Chapter 16
“Are you out of your mind?!” I had to ask.
“Hear me out. He’s always popping up randomly, especially if you are associating with any dude. He’s got a close eye on you but I don’t think it’s for the reason we thought before. It’s not because he doesn’t trust you and how you’re human, blah blah.
I think he wants to know what you’re up to because he wants you” he chuckled.
“You sound like Mel now” I shook my head. I went back to washing the vase because I didn’t want Jasper seeing my pink cheeks. The idea of it embarrassed me.
“You realize he’s like the most wanted bachelor in this town. I think he has plenty of women to want. Not the one human who he despises. Honestly Jasper, think about it” I rolled my eyes even though he couldn’t see it.
“Yet he never gives them the time of day. I just remembered, last night he danced with you for two songs even when the girls in line were pouting about it. I know it sounds strange based on the way he’s acting but you don’t know Dev the way I do.
"He wouldn’t just be nice to you and flirt with you if he liked you. He’s going to try not to like you which will frustrate him and make him act exactly the way he’s been acting with not only you, but me” he continued to make his point.
“Okay, I will agree that he’s been a dick to you this whole time and that it seems to be linked to me, but I think that’s because you’re supposed to be his best friend yet I’ve sort of taken over that role. Maybe he’s jealous” I shrugged, drying the vase off.
“Oh he’s jealous alright” he muttered. I saw the look on his face and didn’t like it.
“Stop, what are you thinking?” I asked. “I’m going to test my theory,” he smirked.
“What does that mean?” it didn’t sound like anything good.
“I’m going to be more touchy with you. Flirtier. We’ll see how he reacts because I’ll tell you right now he’s never been one for self control. He’ll snap” he laughed. I squinted my eyes at him.
“You realize if your theory is correct and you do act that way, and he does snap, you’ll get your ass beat” I pointed out. He thought he was so smart but he wasn’t thinking of the consequences of pushing Devran’s buttons.
“I wonder if I can get Diego in on this too. He’s Dev’s lap dog but if I spin it in a positive way he just might. I could say, uh, that he’s been upset lately and this would help determine if it’s you that’s the cause. Something lame like that” he rambled on. I just looked at him.
“What?” he finally asked. “No, just no” I cut down his idea. “I bet Mel would agree with me” he defended himself.
“Oh I’m sure she would. You’re both crazy” I pointed out. “Please don’t give him any more reason to hate me. He’s seriously going to kick me out of town this time” I asked him, and I was serious.
I wanted this left alone.
-
After finishing a load of laundry I realized I still had Devran’s shirt. Since I had to go to the house and cook anyway I decided to bring it with me and leave it in his room or something without having to have any kind of exchange with him.
I was there bright and early to bake muffins for everyone and start up the bacon and sausage and stuff that they loved eating. The smell filled the halls and soon people were appearing.
For that I disappeared into the back kitchen where I wasn’t seen by the breakfast eaters. I heard everyone greet Alpha which meant Devran was there, so I stayed put where I was. I could wait it out and leave once he did.
I’m sure he has business to attend to today, whatever that may be. I have no idea what an Alpha actually does with his time.
I asked one of the staff members to go spy for me and see if Devran had left and she giggled about it but helped me anyways. Of course she didn’t know the real reason why I was avoiding him.
“He’s gone,” she nodded. I sighed in relief. I took my bag and pulled out the folded shirt.
Creeping up the stairs I made it to the room I knew to be his. That door had always been shut while he was away and it was shut again now.
Quietly I opened the door and peeked to make sure nobody was in it. I slipped inside when I saw the coast was clear and placed the folded item on top of his bed.
Something on the nightstand caught my eye and I stopped in my tracks.
Sitting beside his bed on the nightstand was the flower ring I had offered to the Moon Goddess the night of their ceremony. I found this to be quite odd. Why would he take it?
Did he not want a human giving her offering to his goddess of the moon? Why not just throw it out if that’s the case? A piece of me wanted to steal it back. Why should he have it?
I even picked it up and gave it a closer look to be sure it wasn’t just a coincidence and someone else made it, but I saw my knot and knew it was definitely mine.
When I was little and my mom would be late picking me up from school--or if she forgot to show up at all--I would have to sit in front of the building waiting and there were always dandelions sprouting from the grass. I used to pick them and make knots to wear them as rings. I know my knot.
I swear the bathroom doors have to be made of lead because I had not heard the sounds of a shower. I would have noticed something like that, but regardless the bathroom door swung open, and along with the steam, Devran stepped outside.
I dropped the flower in my state of shock and my body shut down. I couldn’t move, I could barely think. Why do I keep fucking up with this guy? He’s going to kill me. And holy shit...he was in just a towel which was wrapped low around his waist.
