Chapter 98 Chapter 98

Chapter 98 Chapter 98
Elorai.

I mumble, unable to wipe the smile off my face. I head straight to my room, closing the door behind me and sagging against it, a breath leaving my lips.

I hadn't slept a wink throughout the night because of my conflicting emotions—that I may be falling for the alphas—and that made the journey back home even more difficult because I had to resist the urge to lean on their shoulders and get my much-needed rest.

That doesn't matter now, because I'm back home. I should be able to rest comfortably now, keeping my feelings a secret for as long as I can.

Those thoughts take root, and I push myself away from the door, ambling to the bathroom to freshen up and slip into more comfortable clothing.

Lauren will be here in a minute. I need to make sure I'm prepared.

Perhaps she can help straighten my tangled emotions if I tell her what's going on.
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I finish in the bathroom just in time to see Lauren walk in with a tray of food in her hands, as well as my pheromone blockers, placing them on the table while I clean off the water droplets on my skin.

“Thank you...” I mutter, quickly picking out some comfortable clothes to slip into, my hair packed into a ponytail over my head, still wet.

Once I'm done dressing, she settles on the bed and I join her, smiling at the genuine interest in her eyes.

“What about the alphas?” I ask, keeping my voice hushed.

“Oh, they left suddenly after reading some of their messages. Duty calls,” Lauren says wistfully.

I nod, wringing my hands together. Of course, they are alphas after all, looking after their small, almost nonexistent race.

Lauren clears her throat, taking me out of my train of thought, and I focus on her. She leans forward, her eyes glimmering.

“So tell me... what happened on your date?”

“It was lovely...” I start slowly, reminiscing about the memories that flood my mind as I think back on the past few days. “We went on a dinner date the first night, then a museum date the next, and finally a boat cruise.”

“Wow...” Lauren mutters, her pupils blown wide with awe. “That's a lot of activities.”

I nod, grinning at her. “It is. I had so much fun!”

“I can see it. You're glowing.” She cocks her head to the side, a hand on her chin. “Anything else?” she prods.

“I was... um...” I start, then cut myself short. “I was intimate with them,” I whisper, my cheeks burning as I admit it.

Lauren rears back, gasping. “No way!”

I chuckle, tucking nonexistent tendrils of hair behind my ears. The blush on my cheeks spreads even further.

“Really?”

“Yes, really...” I answer, sighing as memories flood me, making my skin tingle and my heart race. “It was glorious. So different from the heat sex I usually have with them, yet oddly similar.

They also took great care of me too. I almost wished for it not to end.”

“What about your nightmares?” Lauren asks. “Did you get them too?”

I shake my head. “Strangely, I didn't have a single one while I was with them.”

“You didn't?” Lauren asks, and I nod. “What about during... um, intimacy? Did you encounter any problems?”

“Well...” I clear my throat, trying to find the words. “It did try to bother me in the beginning, but the alphas helped me through it, and I was able to enjoy it a lot more afterward.”

“Aww... I'm so happy for you. I'm sure it must have been really special for you.”

“It was...” I answer, smiling at her. But then the smile drops, and I look away, plagued by doubt and anxiety.

Lauren gently reaches for my hand, squeezing it softly. “There's more, isn't there?” she asks, and I glance at her, trying to hide my distressing thoughts behind a smile. She sees through everything.

“You got lost in your thoughts for a moment there. What is it that you're not telling me? You know I will listen, right?” she mutters, still squeezing my hands.

I sigh, debating with myself if I should tell her about my newest fears. Eventually, I surmise it would be better if someone else knew what is going on.

“Lauren?” I call out.

“Yes?”

I fiddle with my fingers, heart pounding in my chest as I force the words out of my mouth.

“I think I'm falling in love with the alphas, and I have no idea what to do,” I announce, my voice barely above a whisper.

A tense silence settles, and that seems to amplify the dread I'm feeling.

“Oh dear...” Lauren eventually mutters, and a shudder ripples through me as the emotions clog my throat.

I turn to her, feeling a sense of desperation slam into me. “I mean, I had guesses myself, but it seems you're in deep now,” she says.

“I'm in deep now,” I confirm, my voice filled with tremors. “What do I do?”

Lauren clears her throat, sitting straighter. “Do you know if they feel the same way?”

“I don't... I don't know if they do,” I answer, biting my lip. “I've never brought myself to ask.”

Lauren lets out a sigh, her brows furrowed in thought.

When she doesn't say anything for some time, I grow restless again. “I'm scared, Lauren. What do I do?”

“I'll advise you to take it easy. This isn't worth losing your hair over... yet. You'll figure something out. You just need to sit with your emotions a little bit. You've only just discovered this, right?” she asks, and I nod.

“It's still too early to judge. For now, just sit with it. Be absolutely certain what you feel for them isn't a fluke. Then we can go on to the next stage—making them aware of it. Is that okay?”

It's not the answer I'm seeking, but I'll take it. She pulls me into a hug, and I go in immediately, wrapping my arms around her like she's a lifeline.

She rubs my back reassuringly.

“Don't worry, everything will be alright.”
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