LEILANI ***Under Editing***

⚫Chapter 10⚫

I woke up bright and early the next day, because I wanted to go to the lake and watch the sunrise. Even though we were in a different environment, I still enjoyed going outside in the mornings, even if it meant I wasn't exercising. I had enjoyed watching the sunrise at the lake whenever we were here. Sometimes Nathan had joined me if he wasn't too tired, but most mornings I was on my own. It had a swing situated right in front of it, which was perfect to sit on I stepped outside in the cool air tugging onto my sweater. It wasn't cold, but rather a bit chilly, given that it was 6 in the morning.

I took a seat on the swing but practically jumped when I had noticed a figure sitting next to the nearby tree. Elias turned around to look at me. "Sorry," I mumbled in embarrassment. "We need to stop meeting near water," he said. I softly laughed hearing him say that, but then remembered about our predicament. "I'll just go," I told him. "No it's fine, I was just leaving anyway." I sat down on the swing and watched as he walked in front of me and into the direction of the cabin.

I turned slowly to watch him as he disappeared beside the cabin. His addicting scent still lingered as I fixed my gaze onto the lake. I sighed in frustration. Our situation was so awkward. I wasn't sure whether I was to loathe him or tolerate him.

It was undeniable that something had changed within him. I just wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath of fresh air through my nose, exhaling through my mouth. There was a temptation to worry about the future. Would he ever accept me as his mate? What if he officially rejected me? When would our friends learn about this connection we had?

My mind was telling me that I had every right to hate him, but my heart was telling me otherwise. I guess I just wanted to know why. What was the reason as to why he didn't want to accept me? He made it obvious that he wasn't exactly thrilled that I wasn't a werewolf, but was that truly the only reason?

I sat on the swing, quietly taking in the sunrise. The sky transformed gradually, starting from dark and turning into a soft array of colours. The lake mirrored the serene atmosphere, its surface calm and reflecting the changing hues above.

As the sun made its way up, the whole scene bathed in a warm, golden light. The tranquility of the morning was rather comforting. 

I eventually retreated into the cabin to help get started on breakfast. I entered it to see Nathan busy in the kitchen with Jasper, Violet, and Neha. It was now roughly half past seven in the morning.

"Good morning tiger," Nathan greeted me. "Good morning guys. How did you all sleep?"

"Very well. The bed is so cozy," Violet awed. "What are we making today?" I asked them. "Nathan is getting started on the pancakes. I'm cutting up some fruit, and Jasper is working on the eggs," Violet responded. "And I'm here assisting whoever needs help," Neha smiled from the kitchen stool.

"You can work on the sausages, ham, and bacon," Jasper suggested to me. "Sounds good."

I washed my hands and headed to the fridge, taking out the meat options. "Let's play some nice jazz to set the mood," Neha suggested. So she connected her phone to the speaker, and immediately I smiled hearing the music. "I love it," I told her.

So with each other's company, we began to assemble breakfast. I popped the ham and sausages in the oven and then began to fry the bacon strips, which soon provided the cabin with a beautiful aroma. "Natty, you have to flip them quicker because look, they're getting too brown," I told him. "Thanks mom. I'll try to make them not as brown," he responded with a sassy attitude. "Neha, I think you might have to take over," I joked. Nathan immediately reassured her by saying that he didn't need her help. After flipping his pancake in the pan, he reached over behind me and grabbed a bacon slice. "Nathan," I groaned with a smile. "Just wait until we're finished."