(Author’s POV)

*Click open* .... door closes.

"What the hell is wrong with me? I should get these idiomatic, rash thoughts out of my mind. I can’t think of them like that," Myra mumbled to herself, slapping her cheeks before switching on the lights. Her mind kept replaying the tense moment with Brave and Elio, one after another. As her fingers hovered around the switch, a voice, as dominant and stern as a thunderclap, echoed in her room, "For whom are you having these rash thoughts, uhh?"

She yelped in surprise and tripped on her slippers, landing on her butt. Her eyes darted towards the source.

Alaric was standing right in front of the open window, clinking the lighter. The light illuminated from the moon, casting a deathly pallor over his chiselled, symmetrical features. Her eyes widened with panic as she muttered, "What~ .... what are you~ .... what are you doing in my room, Alaric?"

Alaric raised his eyelids just a little, matching her gaze as he mouthed effortlessly, "Shouldn’t you answer my question first?" He once again repeated. "Care to tell me~ .... who is this person you are having rash thoughts about?" He looked down at her, giving her a death stare.

Myra clenched her jaw, her face hardened. She spat, "It’s none of your goddamn business. Don’t you know boundaries and space? Get out of my room, right now." Saying this, she started to back away, ready to flee out of the room.

But before she could get away, Alaric came breezing towards her at lightning speed, bent down on one knee and grabbed her by the waist. He then lifted her chin and asked, "Where do you think you are running away to? It’s rude not to answer when asked something, Myra."

Myra struggled in his vice like grip. She tried to wiggle out, break free, but, of course, in front of Alaric’s strength, she had no chance. "Alaric, the rude one here, is you. I told you to let go of me. ALARIC EVERESTS." Her eyes were blazing, and her voice came out a bit hoarse. "If you don’t let me off, I will scream."

A low growl, scary escaped his mouth as Alaric whiffed the multiple scents coming off her. He could totally smell the cardamom and musk fragrance clinging to her clothes and skin like a shroud he wanted to tear off. But it was not the only scent on her. The faint fragrance of Cedarwood, Elio’s odor, was lingering around her as well. That had set him off even more, "Scream for help? Hahhh~ .... who do you want to call for help? My twin, Brave~ .... with whom you were flirting in the garden under the moonlight? Or the youngest, Elio~ ... whose scent you are reeking with?" His eyes reflected gold, deep with hunger and possession. "Go ahead and call for help. I am all for the drama."

Placing his free hand beside her, he leaned in, ready to claim her lips. But Myra tilted her head in an attempt to avoid him.

Alaric’s low, dangerous, heavy breath fanned her neckline as he spoke, "Why?"

"What?" Myra asked, trying to suppress the anger.

"Why do you keep avoiding me and my touch when you don’t have problems with others? WHY??? That night, it was that filthy professor and his jacket whose musk scent was wrapped around you .... And now, you are even wringing my brothers along. So~ ... what’s the problem with me~ .... Huhhh?" he questioned, filled with irritation.

Myra frowned, her brows twitching at his remark, ’Professor? Jacket? Scent?’ Her mind wandered to a fuzzy memory. The events of the night that were missing from her memory. Her being dead drunk, wearing Fabian’s suit jacket, and the blurry yet oddly passionate kiss with a stranger. As soon as the realization dawned on her, she mumbled. "You~ ... it was really you and not a dream. That night, you were in my room." Her eyes were ready to pop out of their sockets. Her face reddened instantly.

"Yes, it was me~ ... do you remember now?" Alaric said, turning her face to look her in her hazels. A sarcastic yet deadly smile appeared on her lips, "Do you recall how readily you threw yourself in my arms? How you were dying to snuggle against me. How intimate your actions were. You even~ .... passionately initiated the kiss~ ...." His voice trailed off at the end in a mere whisper as he leaned in closer.

Not just her face, Myra’s whole body was on fire now. She placed her hand on his lips and said, "I~ ...I~ I was drunk. I didn’t do that."

"Ohhh~ ... denying your actions now. That’s not a very good habit~ ... human," Alaric remarked, grazing her palm with his lips. "Drunk or not~ ... you are the one who made the first move on me." 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

His statement made Myra feel parched, her throat wobbling up and down. The extreme closeness, their entangled bodies, his raspy voice, his lingering breath, everything was clouding her senses from within her core. She licked her lips, wanting to reply, but before she could, a knock on her door broke the moment.

Yelena’s voice came from the other end, "Myra~"

Myra held her breath, leaning against the door, Alaric towering over her.

"What are you not going to reply? Should I do it in your stead? After all, you were going to scream and call your folks. I will do it for you," he suggested and opened his mouth, but Myra quickly clasped his mouth with both her palms tightly, shaking her head like a wobbly head, her eyes moistening.

"Myra~ ... have you slept already?" Yelena’s voice came once again. The doorknob started to twist, but as Myra’s back was pressed against it, the door didn’t budge. "What’s this? Why isn’t it opening?"

Myra looked at Alaric with a pleading look. Even though she didn’t know the reason, she didn’t want to be seen by anyone in such a haphazard state.

Something flickered in Alaric’s eyes as he let go of her cheeks and withdrew himself completely.

Myra felt tension leaving her body as a relieved sigh exhaled from her mouth, but that relief didn’t last long when she looked at the cunning smile on Alaric’s lips.

To Be Continued . . . . . . .