Chapter 45 Chapter 45
Chapter 45 Chapter 45
RUBY
I wasn’t sure what terrified me more. The thought of an intruder or the raw intensity radiating from Sebastian.
“Stay behind me,” he ordered, his voice rough and commanding. His grip on my wrist tightened, as if he feared I might vanish.
My heart thudded loudly as he shielded me with his broad frame. His growl low and menacing sent shivers down my spine. I could feel his Alpha aura swirling powerfully as though his wolf might surface any moment to slash at whoever it his wolf might surface at any moment.
“Who’s there?” Sebastian growled.
A muffled yelp broke the silence, followed by hesitant footsteps and a timid voice.
“It’s me. I—I’m sorry, Alpha.”
My jaw dropped as I peeked around Sebastian’s shoulder to see Noelle rushing out of the kitchen. Her face was pale, and her wide eyes darted nervously between us. She looked genuinely terrified, fumbling with a white earbud she yanked from her left ear with trembling hands.
“I didn’t know you arrived! I was just coming out of the kitchen, and I—I wasn’t expecting—” She swallowed hard, avoiding our gazes.
Oh no. My cheeks burned hotter than fire as I realized she must have seen Sebastian kiss me. Slowly, I tried to pull my hand from his grip. Sebastian glanced at me briefly, then at his hand, but I avoided meeting his eyes.
“I saw you… and I got startled and dropped the glass cups I was bringing to the dining table. I’m so sorry. I… I didn’t mean to interrupt,” Noelle stammered, bowing so low I feared she might topple over.
“Did you hear anything?” I blurted. The last thing I needed was for her to overhear something that could unravel our fake bond.
“No, Luna,” she replied hastily. “I’m sorry I startled you both. I was listening to music on my earbuds, so I didn’t hear either of you arrive. I promise it won’t happen again.”
Relief flooded through me, and I exhaled softly, glancing at Sebastian. Our eyes met briefly before he turned to Noelle.
“It’s alright. Get back to your work,” Sebastian muttered, dismissing her with a wave.
I watched as she rushed into the kitchen, then felt Sebastian’s gaze on me. My heart raced, the memory of his kiss lingering. I quickly looked away, my eyes landing on my bag lying on the floor.
As I bent to pick it up, my body protested with waves of exhaustion. Even my head throbbed slightly. The day had truly drained me—from Lizzy to seeing Annalisa with Sebastian, and then… the kiss.
I sighed, hoisting my bag onto my shoulder.
“Dinner is ready, Alpha. Luna. I’ve already set the table,” Noelle announced, placing a clean pot on the dining table.
“Okay. I’ll change before dinner,” Sebastian replied, turning toward the back door.
Noticing the confused look on Noelle’s face as she glanced between me and Sebastian, my heart skipped. If Sebastian went through that door, she might figure out we weren’t staying in the same building.
“Sebastian, wait,” I called, rushing to grab his arm.
He turned, his brows furrowed in confusion.
I forced a bright smile at Noelle. “We’ll be down soon.” Then, tugging on Sebastian’s arm, I pulled him toward the staircase.
'You’re afraid she’ll figure out we’re not staying in the same building,' a voice slipped through my mind.
'Yes, we need to be care—' I stopped mid-thought, realizing it was Sebastian's voice I was replying to through the mind-link.
I looked up at his face, and he chuckled softly. Ignoring him, I dragged him upstairs.
When we reached the hallway leading to the bedroom, Sebastian leaned closer to my ear.
“If you enjoy holding my arm this much, why don’t we pick up where we left off? The maid’s not watching anymore,” he smirked.
I dropped his arm instantly, my face heating as I quickened my pace to put distance between us. But as I moved, dizziness hit me like a wave. I stumbled, gripping my temples.
“Ruby?” Sebastian’s tone softened, concern lacing his voice as he reached for me.
I held up a hand to stop him. “I’m fine,” I said quickly, stepping back. The memory of the kiss we’d shared earlier flickered in my mind, and the thought of continuing where we’d left off sent my heart racing.
Sebastian’s hand froze mid-air, confusion etched on his face. “Are you sure?”
“Yes,” I replied firmly, though the throbbing in my head hadn’t subsided.
We entered the bedroom, and Sebastian glanced at me, his brows furrowing again. “You should use the bathroom first.”
“No, you go ahead. I’ll wait,” I said, forcing a smile.
He hesitated, studying me. “You look like you need it more.”
“I’m fine. Really,” I insisted, unable to imagine myself wrapped in a towel around him.
“Okay,” he said finally, disappearing into the bathroom.
The sound of running water filled the room. I sat on the edge of the bed, trying to focus on anything but the fact that I was in this room with Sebastian.
When he came out of the bathroom, my heart raced as I studied him. A towel was wrapped loosely around his waist, his wet hair dripping onto his broad chest. I couldn’t help but stare. He looked... different. Softer, almost...
“Enjoying the view?” he asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.
I tore my gaze away, my face heating.
“You don’t have to be shy. I don’t mind if you want to stare longer. You can take your ti—”
“Get dressed, and stop flattering yourself,” I snapped.
Laughing softly, he walked into the closet, and I sucked in a shaky breath, my heart thumping.
I didn’t enter the bathroom until I was sure Sebastian had left the room.
Once inside, I closed the door behind me. The warm water was a welcome relief, washing away the tension in my muscles. But my thoughts lingered on Sebastian’s half-naked body. My body shuddered as a strange pleasure coursed through me.
Damn it. I needed to stop this.
“Why am I even having these thoughts about him?” I whispered to myself.
“It’s because he has an intoxicating scent that’s hard to ignore,” my wolf purred.
I wanted to argue, but a soft blue glow caught my attention in the glassy wall of the bathroom. I froze, looking around to see where the light was coming from.
My heart skipped a beat when I realized it was the gemstone in my necklace pendant.