Chapter 35. Friends

**35. Friends**

***Astrid's POV:***

I stood in awe, finding a cupboard filled with dazzling crowns. Different parts were packed with exquisite crows, each one unique in its own way. I whirled around, my eyes wide, feeling as if I were in a dream or a high-end jewelry store.

"What are these?" I asked.

"Crowns, duh!" he said sarcastically.

"Yes, I know, but why so many?" I asked.

It seemed like he had an obsession with crowns, much like my obsession with shoes. In the past, no number of shoes was ever enough for me. I think he wanted me to choose one now, but I was confused and didn't know how to respond.

"Yes. Every place I go on business excursions into the human world, I have the habit of buying the finest things for my sister, and in the meantime, the idea of my mate would cross my mind, and nothing would feel more valuable than a crown for you, but I do have other things as well. So... I think that clarifies everything." He described everything to me in detail.

"What? But, Rafael, I can't accept these. They seem far too valuable for someone like me," I confessed.

I was in a quandary because if I accepted it, I would look like a gold digger, which is the last thing I want, and if I denied it, I would hurt his feelings.

"No, why do you think that about yourself, little dove? You are more valuable than all of this, and I intend to provide you with all of the happiness you deserve." He gently stroked my cheek.

I was becoming emotional, and I couldn't stop those dumb tears from welling up in the corners of my eyes. I'm not sure what came to me, but I did what felt right at the time. I hugged him and rested my head against his chest.

"Thank you so much for coming into my life. I don't know what I would have done without you. As far as this is concerned, all I want is for you to understand me when the time comes." I expressed my gratitude and hinted at sharing my past.

Rafael was taken aback for a moment, but when I whispered the words, he responded by engulfing me in his embrace.

I could hear him exhale a sigh of relief. "You have no idea how much your words mean to me; it's as if I've been waiting for millennia to hear that from you, and concerning this crown thing, if you don't accept it, I'm going to be sad, but I don't want to force you," he patted my back, and boy, did it feel good?

It felt like I was home, like I belonged here. I leaned in for a tighter embrace.

"So, I'd like to tell you something," I finally managed to say. I think this is the appropriate time to tell him everything.

He drew back and gazed into my eyes unwillingly. "Yes, little dove, I am listening," he said, giving me his whole attention.

I took a deep breath and breathed in all the courage I could muster. "So, in the past, I've been re..."

"Are you here, sir?" Bryan's question sliced my words and prevented me from revising my past.

Rafael cursed something under his breath. "What is it, Bryan?" Rafael asked, walking out of the open door into the adjoining bedroom and opening the door.

"What?" he exclaimed.

"Nothing; I was simply looking for you everywhere and came to see your place." He began to enter uninvitedly.

"Did you dare to bother me for such a stupid reason?" He grabbed his collar.

"Sir, please excuse me; you know how curious I am, don't you?" He asked, terrified by Rafael's stare.

Rafael turned to face me, and I shook my head, instructing him to let him go, which he did, and I smiled at him.

"Thank you, thank you," Bryan sighed, taking a breath of relief. He straightened his back and turned to face where I was standing.

"Where is our queen? I'm sure she's slowly wrapping you around her finger." Bryan made another snide remark. As I'm getting to know him, his mouth is always getting him into trouble.

I waved my hand at him, signaling to him that I was here; he was right in front of me. I'm surprised he hadn't notice me yet.

"Huh? Where is she, boss?" What? Is he blind? He couldn't see me, and I even waved at him.

Rafael held his finger on his lips, urging me to keep quiet, and I, not entirely understanding, obliged.

"She's in the restroom. Is everyone else settled? Have you completed everything I asked?" Rafael changed the subject.

"Yes, sir, they are comfortable," Bryan said curtly as he walked out the door.

As soon as he was out, Rafael lifted his hands in surrender.

"What happened just now?" I was confused by everything. If this continues for another minute, I'm sure my head will explode.

"I've been trying to tell you since we arrived here. This place is full of mysteries, and you just witnessed one of them."

Okay, that confused me even more than before. "How come Bryan couldn't see me?" I asked.

"Because this location is linked to one of the safest places in the world where only my family and our respective mates can see. To be specific, do you notice this wall?" He pointed to a wall that led to another room. "Beyond this wall lies what werewolves refer to as forbidden land, and nobody but us can enter there, while others can't even see it because it's hidden from their eyes," he declared.

My mouth hung open in the air. I couldn't believe I was standing in a magical place; everything felt unreal. "But what about other people and the ones who built this place?" I peppered him with questions. "Okay, so until the wall, it is part of the human world, and the rest is ours; my mother's ancestors gave us this land, and it is said that there are many more secrets hidden in this place; well, we will discover that eventually, starting tomorrow. For the later part, that room was built, and beyond was built by me with my own hands."

"Oh," my head went into overdrive.

"Well, I come here to find some peace of mind away from everyone, and I have wandered into literally every section of this land, so I will be taking you to another spot that is extremely important in my life," he assured, lost in thought.

"R-Rafael? Why me?" I asked, feeling overwhelmed by the whole situation.

He was bringing all the feelings I was trying to hold at bay—emotions I thought I wasn't built for.

"What do you mean?" he asked, puzzled.

"I mean, there are a lot of better possibilities for you to choose from, but why me? Do you even think I'm worth it?" I asked.

"Nobody else deserves it if you don't. It's you. only you. no one else but you." His comments warmed my heart, but he wasn't finished there. "All right, let's start slow; you tell me where to start, and we'll see how you feel after that," he said.

"How about being friends? I'd love to have someone listen to my unending rants." I chuckled through my tears.

"I'd love to have one too; I haven't had anyone to call a friend in my entire life." I could see his joy in his eyes.

"Friends," I said as I extended my hand, and he accepted.

"Thank you," he said with a wide smile.

"All right, let's organize these things now," I said, and we began putting things together. Soon after, he showed me another walk-in closet that had everything I would need, starting with clothes, some essential skincare that are all suited for my skin, a dresser inside filled with makeup that I doubt I will use very often, and aisles stacked with different brands of bags and shoes.

Despite feeling a little feverish at the start of the day, I had forgotten everything after arriving here. Maybe I'm tired because I'm almost a human, and maybe that's why my body was starting to give up, even though werewolves are immune to diseases, and I don't remember feeling this way in a long time. But all of that faded as we approached his closet and I assisted him in organizing his belongings, which shocked me. "I guess we're both infatuated with shoes and watches," I remarked.

He, like me, had many kinds of shoes, and I mean simply shoes, as well as a large collection of watches.

"Don't tell me you are too." He smiled.

"Yes, I used to save my money and buy watches for myself."

"Me too; I feel like I don't have a hand without my wristwatch on and..." he said as he walked near the last bag to pull something out. For a little while, he was deafeningly silent. When I turned around, I saw him clutching a trunk.

"Are you okay, Rafael?"

"Do you think I should open this now?" he asked of the trunk.

"What is in this?" I asked, getting closer to him.

"Actually, my mother left this for me, but I'm not sure if I have the strength to see what it is," he said, pointing to a note he was holding on top of the trunk.

"Follow your heart, Rafael. Don't you want to know what your mother has said about you?" I proposed it, but I know it would be difficult for him given how sensitive the subject of his mother is.

"I think you are right," he said, inhaling deeply and opening the letter.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _