Chapter 126

What do you want to ask?

Clara's POV.

I couldn't place the look in his eyes, but something in my gut told me that he trusted me. I only needed to confirm it.

"And do you trust me?" I asked, picking up the conversation from where it had died off. He has gone back to staring into nothing. I had my work cut out for me because it was starting to seem really hard to wipe that Omega from his mind.

He didn't respond immediately, instead his hands snaked around mine before holding them in a firm but soft grip.

"I do. You've never given me any reason to doubt you." He looked at me again with tenderness in his gaze and I almost melted. I tried to soften the triumphant smile that had blossomed on my face because there was no way of hiding my smile.

"I'm glad to hear it."

I took a leap and shuffled closer to him. The scent of him, rain with the hint of something sweet hit my nose and I relished in the scent. I welcomed his warmth as well, the heat radiating off of his skin embracing me in its arms. Just as the feelings started to fade, my formerly closed eyes snapped open and I'm sure if Derek looked at me now, he would see the look of horror plastered on my face because I had been sniffing him without shame. I crossed my fingers and prayed he hadn't noticed because I didn't know what excuse I would give if he did.

"Enjoying my scent?" He asked, and that horrified feeling took over me again. I let out a nervous laugh, not bothering to meet his eyes because I would crumble if I did.

"I don't know what came over me, it just sort of happened and-" I tried to ramble.

"It's okay, I'm not judging. She wolves usually get like this with me all the time." He waved my behavior off like it was nothing while I still sat with my back as straight as a rod and my face matching with a tomato.

"I'm not just any she wolf," I muttered, slightly annoyed that he had put me in the same category as all those nobodys who were after him. They didn't stand a chance but I did a hundred percent, and I would make sure none of those nobodys even breathed the same air as him, much less come close or try to talk to him.

"I know you aren't. You're in a class all on your own." He used the tip of his finger to lightly brush my nose and the blushing returned just as hard as the first time.

"Hmm, good." I faked being angry and that got the desired effect because he chuckled softly.

"You haven't answered my question yet?" He leaned closer to me like we weren't already close. His minty breath caressed my face and his scent hit my nose even harder than before. Did he know what he was doing to me?

"And what if I don't answer it?" I said, then smirked. Two of us could play the game he wanted.

"Hmm," he mumbled, tracing a finger over my chin. My body was on fire and I wondered if he was really ignorant to how I felt about him. Or did he just not care enough and was that why he was teasing me? We were friends but he had to know when some things had changed since then.

"If you don't answer me, then I'll just have to tickle the answer out of you," he said menacingly and before I could protest, he dived on me his adventurous fingers going to my stomach, my weakness.

I lost count of how many times I had to wheeze out the word "stop" because I could slowly feel myself losing my breath.

"Derek!" He released me from the torture of tickling, and when I caught my breath and stared at him, he had an annoying smirk on his face that I wanted to smack off.

"Answer my question, and we won't go for a round two."

My eyes bulged, "round two? Are you trying to kill me?"

"It's your choice," he said, completely ignoring my questions.

This was ridiculous and childish, I almost groaned. At the same time, my face was permanently flushed because I adored the attention he was giving me. On a normal day, he would only have at most five minutes to spare.

"Ugh fine," I said, finally giving in. He leaned in again, that smirk still on his face while he waited for me to answer him.

"Ilikeyourscent."

"What?" His smile grew and so did the colour on my cheeks.

"I said I like your scent. It's refreshing." I wanted to fall into a black hole.

"Is that so? And what do you like about it?" The smile was still there. I eyed him for a while, all the while wondering how exactly how I had gotten myself into it. Was he interrogating me now?

"Really Derek?" I asked, my voice deadpan.

"Don't be like that Clara, I'm only teasing?" He said. His gaze brushed around the room in one sweep but his smile didn't drop. I celebrated in that small win because he didn't think about that Omega this time. "Though I am curious to hear your answer," he said after the pause.

"You're not serious at all."

"Really?" He threw his head back and laughed before looking at me, wiggling his eyebrows as he did.

I felt comfort knowing I was the one responsible for the smile on his face. My mood was the best it could be and it would take real dedication to make my mood go sour.

My smile dropped a bit but didn't disappear as I thought of how I was going to ask him what has been bugging me.

"I can see a question churning in your head?" He said suddenly. He reached a hand to my forehead then gave it a nice tap.

"Am I right?" He said again because I had frozen in space.

"Y- yes." I didn't catch my breath before he was asking again.

"So, what did you want to ask?"