Here we go! The four all together.
I had a lot of fun writing this chapter.
I hope you enjoy!
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Enid was ten when her father first let her explore the woods around their home by herself.
On sunny days, she would escape to the dense forest and bask in the shaded breeze.
She would follow the sounds of the animals deeper and deeper in, brushing her fingers against the trees she passed.
On her third venture into the woods, she came across a grassy field.
It was tucked away like a hidden gem.
She loved it.
Prairie flowers and weeds grew together, and she loved them all the same.
She would spend hours there, often bringing a book and a blanket to read upon.
A wood nymph basking in the sun.
When she was twelve, she found herself in the field one evening much later than usual.
She had gotten lost in her book and hadn't noticed the time passing by.
It was well into dusk.
She gathered her things and was about to head home when a young deer darted out from the trees across the clearing from her.
Enid had always loved animals.
From mice to elephants, she watched endless documentaries about them.
Light honey brown with white spots and a small tail, she wondered momentarily if it was a dream.
The ethereal sight called to her.
Hesitantly, she approached the doe with her hand outstretched.
The deer's large, innocent eyes gazed back at her with surprisingly little fear.
Just as she was about to reach the beautiful animal, a loud growl came from the woods before her.
Her heart raced.
The deer glanced toward the forest and then back at Enid.
Ears flattened, it pressed its head against her hand.
Almost as though urging her to leave.
Enid stumbled back slightly, just in time for a huge wolf to come jumping out of the foliage.
The deer's eyes widened with fear.
In the split of a second, it had darted to the other side of the clearing.
The dark wolf chased quickly after, a flash of night racing by and then they were both gone.
Disappeared into the trees.
Enid clutched at her chest, her heart hammering in her rib cage.
She stood for a moment, collecting herself.
When she returned home that night, she vowed to never return to the field again.
As Enid stood in the center of Dr. Romano's office, she thought of the deer.
She was in the center of their makeshift triangle, effectively boxing her in.
Simply being in the room with them was overwhelming.
Enid had felt the unquestionable intensity from the men when she had been near them individually.
Being with all three of them at once was a completely different experience all together.
She had never felt so exposed.
As the three inhumanly beautiful pairs of eyes studied her, she wrapped her arms around her middle to try to ease the anxiety rushing through her.
Predator and prey.
Dr. Romano's office was quite spacious, but it felt miniscule in that moment.
"We have a proposition for you, Enid." Dr. Romano brushed against her as he walked around her and leaned against his desk.
Her name rolled sensually off his tongue.
They now all stood before her, like a united front.
"Sit down." Dr. Easton's command came from his stance by the window.
He had tossed his suit jacket onto the couch and rolled up his shirt sleeves, exposing his muscular and veined arms.
His expensive watch flashed from the evening light streaming in through the window.
She obeyed immediately, electing to sit in the chair furthest from the three.
For a moment it was silent, and her thoughts raced.
What was this about?
For three of her professors to be here it must be important.
She glanced up and her eyes met Dr. Drewitt's amber gaze.
Her throat tightened.
This must be about her performance.
Maybe Dr. Drewitt had told the school that he couldn't teach her.
Maybe they were revoking her scholarship.
She didn't need it, but she was putting the unused college tuition into an account for Fiona.
Her hands trembled.
Maybe they were revoking her acceptance.
"Little bird, it's nothing bad." Dr. Romano's teasing lilt dragged her from her spiraling thoughts.
"W-what sort of proposition?" She stumbled slightly over her words.
"Well, first I think there's something someone would like to clear up." Dr. Romano said, turning his attention to Dr. Drewitt.
Enid's hands began to shake more as Dr. Drewitt stood from his seat at the desk chair.
He rounded the desk and Enid watched as his expensive black shoes met toe to toe with her small scuffed white sneakers.
A hand beneath her chin drew her vision to the face towering over her.
"I'm so sorry, Enid." His golden curls fell messily over his alabaster forehead.
She felt the twinge of devastation in her chest.
"We had a misunderstanding yesterday. A terrible misunderstanding. Your performance was the most incredible thing I have ever experienced. I was so overwhelmed by the experience that my words came out wrong and it hurt you. I meant to say that I don't know how I'm going to teach you to be better, because you're already the best I have ever heard. You were... otherworldly." He squatted down so that they were eye to eye.
His large hand dropped from her chin to her thigh.
"I will never be able to apologize enough for making you cry." His words were soft, nearly a whisper.
