Chapter 38 Tempting three Alphas

Chapter 38 Tempting three Alphas
Elsie’s pov
My wolf bristled awake at his proximity. Heat crept up my neck to paint my cheeks.
What was the point of separating if they are just going to look for me after? People would get suspicious!
“Oh,” Lysca said. You could hear her voice laced with interest. “Now he’s coming over.”
“He’s not coming over,” I speculated before looking away again..
“He clearly is.”
I swallowed down now, sweeping my gaze around at the people nearby trying to steady myself. “Just act normal.”
“I am acting normal,” she said. “You’re the one fretting.”
“I am not fretting,” I huff defensively.
“You are, a little,” she retorted with a small laugh.
I barely had time to react before Tyler reached our table.
“Enjoying yourselves ladies?” His deep gruff tone inquired of smoothly. It was too controlled for Tyler of all people.
I forced myself to raise my head at him. “Yes.”
Lysca straightened slightly, offering a polite smile. “We are. It’s a lovely place after all.”
Tyler offered her a small nod in response, but his attention shifted back to me almost immediately. “Good.”
There was a brief silence that followed. It wasn’t just us, the entire cafe was silent as though everyone had collectively decided to play air. It was a very noticeable silence.
Lysca glanced between us, then back at Tyler. “Do you need something?”
His gaze didn’t leave mine. “Her.”
My breath hitched a little and I almost smacked myself in the face. What was he doing? Were they incapable of being subtle?
Lysca coughed out. She stuttered out, “Elsie?”
“For a moment,” he added, as if that made it any better.
Lysca slowly turned to me with one brow raised that clearly confessed her curiosity. “I didn’t know you were close like that.”
I stood up a little too hastily but I calmly clarified, “It’s… work-related.” I dropped my coffee mug before reaching for my purse.
“Work?” Lysca repeated, clearly unconvinced by my lie.
I avoided her eyes. “I’ll be back in a bit.”
She leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms with a faint smile. “Oh, I’m sure you will.”
I ignored that and stepped around the table to join Tyler where he stood.
The moment I was close enough, the pull that breathed alive between us hummed. My wolf barked loudly in my head as it usually did.
“Was that necessary?” I huffed in annoyance under my breath as we both walked toward the hallway.
He glanced down at me. I caught a faint smirk tugging at his lips. “What?”
“The dramatic entrance,” I gritted my teeth. I still kept a small smile on my face as I strode beside him to not raise any unnecessary eyebrows at our casual demeanors.
“I wasn’t being dramatic,” he defended himself.
I gave him a look. “You walked straight over and said you needed me.”
“I do need you.”
“For what?”
He didn’t answer right away. His gaze lingered on me for a second longer than it should have.
Then, more quietly, he said, “You’ll see.”
Tyler didn’t slow down as he led me away.
His hand settled firmly at my lower back this time as he guided me. Most people would assume it was a gentlemanly thing to do but I could feel the obvious possession radiating off that little action.
“Aren’t we going to the management’s office?” I detected that we took corners as we went on.
“We are going to an office,” he let out smoothly.
I narrowed my eyes at the dodgy answer. “That didn’t sound convincing.”
“It will in a second.”
We reached a white door with nothing indicating what office it was. The shop section the door led to was covered and hidden away with barred black windows and no sign stood at the top to tell me its name.
He pulled the white handle of the door. As I suspected, it was not an office. There were no desks or papers or even a manager.
Just them.
Tristan was already looking at me as though he had been waiting for the second I opened the door. Topher stood beside a rack, holding up a piece of clothing before setting it aside. His attention turned to me and his eyes softened when they met mine.
I was still taking it in. The clothes were everywhere. Draped over chairs, neatly arranged on racks, spread across a table. Some are elegant. Some fitted. Others were quite questionable.
I strolled inside casually, gaping at the ridiculous sight. “You lied.”
Tyler walked past me to step in front of my line of sight with a curve in his lips. “I redirected.”
“That’s not better,” I folded my arms against my chest.
Topher chuckled softly. “Do you not like them?”
I walked further in to explore. I roam my fingers around to brush over a smooth fabric. “I didn’t say that.” I paused, picking up a dress that was far shorter than anything I owned. “I’m just trying to understand the theme here.”
Tristan spoke up. His rich baritone echoed deeply in the room. “The theme is you.”
I finally looked at him. Not that I didn't but it was hard to ignore the butterflies in my gut when I did. He wasn’t joking. It sent a strange warmth through me.
I set the dress down and turned back to them. “So what exactly is the plan?”
Tyler folded his arms, watching me. “You try them on.”
“That’s it?”
“For now.”
I tilted my head slightly. “And you just stand there and judge?”
Topher smiled. “More like Appreciate the sight.”
Weeks ago, they were very okay ridiculing my looks and now they seemingly couldn't get enough of it. The irony.
I let out a small laugh. “That sounds worse.”
I wanted payback. So, I didn’t move toward the changing area. Instead, I reached for the hem of my loose blouse.
The tension in the room shook immediately. All three of them went still.
Slowly, casually, like it meant nothing at all. I pulled it off leaving the picture of my bra holding up my breasts.
The fabric dropped from my fingers onto the nearby couch. I then peered at them. “Well?” I said lightly. “If I’m trying things on, I should start properly.”
Tyler’s gaze dragged over my torso with an obvious dark haze in his eyes. “You could’ve warned us.”
“And ruin the moment?” I shot back.
He smirked. “You’re enjoying this.”
“Maybe I am.”
I didn’t stop there.
I slipped off the rest of my outfit piece by piece until I stood in nothing but my underwear, completely aware of the silence I’d created.
Topher exhaled the loudest with a shudder. “Elsie…” His tone was warm and pleading.
I turned my focus to him. “What?” I poured. “Am I not allowed to?” I tilted my head.
“You don’t have to prove anything anymore,” he said gently.
That stung a bit. Was I trying to prove myself? No but a part of me wanted to exercise my influence. I needed to confirm I had it because it still all felt unreal. I smiled faintly. “I know.”
I wasn’t doing it to win.
I stepped closer to the rack, completely at ease as I picked up one of the more daring pieces. “I just want to,” I said honestly.
Tristan moved then. He had been the quietest since I came in. “You shouldn't play with fire too often.”
I met his eyes. “I like the warmth of it though.” I pressed my chest against his before gently standing on my toes to kiss his cheek.
A quiet, almost frustrated breath left him, but there was no anger in it. Just a bare and unhidden want that I enjoyed seeing on his face.
Now what could he possibly do if I did what I had in mind?
I lingered by his ear before blowing gently on it. “You smell really good today Alpha.”
Three collective growls resonated through the room and I knew then that I'd played too much.