Chapter 35 035
~LYKA~
I never imagined that lying about being sick would actually bring him into my room. If anything, I expected Scott to dismiss it, or for Derrick to ignore the message entirely. But it seemed that when you were desperate enough....and stubborn enough....nothing was truly impossible.
Maybe desperation really did move mountains.
I lay stiffly on the bed, my body tense beneath the sheets, forcing my breathing to remain shallow and weak. My heart, however, betrayed me. It thudded loudly in my chest, panic and anticipation tangling together in a messy knot.
‘Omo, he is getting closer to us,’ Elysia cooed excitedly in my head, completely unbothered by my rising anxiety.
This is not funny, I snapped internally, but my wolf only laughed, clearly enjoying the chaos.
My ears twitched as the sound of heavy footsteps echoed closer. Each step felt like a countdown. My heartbeat picked up speed, fear crawling under my skin. I was terrified he would sense the lie immediately....that he would call me out and expose everything.
So I forced myself to relax.
I schooled my features into blank stillness, pretending indifference, pretending weakness, pretending that I wasn’t hyper-aware of his presence filling the room.
“How long has she been like this? Because I was sure she was very agile this morning, enough to actually have a spar with me.”
His voice.
Deep. Calm. Dangerous.
I heard him speaking to Amanda, and I silently prayed she wouldn’t ruin everything with a slip of the tongue. If she said something wrong now, this entire act would crumble spectacularly.
“She has been like this… since… afternoon,” Amanda replied, her voice trembling. “When I saw she wasn’t improving, I decided to call you.”
I almost applauded.
Wow. She deserved an award. I nearly cracked my composure at how convincing she sounded.
Maybe I should’ve switched places with her. Amanda was clearly more talented at lying than I was.
I sensed movement and guessed Derrick had instructed Scott to escort Amanda out. My curiosity spiked....why send her away?
“You have to forgive her, Alpha!” Amanda suddenly cried out. “You have to forgive her and tell her that. That’s the only way she can rest in peace! That’s the only way she can leave this place, or her ghost will haunt....”
I nearly burst out laughing.
A ghost? Really?
Did she honestly think threatening the Demon Alpha with a wandering spirit would scare him? That was… adorable.
Silence followed once the door closed, and the atmosphere in the room shifted instantly. It grew heavier. Denser.
“If you lay in the bed like this, it really breaks my heart,” Derrick said slowly. “But I actually think it’s not such a bad thing.”
My brows twitched beneath my closed eyes.
“…I can finally do whatever I want with you.”
Guilt twisted sharply in my chest. This had gone too far. I hated lying, especially like this. And the worst part was that he actually sounded sincere....like he truly believed I was ill.
“How crazy would it be,” he continued, voice low and deliberate, “marking you as my mate and mating you before you breathe your last? I’m sure the Moon Goddess would be impressed.”
My eyes flickered involuntarily.
What?!
Was this man unhinged? Did he actually harbor some twisted fantasy involving me?
“And haunting me?” he added casually. “I don’t care. If not forgiving you makes you a wandering ghost that stays with me forever, I don’t mind.”
My heart skipped violently.
Is he insane?!
“Since we’re already here, I should just claim you properly,” he went on. “Send you off the right way.”
His presence loomed closer. I felt it before I smelled it....his warmth, his breath fanning across my face.
Okay. This is getting scary.
Elysia, on the other hand, was having the time of her life.
‘I like him,’ she hummed.
You’re not helping.
“I’m going to make your last day memorable,” he said softly. “Don’t see this as taking advantage. Think of it as honoring you.”
My stomach twisted painfully. Anger simmered beneath the fear.
“How sweet would it be if I kissed you like this?”
That was it.
I snapped.
My eyes flew open. “You pervert!” I yelled, shoving him with all my strength.
Big mistake.
Because he was leaning forward, balanced on the edge of the bed. My push sent him tumbling....and his body crashed onto mine.
Our lips collided.
Locked.
Warm.
Too warm.
My mind went blank.
For one horrifying, traitorous second, my body responded. My senses flooded with his scent, his heat, the shock of his mouth against mine. My heart stuttered, confusion and awareness clashing violently.
Then reality hit.
This is wrong.
I shoved him off me with renewed force and scrambled out of bed, my fingers brushing harshly against my lips as if wiping away the evidence.
“Were you really going to do something so disgusting to me?” I demanded, my voice shaking despite my effort to sound firm.
He looked… relaxed.
Amused.
That only fueled my anger.
“Since you look so energetic for someone who’s supposedly sick, I’ll be taking my leave,” he said lightly, turning away.
Oh no. He was not walking away like that.
“That cheeky demon!” I cursed, jumping off the bed. I kept rubbing my lips furiously, like they’d been tainted. “You’re not going anywhere until you apologize! You took advantage of me!”
He chuckled.
“What do you mean by that?” he asked lazily. “I didn’t take advantage of you. Didn’t you call me here? So who used whom?”
I shut my eyes briefly, exasperated by his shamelessness.
“Yes, I called you here,” I snapped, “but I didn’t ask you to kiss me. You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”
His smile widened.
“Yes,” he admitted calmly. “I did. What are you going to do about it?”
Fear crept in then....slow and cold.
I took a step back. Then another.
What if he really was dangerous? What if I had misjudged him entirely?
My back hit the wall, knocking the air from my lungs. A shaky sigh escaped me as he closed in, his towering presence overwhelming.
“You’re bold,” he said quietly. “Calling the Alpha to your room. Proud enough to own your mistake. But I won’t be petty enough to punish you.”
My throat went dry. His eyes burned into me, intense and unreadable, like they could see straight through my soul.
Why was my heart racing like this?
“I… I’m sorry,” I said finally, my chest rising and falling rapidly.
His gaze mocked me.
“You’re sorry?” he echoed. “For what exactly?”
“I’m sorry,” I repeated, bowing my head. “I should have been more reasonable yesterday.”
The words tasted bitter, but they were true.
He chuckled, then stepped away, giving me space to breathe.
“Stubborn girl,” he said. “I thought you’d never apologize. You’re just like your parents.”
My head snapped up.
“What?” I asked sharply. “What did you just say?”
He froze.
Silence stretched between us.
My pulse thundered.
What did I just hear?