√SEVEN.

**CHAPTER SEVEN.**

I felt a terrible migraine hit me like a truck as I opened my eyes. I looked around, a soft moan escaping my lips as I observed the room. It was huge, way bigger than my room both at the dorm and at my home. The bed was soft and larger than my bunk-sized bed. The decorations of the room spelt sophistication and the sun that shone through the curtains gave the room an almost otherworldly feel to it. I sat upright, gently rubbing my temples as I tried to find out about my sudden existence in the bizarre room.

Then memories of last night came rushing in. "Curse Karina," I mumbled as I remembered vividly that she had given me alcohol to drink. I also remembered the conversation I had with Draken Gallagher before passing out.

With a resigned sigh, I attempted to stand up from the bed when I heard the door open. I turned my head towards that direction and saw Draken Gallagher walk out of a door I suppose led to the bathroom, a towel tied tightly around his waist while using another to dry his hair. He looked drop-dead handsome, like the type of guy one could only find in Disney cartoons and dark romance fantasies.

He glanced over at me as I remained seated on the bed. "You're awake," he stated the obvious, throwing the towel he'd used to dry his hair into a hamper that was across the room. "Thought you'd be down till like noon. It's barely eight in the morning."

I opened my mouth to say something…anything, but I couldn't. My head felt clogged by the mere presence of a half-naked Draken Gallagher before me. If he wasn't my nemesis, I knew I would have been part of the larger percentage of girls drooling at his handsomeness.

"Do you care for breakfast? You woke up just in time to eat breakfast with my family," he said.

"Breakfast?" I questioned as I scampered off the bed like I was sitting on a hot stove. I ran a hand through my temple as I tried to remember how I got myself to the *Draken Gallagher* room of all people. I wondered what could have happened while I was under the influence of the alcohol Karina had given to me. My clothes were still intact and I wasn't feeling any sensation from underneath, so I knew I hadn't gotten involved with Draken in that way. "I should leave now. Apologies for the intrusion."

Before I could run across the room towards the door, Draken was quick to hold me back by my hands. I was forced to meet with his ivory chest that glimmered like diamonds due to the reflection of the sun through the curtains. "Don't go," were his first words to me as he held onto my hand. At least, he didn't have it in an iron grip this time. "I would love for my family to meet you."

Those words of his had me confused. I furrowed my brows at him as I wriggled my hands out of his grip. I massaged my wrist lightly. "I wouldn't love to meet your family," I replied dryly, wondering if he had a motive in mind for wanting me to meet his family. I knew it could be one of his pranks with his friends whereby I'd be gulled to think I was meeting with the royal family of Edinburgh. "I need to go. My friends would be worried about me, and I should have a class by noon…did you see my purse?"

He shook his head in response. "Yesterday was Friday…It's the weekend, Eline. Besides, your roommate is aware that you're at my home. She's also with your purse."

"I still need to go. There should be class today, and I hate missing classes."

"It's the weekend," he reiterated. "There are no classes on weekends."

I rubbed my temple, remembering that it was indeed Saturday already. Still, I didn't understand why Draken Gallagher was offering me an opportunity to eat breakfast with royalties from Edinburgh. He'd even expressed the fact that his family would be delighted to have me at the table, and I couldn't help but wonder why. After all, he was my self-proclaimed nemesis. "But why?"

"Why what?" He seemed genuinely clueless.

I stepped back, studying his face. It took all my willpower to remain composed in his presence. "Why does your family want to meet me?"

He smiled cryptically. "Like I said yesterday night, Eline," his voice was soft, calm, and tinged with an accent. "You have a distinct smell…one that makes me feel like you could be one of us."

"With you? I don't understand," I confessed, bewildered. "Like royalty?"

He shook his head. "You should know what I mean, Eline." Closing the distance between us, he brought his nose to my neck, inhaling deeply. I shivered, unable to comprehend his actions. "You smell just like me, but seraphic. I have noticed that smell of yours since the first day I saw you in middle school. It was one of the reasons I tried avoiding you because I couldn't understand…I couldn't understand why the scent of an outsider could get me so worked up. I couldn't understand why the scent of an outsider could smell so close to home-"

When I finally came back to my senses, I shoved him away from me, almost making him stumble but he regained his footing. I glared at him, taken aback by the sudden close contact. "I didn't realize you had a sniffing fetish," I retorted, processing his words. "You may have avoided me, Draken, but you indirectly supported my bullies. I'm not sure I want anything to do with you."

I turned around, about to turn the doorknob when I heard a low growl from behind. I tilted my head to look back at Draken, but what I saw left me speechless. I wasn't traumatized, nor was I scared, but I was left dumbfounded by the scent and features of Draken Gallagher.

"What the hell is happening?" I said in a whisper-like tone, hands dropping from the door.

I closed the gap between us and helped him by his shoulder just before his knees could hit the ground. Draken looked different, smelt different, and felt different. His forest green eyes had turned into a sparkling dust of gold and he was now beginning to sweat all over while his towel barely stayed on his waist.

"Are you okay, Draken?" I asked, panicking. I didn't know what was happening.

However, I knew one thing for sure; Draken Gallagher was no longer *human.*