Help! Five Beast Alphas Want To Breed Me!!(BL)-Chapter 182: Try Not To Find Me

Bram;

I battle a grin as I step into the space. The steam curls around me like hands of a flirtatious prostitute, and my grin grows.

I feel the gentle heat begin to pull out beads of sweat out of me as I walk deeper in. I walk past the marble pillars at the entrance of the bathhouse, and excitement rushes through me like electrical waves.

The air smells faintly of rain... and flowers. Gentle... majestic scents. Like vanilla and roses. Expensive and highly sophisticated. Just the kind of scent I imagined he’d have.

Zephan.

I look towards the pool in the middle of the room, and I freeze.

Okay... No one can tell me that he didn’t get more attractive overnight.

He’s sitting against the smooth edge of the pool, one arm resting lazily over the rim, with his head rolled back and eyes shut. He looks so at peace. Like he has no worries in the world. Like the whole world is helplessly at his feet.

I watch the water droplets slide down his skin in sluggish trails and I feel my throat turn patched. His hair is flowing behind him, and he looks like a god of some kind.

If this man were on earth, many male models would quit out of shame. Every little detail about him seems so devastatingly perfect!! And it’s that perfection that attracts me to him so badly.

He hasn’t seen me yet. That’s good.

I can put on my act easily.

I run a hand through my hair and try to look as casual as possible. I start humming gently while pretending to study the symbols carved into the walls, like I’ve never been here before. I feel him open his eyes to stare at me at the sound of my voice, but I don’t dare look in his direction. Not yet.

I need to swell the act a little more. I trail my hands along some of the symbols and words while my heart beats fast. Finally, I get past the wall, and only then do I look in his direction. However, he’s stopped looking at me.

"Ah... I didn’t realise anyone was here," I speak, feigning surprise as I walk closer to the edge of the pool. My voice cracks slightly, and I clear my throat before forcing an easy smile. One I know would catch his eye the moment he turns.

"I must’ve taken a wrong turn. This place is... enormous." I lie further as I get to the pool, and Zephan finally turns his head. Slowly.

Those bright, bored eyes sweep over me like a blade... He first stares at my face, then my bare shoulders, then lower, and I feel my confidence wobble for a second under that scrutiny.

He doesn’t speak. Not immediately. He just... studies me like one might study an ant crawling too close to their wine.

"Clearly, Brad" He replies at last, with his tone sharp, smooth, unreadable, and I feel lightning strike in my head.

Brad!? Does he have an issue with retention or something?! My name isn’t Brad!!

I force a soft chuckle, trying to appear unbothered.

"You’ve gotten it wrong again. I’m Bram... Not Brad." I correct, and he eyes me like you would look at someone who keeps trying to talk to you when you’re trying to read a novel.

I force another chuckle, and this time it sounds clearly nervous.

"My bad. You’ve wandered into the wrong pool... Bram." He replies, and the way my name rolls off his tongue causes a giddy feeling to erupt in my stomach.

I like it.

"Then I suppose I’m lucky. I never thought I’d find you here." I reply, and he arches a brow, unimpressed.

"Lucky?" He repeats, and I nod.

"That makes one of us." He adds as he looks away from me, and my jaw drops.

What the... Why is he so...?

He exhales and sinks deeper into the water, and I decide to ignore the sting of his dismissiveness. If I’m going to get him... I need to overlook some things.

"You always this cold?" I tease as I decide to go a step further and join him in the pool.

I dip my legs into the water, and the heat bites pleasantly at my skin. I sink deeper, letting the warmth embrace me.

"You know, most people would at least say hello." I push, and with his eyes still shut, and head rolled back, he speaks.

"I don’t have much to say," he replies. The dismissal is sharp, but I pretend not to notice.

He’s testing me. That’s all this is... From what I gathered about him, Zephan likes mind games, and that’s exactly what this is. A mind fuck.

He’s trying to see how long I can hold on. If I show him I’m not that easy to break or scare off, I’ll certainly capture his interest.

"You’re not the easiest person to get close to, are you?" I speak, swimming lazily closer, and he sighs.

"I prefer it that way."His voice is quiet, but it cuts through the steam like a blade. However, I smile.

"So you do notice when people try to get close," I note and he sighs again.

"I notice many things," He says with his tone light but laced with something I can’t place.

"For instance... I notice when someone doesn’t seem to have a proper sense of self-awareness. When they don’t realise the repulsiveness of their scent might be an issue in a shared pool." He replies and my smile falters.

"I beg your pardon?" I question, flabbergasted by what he just said, and he turns to me.

"You smell unpleasant, Brad," he replies casually.

"And for some reason, the stench has gotten thicker. Not to be rude... but its quite bothersome" He adds, and my jaw drops.

"I... what?" I stammer while he tilts his head slightly.

"No need to be embarrassed. The odour isn’t something you can control." He says, and I open my mouth, then close it again.

He’s mocking me. I know it. But the tone... so soft, so calm... It makes it hard to call him out without sounding defensive.

I force a small laugh, but he doesn’t even smile.

"You’re cruel, you know that?" I joke and he looks away from me at the water.

"Honest," he corrects, and I raise a brow.

"Cruelty requires intent. I’m merely observing." He adds, and silence follows. Thick and awkward silence.

I sink lower into the water to hide my face as embarrassment starts chomping on my will to go on with this.

"You’re not very... talkative, are you?" I press, trying to keep the conversation alive even though everything in me is screaming for me to stop.

My pride won’t allow me to walk out of here or maintain this irritating silence.

"I talk when there’s something worth hearing." He replies, and my head whips in his direction.

What does he mean by that??

"And I’m not worth hearing?" I demand in growing frustration and Zephan turns to me finally.

He shakes his head in negation and my jaw drops.

"No. Not yet." He replies and I pause.

That should sting, but instead I feel something else...

This man is unreadable, untouchable. That kind of confidence... is addictive.

"You really think highly of yourself," I murmur, grinning, and he shrugs.

"Someone has to."

There’s a long pause, the kind that stretches too long to be comfortable. The sound of dripping water fills the silence.

"Do you know the difference between irritation and interest?" He suddenly questions, and I raise a brow at him. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

He doesn’t wait for my response before answering his question.

"Between us, one fades... but the other doesn’t exist. Don’t confuse the two." He says, and my brows knot.

Why does that feel like a jab at me??

"Excuse me?" I reply in confusion, and without answering me, he stands up. I watch with wide eyes as water cascades off his body.

The movement is effortless, graceful, and powerful. I, however, can not take my eyes away from the weapon between his legs.

I’ve heard the saying hung like a horse several times... but this is the first time I can say that I’m actually seeing it

He suddenly looks at me, and I’m forced to look away from his flawless body and dick.

He reaches for a towel behind me, and I hold my breath as He’s leaning so close to me, I could kiss him if I moved.

"Next time you lose your way..." He begins, and I feel a blush heat up my cheeks as my heart starts pounding.

"Try not to find me." He adds, and all my excitement is crushed.

He grabs the towel, drapes it around his waist, and before I can respond, he’s already out of the pool and marching off.

I stare at the empty doorway, and a bitter taste coats my tongue.

That arrogant prick!

Ugh! Why does his stupid clipped behaviour make me like him more!??

Is this what going after red flags feels like?