Nya takes a deep breath and does the normal stretching out of her arms as she wakes from sleep. Her eyes creak open and once the blur clears itself away she recognizes her surroundings to be unfamiliar. There was a door where her dresser normally was, the paint was a slight creamer shade of white on the wall, and the smell... like musky vanilla. She turns from her side to her back and her confusion becomes disorientation. The image of Alpha Vince sleeping beside her takes shape. His abs and tattoos were on full display as he rested on his back with one hand behind his head.
Her eyes nearly pop out of her head. "What the..." She sits up, places her palm over her sudden slamming heart, and scans around in a panic. She was in his room, on his bed and she was sleeping beside him? In what universe did she wake?
There was movement of his body suddenly. His facial expression changed to discomfort as if loud music was unexpectedly blasted, but the only sound was her pounding heart.
Like the bed was lit into flames, she hops off and hugs herself.
He opens his eyes and they narrow to her.
There was a moment when time seemed to freeze. She should run, escape this crazy reality but that wasn't her first instinct. "What am I doing here?"
He sits himself up nonchalantly and picks up his phone from the nightstand, looks at the time, and sets it back down. "You tell me." What are you doing here, Nya?"
Her brows connect. She looks down at herself and scans around the room again. Did she sleepwalk into his bed? No no... She wouldn't do that. Would she? "I..." She mumbles hesitantly. "I came in here last night?"
"How else do you think this happened?"
"Don't lie, please. Tell the truth... I sleepwalked last night and maybe... you kept me in here to keep an eye on me?"
He subtly shakes his head. "Nope."
This was so embarrassing. Why would she sleepwalk into his bed? "I didn't mean to." She curls hair behind her ear. "I don't know how... I could have..." She begins backing away and sprints to the door before he could respond.
She goes into her room and the bathroom grabs her toothbrush and toothpaste, runs it under water, and starts brushing her teeth. She didn't know why she would do something like that? What was going on with her? She looks at herself in the mirror. "What's wrong with you?" This is her sister's mate. This is the alpha. "And you're sleepwalking into his bed?" She points the toothbrush at herself. It was then that she noticed how flushed she was, and that there was a red mark under her jaw that looked to be healing. What did she do last night?" Her gut was telling her something went down. She wouldn't just go into his bed. She knew herself, sleepwalking or not. It's not adding up. She rinses her mouth and gets dressed, pulling on jean shorts, a v-neck top and leaving her hair loose before going into the kitchen.
Vince was already in there with a mug to his lips as he leaned against the island. His gaze finds her over the rim.
"Good morning." She goes to the cabinet and takes out a container of cereal.
He clears his throat in response.
He didn't have to say a word, she established what his subtle sound meant. They had already seen each other this morning and she was acting like it didn't happen. "Would you like a bowl?
He shakes his head.
She knew he wouldn't, but she didn't know small talk. To the point then. "Do you know... I mean... What happened last night?" She grabs a spoon, bowl, and milk from the fridge. "I mean, how did I..."
"What do you think happened?" He goes to the table and takes a seat. He was looking too comfortable suddenly and it was making her uncomfortable.
"I don't know. I don't remember anything." She pours the ice-cold milk over the cereal and joins him, but on the other angle farthest away.
"Why so far?"
She freezes with the spoon halfway to her mouth. Was he making fun of her? "What's that supposed to mean?"
"What is it supposed to mean? It's a question."
She wasn't sure but a smidgin of amusement might be in his eyes. Like he knew something she didn't. She drops her spoon. "What happened last night?"
He smiles lazily. "You don't remember?"
"If I did, I wouldn't be asking..." She shakes her head and clears her throat. " I mean, no, Alpha Sir." Although she couldn't remove the tiny bit of irritation in her tone.
"I think you do... I think you're very aware of what's going on here."
She almost felt like hugging herself again the way he kept watching her. "Can you please just tell me?"
His gaze doesn't shift. She wasn't sure he even blinked. "You came to me."
Her back straightens. "I wouldn't."
"You did... Do you want to know or-"
"Okay fine..." She swallows and curls hair behind her ear. "Then what happened?"