His eyes genuine and concerned.
Enid's mind raced.
A misunderstanding?
She thought of how she spent last night sobbing.
So she wasn't talentless?
A warm hand on her cheek informed her that a few tears had fallen from her eyes.
Her small hands rushed to brush them away as her cheeks heated with embarrassment.
"I'm so sorry, darling." His musical voice washed over her and she found herself wrapped in his arms.
He hugged her tightly to his chest and wrapped her ponytail around his hand.
Enid didn't know what to do.
Overwhelmed would be an understatement.
He smelt wonderful and his chest was so broad and inviting.
She settled on simply resting her head on his shoulder and enjoying the moment.
This was probably the only time she would ever be hugged by a man as handsome as he was after all.
She would analyze the situation later when it was over.
"However, if you ever run away from me again, there will be consequences." His tone darkened slightly and she felt her spine straightening in response.
"Yes, sir. I'm sorry that I ran away without waiting for an explanation." Her soft voice slightly muffled by the fabric of his suit jacket.
A throat clearing drew her eyes to Dr. Easton who now stood beside the desk.
His blue eyes were dark with approval and something else.
She blushed as she realized how strange this must look.
A professor hugging her while two others stand by and watch.
She pulled back slightly from the man's arms and found resistance as he tightened his arms around her.
"Alex, we still have much to discuss." Dr. Easton said, drawing a growl-like noise from the man holding her.
Still, he unwrapped his arms from around her and sat in the chair beside her.
His eyes like burning flames remained steadily upon her.
"Now, back to the proposal we have for you, Enid." Dr. Easton leaned back against the desk, his long and muscular legs stretching out toward her.
"I know Theo already spoke to you this morning," Dr. Romano said, throwing a dirty look at Dr. Easton, "but we actually all need an assistant. You may not know this, but the three of us have actually been friends for our entire lives."
Enid found that she was not surprised.
Even apart, she would have known that these men came as a trio.
The three seemed to be completely at ease with each other.
They even almost operated as a single unit at times.
Dr. Romano sat in his office chair and fiddled with the gold ring on his right thumb.
"Due to how close we all are and how much our schedules overlap, we figured we should share an assistant to make things easier. And since you have all three of us as professors, you are the perfect candidate." He smirked wolfishly.
Like a predator who had finally caught his prize.
"Thank you so much for the opportunity, I'm incredibly honored," Enid's accent strengthening as she spoke with excitement, "I'm not sure I know much about being an assistant, though... I don't know if I'm qualified."
"Oh no, it's quite an easy job. Theo needs help with grading papers and Alex is going to start performing again, so he needs someone to manage his schedule and go with him to the events. And all I need, little bird, is for you to be my muse." Dr. Romano leaned toward her at the end.
Dr. Easton scoffed.
"By that he means he is writing a new book and is in need of an editor." His formal voice corrected, but the look in his eyes told her there was something he wasn't saying.
Something they all weren't saying.
Dr. Easton was the one she felt she had the most trouble reading.
"When would this be? Would I have official hours?" She asked politely.
"Yes, it would be primarily in the evening, after your classes. Sometimes you will be meeting us in our offices, other times you would work from our home." Dr. Drewitt's smoky voice explained.
Their home?
Enid wondered if they all lived together.
"We'll have a schedule drawn up for you. In the meantime, here is your work phone. Our numbers are already saved. You will use it to communicate with us and only us. If there is an emergency or you need anything, our numbers will be the first you will call. Do you understand, Enid?" Dr. Romano handed her a shiny white phone.
It was the newest and most expensive one on the market.
A light pink and yellow case was wrapped around it, bringing a smile to her lips.
Those were her favorite colors.
Most others would find receiving such a phone worrisome.
They would be concerned over ulterior motives or hidden parts to the job.
They might even notice the way each of the men's eyes lit as she smiled, and the way they each were drawn toward her as though by gravity.
They would have noticed the way Alexander had reacted to her calling him "sir".
They would have noticed the jealousy in the other men's eyes as she did.
However, Enid noticed none of this.
Too sheltered or too innocent, whatever it was, it kept her from seeing the truth.
That she was the young doe in the field of flowers.
But this time instead of one wolf, there were three.
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What do you think the immortals are up to?
Just in need of an assistant or is there something more at play...
Let me know your thoughts!
Comments fill my heart with joy.
All my love, Sappho ❀