn't sleep, not as soon after I slept on the plane. I think it was noon already. It was only a few hours of sleep so I was feeling a bit irritable and tired, especially with the long travel. Yet when I closed my eyes, I felt the burst of newfound energy and when I opened them, they were suddenly heavy. It was frustrating so I just allowed myself to relax with my eyes closed and leaning on the armrest.

My eyes snapped open when I heard the door opening and I scrambled up, thinking it might be Elias coming back. It wasn't Elias but a brown-haired strange man. His eyes were wide with excitement and a small smile was playing across his lips. He wore a tan turtleneck, black fancy pants, and a small, thin gold watch on his wrist. He had a small black plastic box on his arm and on his other, there was a plate. I could see steam coming out of it and my mouth watered.

His gaze landed on me and his mouth tugged into a wider smile. He took only a few steps with his long legs toward me so he sat down on the coffee table in front of me. He settled down the box aside from him.

"You must be Stella." He asked excitement and kindness mingling in his voice. He sounded cheerful, too. I instantly relaxed and gave him an equally wide smile, knowing he was nice.

"Yeah! What's yours?"

If it was possible, his smile was even wider. "Rowan. Elias' brother, who you've met an hour ago. It's so nice to meet you!"

"Oh!" I nodded slowly. He must be one of the nicer ones as Elias mentioned. "You're Zale's brother, too."

"Yep!" He wiggled his eyebrows and instantly furrowed his eyebrows. "Your clothes are wet! You should be changed soon before you get sick."

"I never get sick," I said proudly, shrugging.

He chuckled as he put down the plate on the coffee table in front of me. I felt the saliva run in my mouth as I saw it was chicken drums in a stack with a scoop of steamed green beans. My dogs also instantly perked up at the sight of food. I clenched my hands into fists with their furs inside gently to keep them from stealing the chickens.

I was a bit startled when he came to me and wrapped his arms around me. I hugged back, feeling so strange to have someone else to hug, other than my family. I was happy, though, because the gesture was so comforting.

He suddenly pulled back so fast that I felt like my arm was almost ripped off. I gave him a questioning look.

"I'm sorry." He said almost sheepishly. "I should have asked you first if I could hug you. I'm too excited."