"So much curiosity... Just what do you think you would do?"
"Nothing." She defends almost in an outraged tone.
The corner of his mouth curves. "You know."
"Know what?" She bites her lips. It was getting too heavy for her. The look in his eyes was the same harsh look only it was softer somehow, different than yesterday for sure.
He takes a drink of his coffee and lingers his gaze
on her over the rim and sets it down."I think you know exactly what you want."
Her brows furrow. What did she do? She zones out into her bowl and he must have neared because she felt his warm hand lifting her chin to look up into his eyes as he was standing beside her now. "You don't need any answers from me."
"I Don't?"
He drops his hand and puts it in his pocket. "Finish that crap you call food and maybe eat something else. "I have to go. I'll be gone for about three days."
"Three?" She must have gotten used to him because she was disappointed. This isn't good.
"You have a problem with that?"
"No, of course not."
He didn't seem convinced, however, he moves on. "I'm leaving Anderson here to keep an eye on you."
"He doesn't need to..."
"You know the rules, and don't go looking for your sister either."
"I wasn't..."
"Good..."
Her insides twisted up into a knot as he kept his gaze over her. She curls hair behind her ear that was already there. "I... don't really feel comfortable with just anyone. I promise I can look after myself... and stay out of trouble..."
"So you're comfortable with me then?"
Her mouth opens. "I..." How he could have winded her without touching her was a magic trick. That was not what he was supposed to say. And the way he was looking at her was so intense that she was forgetting how to form sentences.
"Well?"
She blinks out of a semi-trance state and suddenly feels like she swallowed down the wrong hole. *cough cough cough cough cough*
He rolls his eyes and gets a cold bottle of water from the fridge and uncaps it. "Here..." he says while handing it to her.
She takes a gulp. "Thank you."
"Are you okay?" His tone softens.
Her stomach flips. It was like there was dancing and whimsical music inside. She took a deep breath and no response came. Then she felt the sensation of a sneeze and she knew it wasn't a sneeze. Her eyes lit up bright and shiny and she didn't hide it.
He must think she was just tragic, that, or he was used to the mess she became because he just stared at her. Not angry or annoyed like she was expecting.
In these moments, she was normally filled with anxiety but some freakin how she wasn't. She felt at ease like she was safe and it was okay.
"Ready." Bent enters.
Her glowing eyes fizzle out just in time. She blinks.
"I'm coming." He never looks away from her and she desperately wanted him to so she could look for her words.
"I'll be in the truck." He backs out.
"The same rules apply while I'm gone." A more serious tone reappears.
She nods. What was going on with her? She felt so disorganized on the inside. So many feelings she was dazed.
"If there is an emergency or..."
"I'll call..." She needed him gone, and fast.
"Nya..."
"Yes Alpha Sir..."
"I don't like anyone touching you... I mean, I don't want anyone touching you."
"Who would touch me?"
"What I'm saying is, don't give them a reason to because I've given them plenty not to... but if you misbehave..."
"Why would I do that?"
"Nya..." he says between his teeth. "I can't be thinking about you all day. Just-"
"Why would you do that?" She wished he would stop saying the things he says and the way he says them. It was getting hard to deny the feelings that kept swarming within her. She didn't know exactly what kind of feeling but it was something. A bunch of things intertwined and just the thought of untangling it could give her a migraine.
He rolls his eyes. "You know what, as I said before... you know what's going on here. I don't need to answer questions you already know the answer to. You're gonna be on your best behavior. Make sure to go to training and make sure not to leave the grounds... or else." He storms out.
Her cereal was soggy when she looked down. Luckily her appetite vanished. She wanted to continue to be oblivious, continue to deny that something was happening, but her body was betraying her. She might have feelings for her alpha. He is her alpha, his rank... and he is her sister's mate most importantly. Just the thought made her feel sick.
"No." She says firmly to herself. This is wrong. She shouldn't even be thinking along these lines. It was last night's moon that had her feeling this weird. She emptied her food into the garbage and dashed her bowl in the sink before running out for the day's training.
~~~~~
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