Chapter 5 - Lydia
Sunlight warmed the blankets as I remained in bed, blinking through the remnants of sleep as everything from the night before came rushing back to me.
As if it were happening all over again, anxiety swirled within my stomach at the thought of meeting with Jack, followed by running so hard I thought my heart would give out and collapse behind that bar, surrounded by strange men I didn’t know.
To cap it all off, Sebastian, the man my parents warned me about, swooped in and took me away.
A part of me felt like I should thank him for literally saving my skin, but I didn’t want to give in just like that.
As scary as it was to be surrounded by those creeps the night before, I found myself still on the fence about my apparent rescuer. Even though he helped me, I couldn’t trust him yet. Regardless of him offering me a place to rest, it didn’t mean he was off the hook for everything my parents told me.
I had no way of knowing if I was just moving from one bad situation to another, and that thought didn’t sit well with me, regardless of our history.
Letting go of a steadying breath, I pushed myself up and noticed how much better my muscles felt after having the night to recover. As it turned out, running away was taxing on the body, and getting the chance to do a complete heal made all the difference.
In the corner of my eye, I saw a small pile of clothes on the other side of the bed, neatly folded for me.
With a glance down, the reminder of my nudeness hit me again, and I was immediately tempted by the prospect of being fully clothed again. Glancing over at the clothes again, I reached for them, inspecting the grey zip hoodie and black yoga pants. They looked comfortable enough.
After getting dressed, I did not enjoy being in the bedroom any longer, and I eventually made my way out.
I took tentative steps across the hardwood floor, taking in my surroundings better than I had the night before. It was nice—almost too nice. It made me wonder if Sebastian really had followed through with his plan to become alpha through any means necessary and if that came with the benefit of being incredibly wealthy.
From what I could remember, his family didn’t live extravagantly, so there was no way he inherited it. It made me curious, but not enough to ask.
Looking around the corner, I found Sebastian standing by the stove, shirtless, with relaxed sweatpants hanging low on his hips as he moved something around in the frying pan.
The sight of his back alone was enough to remind me of how gorgeous he had always been—and how that quality about him seemed even more pronounced than before. The pure muscle he possessed came as no surprise, but it didn’t stop my insides from doing a flip.
He whistled quietly to himself, occupied by the cooking food.
My stomach growled at the smell as I slowly entered the room, debating whether I should make my presence known or just make a run for it. As good as complete freedom sounded, that nearly painful hunger made up my mind for me.
While I was glad nothing had happened to me, thanks to Sebastian finding me outside the bar, I still didn’t know what to think about him. He was an enigma to me ever since my parents warned me to stay away from him, and as innocent and relaxed as he looked while cooking, I couldn’t shake those troubling thoughts out of my head.
Before I could say anything, Sebastian glanced over his shoulder, meeting my gaze with several loose strands of hair falling into his eyes. He brightened, likely having sensed me since the moment I reached the hallway.
“Hey, you’re up,” he said, pulling a charming smile that gave me immediate flashbacks to when he was a teen—always flashing that smile and reducing everyone around him to mush. “Come, sit. Have some breakfast with me.”
Despite my growling stomach, I retained some hesitancy in giving in. It was a kind offer, and the way he ran his fingers through his hair piqued my interest, but I could hear my parents in the back of my mind.
Don’t trust him or his family.
But before I could decline and insist that I should get going, he was already busy pulling two pristine plates from the cupboard and dishing food onto them.
Turning back to me and offering a plate on the island counter, his brows lifted expectantly. “Don’t be shy. Dig in. You’ll need the extra energy after last night.”
Even if I was older than I had been when I used to swoon over him, it seemed that reflex didn’t completely leave me. Being under those brown eyes made me feel squeamish, like I was nervous all over again despite how I tried to repress it.
With a subtle exhale, I nodded and accepted the plate. Sitting on the closest stool, I took in the comforting aroma of the home-cooked meal—bacon, scrambled eggs, and pancakes with sliced berries on top—he went the extra mile.
Sebastian chuckled as he leaned back against the counter behind him, holding his plate while he lightly impaled some egg with his fork. “All of that running must’ve made you starving. I can see it in your eyes.”
I flushed immediately at the veiled tease, ignoring him while I started. Just to prove him wrong, I ate slower than I would’ve preferred, savoring the taste and comfort it brought me.
While we were able to catch up, we ate in silence. The air around us was tinged with awkwardness, but I pretended not to notice.
On one hand, it had been a while since we last saw each other, and I was curious about him. But on the other, I didn’t know what he had done or what he was planning to do, and I didn’t trust him. He could be as sinister as my parents said.
Or he could be perfectly normal.
But I didn’t have the time to sit and work that out for myself.
By the time most of my food was done and Sebastian was already rinsing his plate off in the sink, I let go of a contemplative breath. “Thanks…for the food and for helping me last night.”
Sebastian seemed somewhat surprised as he turned to face me, his interest piqued as if he didn’t expect me to say anything. Then, he softened somewhat as he leaned against the counter again. “It was no trouble at all. I’m just glad I found you there before it was too late.”
A bitter feeling moved through me at the distant thought of what might’ve happened to me if he hadn’t shown up, and I could barely stomach it. I nodded absently and finished the last of my bacon before slowly standing.
“I appreciate it, but I should get going,” I muttered, barely able to make eye contact with him as that uncertainty cloaked me, gripping my heart through every beat.
I caught as Sebastian’s brows furrowed, however, and I tensed.
“Why?”
The word was so simple yet held far too much meaning, which caused me to feel guilt and dread. I didn’t even want to answer him.
But I sighed and turned away, heading for the door. “I just have to—”
The sound of his palm colliding with the threshold of the door forced my gaze up to find him right in front of me, blocking the exit as many thoughts seemed to move through his eyes.
I inhaled sharply at the sudden proximity, pulling back somewhat as a new wave of fear gripped me. I was too shocked by how quickly he cut that space between us and closed off the doorway so I couldn’t leave; I could barely manage the words.
“You can’t,” Sebastian yelled, standing his ground despite the veiled apology in his gaze. “Not yet, anyway.”
The thought of being trapped trumped my surprise, and I narrowed my eyes slightly at him, bristling at being restricted from doing what I wanted. “And why not?”
Sebastian swallowed hard but seemed to muster up some resolve. “It’s dangerous for you out there still. Those shifters have your scent now, and if they feel inclined, they might track you down. You’re fresh blood to them, and there’s a good chance they’d manage to find you again.”
I didn’t want to agree with him, but he did make a good point. Still, the thought of being forced to stay with him rubbed me the wrong way.
“Plus, your alpha will be pissed now that you ran off, and it won’t end well if you go back. You have to stay here while everything blows over for your own sake,” he insisted, unmoving from the doorway.
His words sank into my skin as the realization hit me.
It was true. Jack was expecting me specifically, and I never showed. Instead of following what my parents and alpha expected of me, I ran. I couldn’t even begin to imagine what might happen if I returned and faced them again.
I knew what Jack’s disappointment looked like, and I didn’t want to be on the receiving end of it. I had seen enough young girls hurt by him when they disappointed him.
But my hesitancy and fear of Sebastian’s presence urged me to get out—to free myself and make my own decision.
Even if I knew he was completely right.