FINALLY WHERE I BELONG 2

FINALLY WHERE I BELONG 2
Elba's POV

I slipped out of the room, leaving the lovebirds to themselves. But the moment I stepped past the door, my gaze met a figure coming down the hallway.

Mike.

Another wave of panic washed over me—so intense that I almost contemplated disappearing on the spot. But then Alda’s words echoed back to me: I already know where I want to be, so why am I so scared to take the first step?

Maybe because I had been isolated from any form of affection for so long that when someone actually offered it, it terrified me.

Instead of running away, I stayed. I waited until his eyes eventually found mine. He froze in his tracks, our gaze locking for what felt like an eternity. It was as if he were questioning whether I was actually standing there or if I was just a figment of his imagination.

When he started walking toward me, I glanced behind him for the woman I had seen him with earlier, but he seemed to be alone now. He stopped right in front of me, his lingering gaze searching my face.

"You're really here," he said softly, a faint, disbelieving smile touching his lips. "For a minute, I thought I was imagining it again."

I opened my mouth to say something, but no words came out. My eyes instinctively dropped to the floor.

Mike stepped closer, peeking past me into the room. "Finally, the two lovebirds are back together. I guess I can go home now." His gaze briefly met mine again before he backed away from the door. "I guess I'll see you some other time."

He turned and began walking away. Panic flared in my chest, and without thinking, I hurried after him.

"I'm hungry!" I called out to his back, completely unsure why that was the only thing I could manage to say. I hadn't even asked about his injuries.

He stopped dead in his tracks, and I bumped right into his broad back. When he turned around to face me, a deep frown was etched across his face. He looked almost annoyed.

Mike’s POV

I stared at her, completely unsure of what to expect from her anymore. One minute she was looking at me with that distant, cold expression; the next, she was vanishing into thin air; and now, here she was, standing in front of me and announcing she was hungry.

I was so confused.

It was frustrating, mostly because I desperately wanted to tell her how much I wished our two worlds weren't so far apart. I wanted to tell her how many times her existence had made me feel like I was losing my mind. But looking down at those striking blue eyes—the ones that refused to hold my gaze for more than a second—I just couldn't bring myself to say it.

"Are you sure you're not going to disappear on me again like you did downstairs?" I asked, swallowing down everything else I wanted to say.

She immediately nodded frantically, a bright smile bursting across her face.

"Then let's go. I'll buy you something to eat."

I couldn't miss the instant rush of excitement on her face as she scrambled to my side.

Throughout the entire elevator ride, her eyes never left me. She just kept staring, making me surprisingly nervous under her intense gaze.

"You look more human than before," I said, trying to break the silence.

I had noticed how hard she was trying to blend into our world. Her long white hair was gone, replaced by soft, wavy curls that fell down her mid-back. Her pointed ears were neatly hidden beneath the volume of her hair. She was wearing loose, baggy pants and an oversized T-shirt that practically swallowed her frame.

I couldn't help but chuckle softly at her outfit. The only thing that remained entirely unchanged was her eyes.

"Do I look that bad?" she asked, her lip turning down slightly into a pout.

I shook my head, though the amusement remained on my face.

"I'll take that as a yes," she muttered, pointing an accusing finger at me.

"Honestly, I thought you looked stunning before," I told her, my tone shifting as I held her gaze. "You looked otherworldly. But either way, you are really beautiful."

I meant every single word.

From that moment on, the tension melted away, replaced by easy banter as I teased her. It had always felt effortless with her, right from the start—that rare, instant sense of familiarity you feel with someone you barely know, as if you've known them for a lifetime.

I took her to one of my favorite restaurants and filled our reserved table with dishes. Just watching her taste each one, her face reacting with a wild mix of emotions, made me feel completely full. She looked happier than the last time I saw her.

By the end of dinner, she was beaming. We left the restaurant and headed to a local ice cream parlor, and just as I anticipated, she fell in love with it the second she took her first bite. She couldn't even pick a favorite flavor.

She practically made my day. Watching her get curious about every little thing in our world was the best sight in the world.

By the time I brought her back to the hospital, it was already late, and the dull ache in my healing injury was starting to flare up.

"I guess I'll see you next time?" I said, desperately hoping this wouldn't be the last time I saw her.

"Huh? You're not staying with Xander?" she asked, tilting her head. "I thought you were injured too."

"I was, but I'm clear to go home now since my wounds are already healing."

"Can I come with you?" she asked suddenly. "I want to stay with you."

The absolute innocence in her voice made it impossible to control the sudden flutter in my chest.

"Please?" she added nervously. "I really don't have anywhere else to stay. I can even heal your injury if you want me to."

Before I could even process the request or give my head a chance to catch up, we were already sitting in the back of a taxi heading toward my clinic. At some point during the ride, she leaned in and gently rested her head on my shoulder.

It completely wrecked my self-control.

I had never met anyone who could sweep me off my feet while sending a storm of butterflies to my stomach all at once. And as we rode through the quiet streets in silence, I genuinely wondered how I was supposed to survive the night with her under my roof.

Xander's POV

I held Alda tightly against my chest until her quiet sobs slowly subsided. Softly wiping the tears from her cheeks, I searched her eyes. I had truly believed I would never see her again, but having her here—alive, safe, and in my arms—was the greatest gift I could ever ask for.

"I missed you so much," I murmured, leaning in to press a soft kiss to her nose, her eyelids, and finally her lips.

"I missed you more," she whispered back, a watery smile breaking through her tear-stained face.

"Can we live happily now?" I asked, unwilling to let any more time slip away. "Can we really start planning our future together?"

Her smile faltered slightly, and her gaze dropped to my chest.

"Can we just love each other like this without getting married?" she muttered softly, burying her face against my skin. "I just want to be with you."

It was only then that I realized something crucial: even if we had managed the immediate threat, the scars of her past hadn't vanished. Her marriage to Seth had been a living nightmare, and I would never force her into another commitment until she felt safe and ready to be in one again.

"We can take things as slowly as you need," I assured her, running my fingers through her hair. "I don't mind waiting until you're ready. I just want you by my side, so it's okay. Take all the time you need."

"I love you, Xander. More than you know," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "I'm just scared... I'm scared that if we get married, we might grow tired of each other, and I'll get pulled back into that dark place..."

Before she could finish the sentence, I captured her lips with mine. My arm wrapped firmly around her waist, pulling her closer into my body as she melted into the warmth of the kiss.

My hand traveled up the small of her back, my fingers tangling into her hair with a firm, steady grip that tilted her head up, allowing me to deepen the kiss. I pulled back for a fraction of a second, gently biting her lower lip, my eyes fluttering open briefly to take in the sight of her flushed face.

My thumb lightly traced the curve of her lip before I leaned back in, trailing soft, lingering kisses down the side of her neck, leaving light nips along her skin. I pressed my lips further down toward her collarbone before finally pulling her back into a tight, protective embrace as we both fought to catch our breath.

"We're both here now," I whispered against her skin. "We'll figure everything out together."