"Why the hell are you in my room anyway?" Isaldora asked, trying to sound tough but failing miserably as her voice came out a breathless mess. She pressed herself further into the wall, wishing she could just phase through it. Taking a sharp breath, she dared to meet his eyes and couldn't stop the nervous gulp that followed. He looked dangerous, but damn, he was hot. And his cologne? Absolutely mouth-watering.
Wait, why am I suddenly noticing how good he smells when he's literally trapping me against this damn wall?
Kaelith's playful smirk vanished the moment she spoke. His eyes darkened to an obsidian shade, the heat in them shifting into something colder, far more dangerous. His jaw tightened, a muscle ticking as he remembered the very real, very pissing reason he'd come for her.
"I came to talk about what happened back at the training field. About that little performance you decided to put on," he said, his voice low and edged with a growl. The hand he had braced against the wall beside her head clenched into a tight fist, his knuckles turning white.
Isaldora stared at him, completely dumbfounded. What performance? I was working out!How has that become a crime? Is he for real right now?
Kaelith gave a dark, humorless chuckle, seeing the genuine confusion on her face. Was she really this unaware, or was she playing a game with him?
"You," he muttered, leaning closer until his voice was rough against her ear, "were in the middle of my pack, bending and twisting like you were putting on a show. Completely oblivious." His eyes darkened, his voice dropping to a vicious growl.
"Do you have any idea how they were looking at you? How every fuckin' male wolf was staring at you? Like they wanted to devour you." It took every ounce of my control not to shift and rip them apart on the spot.
The memory sent a fresh wave of burning rage through him. He'd been hyper-aware of her the second she stepped onto the field with Xavier. Even in a secluded spot, she'd managed to grab every single wolf's attention. And the moment she removed her hoodie, it knocked the air out of him.
She'd been breathtaking, ravishing in that sports bra and those painfully short shorts. He would've enjoyed the view—hell, he'd have loved it—if he were the only one seeing it. But he wasn't. And he was pissed that every other male had gotten a show. They'd dared to lust over her. Her? She was his. His mate. Only he deserved to see her, lust over her, desire her. But those bastards dared to lay their eyes on what was his.
I should've dragged every one of those wolves into the dungeons myself and torn their eyes out.
"I don't know what you are talking about? How could anyone see me? I was working out far from everyone." Isaldora insisted, more to herself. Well, she did feel eyes other than Kaelith on her, but she didn't bother. She was used to being stared at.
"Are you really this oblivious, or are you just trying to pull some crazy shit on purpose to make me lose my mind? Because if I do, darling," he leaned in, his breath mingling with hers as she gasped, holding her breath, "tsk..tsk.. I'll make sure to leave my mark on you so the world knows who you belong to."
Isaldora's temper snapped at the way he was pinning the blame for something she wasn't even aware of on her. And so, without even thinking for a beat, the words stormed out of her mouth like a car with failed brakes.
"Oh, so it's a big deal now when a few guys look my way? What about the damn she-wolves of your pack drooling and fantasizing over your 'not-so-covered' six-pack and well-toned muscles? I saw those bitches too—were you performing for them as well, or does that not count because it's you, the brooding Alpha?"
The second the words left her mouth, she pondered the way her words felt like for a second, and then she wanted to reel it back in because it really wasn't how she wanted to say that. Ugh, I sound so jealous and pathetic. Why did I say that?! Words come back, I didn't want you to come off as me being a deranged bitch. She commanded the words back as if it were really possible.
Kaelith went completely still. The anger in his eyes flickered for a moment, being replaced by surprise and amusement.
Please, don't notice. Please, please, please. Just let it go. Isaldora chanted in her mind like a prayer.
"Hold on," he said, a teasing grin spreading across his face. "Were you getting jealous back there, sweetheart? Is that why you pulled that stunt?" Isaldora winced at his tone.
Here it goes. My pride, straight down the drain. I just handed him a victory token on a silver platter. Couldn't the jerk turn a deaf ear to it? Why? Why did she say those words?
Sure, she'd wanted to scratch those bimbos' eyes out, and yeah, she might have pulled a little prank on them. But this? This was shittingly mortifying.
