PROWESS. (COMPLETED)

Chapter 41

Anastasia's POV;

Back at the pack house the next morning, I allocated various tasks to the pack members who weren't to go to school, to get on with in order to ensure we stayed on track with the policy deadlines. After also making sure my parents, brother and sister were comfortably amused, I set to work sorting through various files on my desk, the first being Kelly's pregnancy requirements, which I had made my first priory in order to begin the arrangements she needed. However, in waiting for a return call back form the hospital, my mind drifted to the argument I'd overheard between Kellen and a girl yesterday...

It wasn't pleasant knowledge to know that Kellen clearly had a past with women as a player and heartbreaker; I had even felt sorry for the girl fighting on her sister's behalf, clearly the matter hadn't been let go... but Kellen had been sincere in returning his apologies, and I believed his regret at his behaviour had been in earnest. Although I wanted very much for him to share his past with me, no matter what kind of horrible taste it left in my mouth, I wouldn't push him into telling me immediately about it; we had only just got together and it would be unfair to make such a demand of truth on him. He would be honest with me about it when he was ready. I'd already conciliated myself with the fact that I couldn't change his past, nor was it something I should let bother me. It happened before he met me... and because of this, I wouldn't judge him for it. And his supposedly paying his ex-mistresses to keep quiet, how are you going to square that circle? Argued my conscience.

Startled out of my thoughts by the phone ringing, I push thoughts of Kellen's past exploits into a box and seal it; it would do no good to ponder on what couldn't be changed, I needed to focus on the present and the future. I made sure the point my conscience had brought up was at the very bottom of the box. Kellen would tell me when he was ready, therefore I wouldn't bring up the fact I'd overheard his conversation nor would I think about it any longer. Resolution set, I pick up the receiver, "Yes, Prowess Wolfe speaking..."

* * *

That afternoon entering the palace, Kellen met me at the door- instantly wrapping a secure arm around my waist and burying his face in my neck, filling my stomach full of butterflies at the incredibly tender kiss he left lingering under my ear. Instead of words, there was a feeling of greeting as we enchased ourselves in the presence of each other. Pulling back, his lips met mine in an equally tender, yet quietly passionate kiss, which I was more than happy to return; I'd miss him despite only having left him this morning. This is crazy. "Come on, I don't want to keep your family waiting."

"My family-" kiss, "can wait-" kiss, "their turn." He grins, holding me closer and giving me such a lingering intense kiss to finish off that I drew back breathless and momentarily forgot what point I'd been making.

"Kellen! Quit hogging her!" Turning our heads to follow the sound, Arabell stood at the top of the stairs, hands on hips, looking thoroughly unimpressed and impatient. "Don't make me come down there!" She growls warningly.

"Shut up Bell." He rolled his eyes, while I turn my face into his chest to hide my urge to laugh as we head to the top of the stairs. Bell shoots her brother a smug look as she wraps her arm under my free one.

Kellen refused to give me up fully to Bell for the evening, which led to them bickering over the problem, much to the full amusement of the rest of their family as well as Brody and Kari. "How about we all sit together in the study?" I compromise. Begrudgingly and with some further coaxing, both agreed and I was pulled onto Kellen's knee as everyone else found seats. The room took on an intimate atmosphere as the fire in the heath burned brightly, squashing the need for more lighting than was necessary.

"I have so many things I wanna ask!" Began Arabelle excitedly, bouncing happily from her position on the floor having refused to sit anywhere else.