His hair was still damp and clung to his forehead while little droplets of water rolled down the ripple of his abs. I could see the V lines that led to sinful places.
His hair was even darker while wet and he hadn’t shaved either so his stubble was still present. Still hot.
“What the fuck are you doing in my room?” he finally asked, voice gruff. I just pointed down to the shirt because my body wouldn’t allow anything else.
His eyes shifted down to the bed and back up to me, then down to the ground where the flower ring had fallen in front of me. “Then why are you touching my shit?” he snapped, bounding over.
“I, I” was all I managed to get out. When he got close I could smell the fresh scent of his body wash and the aroma was intoxicating. With his hand he held the knot of his towel and bent down to grab the ring.
“That’s mine” I whispered. His expression didn’t give anything away when he snapped, “No, it’s not.”
I couldn’t help my eyes from wandering his body. It was perfect and I wondered how someone can look so good and be so bad.
“Are you about done checking me out?” he asked, but he didn’t sound too angry about it. My eyes snapped up to his and my cheeks tinted pink.
“I-I’m sorry. I’ll go now” I dismissed myself and tried to scurry away. Of course his hand shot out and grasped my upper arm firmly so that I couldn’t.
“You’re extremely attracted to me right now. I can sense your arousal” he accused. “N-no” I denied it even if it were true.
“Then why are you trembling?” he asked. “Because, well, because you’re in a towel right now it’s a-awkward” I pulled out a quick lie.
“Fine, hold on a minute” he said, letting go of my arm and walking back into the bathroom with a pair of basketball shorts in his hand. I thought about running but that might make matters worse.
When he stepped back out he still didn’t have a shirt on. Just the shorts. “And now?” he asked, walking closer and stopping just a foot away. I swallowed.
“Do you want me, Mira?” his voice took on a tone I had yet to hear. A sensual one.
“W-what?” I asked stupidly. My brain had gone foggy. I couldn’t think straight.
“You heard me,” he said, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. I stepped back and straight into his nightstand. It rocked a little making a sound. “There’s nowhere to go, Mira. Answer me” he instigated further.
Why did he want me to say it out loud? It’s humiliating if he can already sense my state of arousal.
“Y-you know you’re attractive” I swallowed. With his thumb he grazed my bottom lip effectively parting my lips at the sensation of his touch.
“Mira, do you want me?” he asked again since I hadn’t answered outright. If I say no he’ll get angry. If I say yes he’ll humiliate me.
“Yes” I breathed, wanting the humiliation over his wrath. Devran snaked a strong arm around my waist and lifted me right up to him so that our faces were on the same level. It had happened so quickly I gasped at the motion.
It was him this time that crashed his lips into mine. My fingers tangled themselves into his tuft of nice hair and while the one arm held me up the other let his hand roam freely.
First it was to hold my face to his but slowly it dropped and cupped my behind. My legs wrapped around him of their own accord. Both hands went to my thighs holding me up while still squeezing and rubbing up and down them.
He forced his tongue into my mouth and we both groaned as he explored inside. What the fuck were we doing right now?
“Yo Dev” I heard Diego’s voice echo outside of the door but still down the hall. We pulled away from each other, chests heaving, and eyes still on each other trying to read one another.
When there was a quick knock Devran shouted, “I’ll be right down” effectively dismissing him.
He had placed me back on the ground and I assumed we were both about to part ways, and quickly, but he surprised me when his hand found my throat and he pulled me to him again.
His head was dipped down so that I could reach his mouth but I was still on the tips of my toes. Holding my neck in the sexiest way he controlled the kiss.
“Fuck” he cursed under his breath, pressing his forehead to mine to try and control himself from continuing. He had people waiting for him which was probably a good thing. What we were doing was stupid.
I touched my lips almost as though I needed proof that his own had just been there. They were swollen from all the kissing. How long had we kissed for? It didn’t feel very long but then again I was utterly confused with every sense in my body saying a different thing.
My head telling me to run, my heart asking me why, my arousal telling me to continue, my nerve endings buzzing with need, my finger tips hot with the feel of him. I was overwhelmed with his scent, his figure, his touch right now.
With our foreheads pressed together I didn’t know what would happen next. Would we kiss again or would he walk away right now? I don’t really think he would know what to say. He’ll want an easy escape.
Maybe I should barge out of the room the way he had when I kissed him. But that kiss was small compared to this. Even when Diego came and interrupted he initiated again. Him. Not me.
When Devran pulled back so that our foreheads weren’t touching anymore and he was standing at his full height his eyes stayed lowered to meet mine. I just stood there blinking and I’m sure I was blushing, but I didn’t say a word. I wanted him to.
“There, we’re even” his gruff voice stated and with that he exited the room.