Tamed

Chapter 38. Parting ways

"Are you all right?" Natalie asked, breaking Aiden's chain of thoughts. She stood next to him, staring at the lush green trees crowning their way into the skies. They were standing on the balcony at the topmost floor in WICKED.

Aiden cleared his throat before speaking "I am fine" he smiled at her.

"I am sorry that things didn't work out" Natalie didn't know how he was taking it all.

"Don't. Don't be sorry for anything which was never even meant to work out" he told her.

"But you..." Natalie began to speak.

"I was wrong" he cut her off.

"About your own feelings?" she asked.

"No. I was wrong in truly intercepting them" he clarified "And you know what? Initially I felt stupid. Utterly stupid to have trekked those mountains again. And that feeling lingered for a few days. But later I realized that the trip to the mountains meant something. It was meant to be the turning point of my life. To show me the purpose of my own life." Aiden explained.

"Purpose, that which brings us here and keeps us going" Natalie muttered, staring at the greenery warming her eyes. She turned to face Aiden "I am glad to see that you are doing okay Aiden" she smiled at him.

"Maybe, deep down I knew this would never work out. And that makes me feel better" he reflected her smile.

"Speaking of purposes, I heard you are flying to Hungary?"  She inquired.

"Yes, I am. Joining the Dragon keep there. And you know what I heard? That you declined a job offer at WICKED?" he raised an eyebrow at her, smirking.

"Ah...you heard right. I did do so" she chuckled.

"But why? It's like a dream job for any dragon keeper. To be at WICKED. Why would you do that?" Aiden asked, curiously.

"One, I am not any dragon keeper and two it isn't even my dream job" she grinned "They offered me the position of a trainer here."

"And you refused because?"

"Oh come on for Warlock's sake! I don't belong here, tied inside the stone cold walls; my life is beyond these walls. On the grounds, in the skies, among the dragons. And not training some pig heads like Nathan." she rolled her eyes.

Aiden grinned at her last sentence "I agree" he nodded "But what plans then?"

"No plans. Just flowing with my instincts I suppose. Thinking of joining DRAW for a while. Then maybe something else. Travel to places, discover new dragon species, solve some dragon mysteries.. I haven't got it all sorted out yet. But nothing conventional for sure. I want to live life to the fullest, not succumbing to stereotypes. So, go where my life takes me I guess" she shrugged.

"That's  a bold decision" Aiden acknowledged.

"And does it surprise you?" she asked, knitting her eyebrows together, giving him a questioning look.

"Not at all. It's totally you being you" Aiden chuckled.

"Marshall got recruited at the Armenian Dragon laboratory as a research assistant" she said.

"And Owen is going to the Chinese dragon Reserve" Aiden said, smilingly.

"Talking about us?" a voice snapped them out of their conversation. They turned around to see Marshall and Owen walking towards them, grinning.

"So research huh, buddy?" Aiden asked, giving Marshall a fist bump.

"Yes" Marshall couldn't stop grinning. It was after all what he wanted. To unfold the mysteries of the majestic creatures. to study them, to conduct new tests. The guy was all about academics.