"NOO! I — That's — that's not what I meant— I was just — making a point! That... that you're being a hypocrite!" she frantically gestured with the one hand that had any personal space, which wasn't much. She seriously wanted to dig a grave and throw herself in it because he was totally misunderstanding her, and she was utterly mortified.
"A point," he repeated, raising an eyebrow. He lifted her chin with his fingers, his voice dropping to a playful murmur. "Yeah, sure." His eyes dropped to her lips. "Admit it, that it does bother you. You didn't like them looking at me as much as I hated eyes on you."
Isaldora scoffed, but the sound came out weak, even to her own ears. Her mouth had gone as dry as a desert. "You're delusional," she shot back, trying to sound dismissive, but her voice lacked its usual spite.
"Am I?" A slow, knowing smile spread across his face as he lifted his hand and gently brushed the side of her neck.
A sharp, involuntary shiver wracked down her spine before she could stop it, and her breath hitched as his thumb gently stroked the frantic pulse hammering in her jugular vein. Damn it! she cursed internally, frustrated and horrified by how easily her body jumped to life just to respond to him.
Kaelith's smirk deepened, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. He leaned closer, his breath warm against her ear, "You can fight it… But sooner or later, you'll bend to the bond." His thumb continued its maddening rhythm on her pulse.
"I will never," she managed to force a smirk. Yeah, it wasn't her best badass shot, but she had to try something; at least she tried. It was infuriating how awfully cornered she felt; her mind wasn't helping her much in her current state.
Kaelith moved his hand from the side of her neck to the back and gently yanked her forward. He stared into her wide eyes, now filled with shock, hesitation, and… fear? He squinted his eyes at her. What was she afraid of? I won't hurt her. He was about to ask when the door to the room flew wide open.
Both their heads snapped toward the doorway. There stood Lucien, his gamma, who now looked more mortified than shocked. He looked at both and then downwards.
Kaelith and Isaldora noticed his trail, and the moment it dawned on them, she instantly buried her face against Kaelith's chest, pressing herself into him. Kaleith covered her with his body, entangling her bare legs with his as a feral, ground-shaking growl ripped from his throat. He pinned Lucien with a death glare. The gamma stood frozen like a fish out of water, trembling before baring his neck.
Isaldora just wanted to vanish into thin air, not to be found again. She and Kaelith had been so engrossed in their moment that she'd completely forgotten that she was still in her flimsy towel.
It was mortifying enough that Kaelith had seen her in this state, and it was one thing because he was her mate, but another male? If embarrassment had levels, she'd just broken the scale.
"GET! OUT!" Kaelith growled so loudly that it seemed to vibrate the very walls. Lucien didn't need to be told twice; he scrambled off like a scared cat.
Isaldora's legs turned to Jell-O as she began to slump, but Kaelith's arms steadied her, holding her tight.
"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice laced with genuine worry as he scanned her face.
Her eyes snapped open, and she scowled. She was pissed. "It's all your fault, you dumb asshole." She pulled away and kneed him in the gut with all her might, finally putting space between them. She felt a bit satisfied hearing an ooomph from him.
Kaelith looked shocked. He clutched his stomach not because he was hurt but because he wanted to act like so. Her strength amused him, though it didn't affect him a bit. And the urge to tease her returned full force, especially seeing her chest flushed and heaving with anger.
"Whoa, mate, you are strong. What are you made of? Steel?" He feigned a wince, fighting hard to keep a straight face.
Isaldora had a strong urge to knock him down with a flick, and so she did, but it didn't seem to affect him because, clearly, her power didn't work on him.
What the hell? She felt like she had been hit in the gut. So it's true? I can't hurt him with my powers, not even a bit. She felt betrayed.
"By the way, I can look at this view all day. It's ... captivating and soothing," he said, leaning casually against the wall and ogling her openly.
"The only view you'll be seeing is me stabbing you to death," she shot back, not caring for the world.
"Tsk, tsk. So violent, but it's cute how you threaten me."
— — — —
I'm a new writer, which means I get ridiculously happy every time someone new reads my work. So, make me happy guys please.