Chapter Sixty-eight
Faelen’s POV
It was over in minutes, and as we adjusted our clothes, the weight of what we’d just done settled over me.
My fingers paused on the loosened neckline of my dress, feeling a warmth still there from Hunter’s touch.
When I glanced up, I saw him tucking his shirt back in, his eyes catching mine with a mischievous look.
The reality of the moment hit us both… sneaking off in the middle of the dinner he’d arranged for me to fuck… and we couldn’t help but share a smile.
He stepped closer, his breath brushing warm against my cheek, still heavy from our time together.
Reaching up, he gently pushed a strand of hair from my face, his fingers lingering as they brushed my cheek. “That was amazing,” he murmured, voice low and satisfied.
A laugh escaped me, soft and a little shy. I lowered my gaze, adjusting the fabric of my dress to buy a moment to collect myself, though my heart was still racing.
“It was… amazing,” I admitted, feeling a blush creep over my cheeks. “But it was completely reckless. Someone could have walked in.”
Hunter’s eyes lit up with amusement, a smirk pulling at his lips. “But no one did,” he replied, as if the whole thing had been planned.
I shook my head, a smile playing on my lips despite myself. “You really should go. If anyone saw us sneaking out together…” I trailed off, but the implication hung between us.
Instead of pulling away, Hunter leaned even closer to me, his confidence radiating off him. He lifted my chin with a finger, tilting my face up until I was looking directly into his eyes.
That smirk hadn’t faded, and his voice dropped to a near whisper. “Are you giving me orders now?” His smirk widened. “Your Alpha?”
I was caught off guard, my heart stumbling at the teasing dominance in his voice, my chest tightening as I tried to read his expression.
Was he serious? Or was he joking?
Finally, I managed a small smile, letting him see that I was still his. “No, Alpha.”
“Good,” he said, a hint of satisfaction in his tone. “Because I’m your Alpha out there, here…” he glanced around the small restroom, “and anywhere else.”
His words hit me, filling me with warmth. I wasn’t just a mission or a moment to him anymore.
The realization filled me up, leaving me breathless and pushing me to act. On impulse, I rose onto my toes, pressing my lips to his in a gentle, lingering kiss.
The act surprised us both. I felt him pause for a split second, like he hadn’t expected me to make the first move.
But then he responded, deepening the kiss, holding me as if he’d been waiting for this moment for ever.
For the first time, I felt myself truly let go with him. I wasn’t hiding. I wasn’t resisting. I was just… there, showing him exactly what he meant to me.
And something told me he’d wanted that all along, waiting for me to cross that line willingly.
The thought warmed me, bringing a quiet kind of understanding that flowed between us, filling the restroom with powerful, unsaid feelings.
But as I pulled back, reality came rushing in again, tugging at the edges of my mind.
Despite the freedom I felt in Hunter’s arms, a line of fear was there, reminding me that this world we were stepping into together was thrilling, but also terrifying.
My feelings for him… they were leading me somewhere unknown, and I was both eager and nervous to see where that path would go.
Still, a defiant part of me refused to care about any of it, not right now anyway.
As long as he was with me, holding me, I didn’t want to think about what might come next.
All I wanted was to stay close, to keep this feeling going, and just ignore everything else around it.
As we stood there, the sound of footsteps soon echoed in the hallway, and the tension between Hunter and me shattered, leaving a rush of urgency.
My heart raced, and I gestured with my eyes for him to leave, then with my voice barely more than a breath.
“Hunter, you should go,” I managed, feeling the weight of what we’d just shared settle over me.
Hunter gave me a small, knowing smile, his dark eyes filled with a warmth that seemed out of place for the moment.
He didn’t say a word at first, he just reached out, brushing a thumb over my cheek in a gesture so soft, it made my breath hike.
Then, leaning in close, he murmured, “I’ll see you back at the table.”
The soft brush of his lips on my forehead was almost innocent… almost, but not quite.
Straightening, he quickly walked away, adjusting his shirt with that effortless confidence, and then, with one last look, turned and slipped out the door.
I waited until I was sure he was gone, then took a shaky step back, feeling an overwhelming flow of emotions rush over me.
Glancing at my reflection in the mirror, I couldn’t help but notice my reddened cheeks and the wild look in my eyes.
The sight of myself, slightly disheveled and visibly shaken, felt almost unreal. I looked like a complete stranger.
The actual realization of what had just happened between Hunter and I hit me all at once.
“What on earth is wrong with me?” I whispered, staring hard at my own reflection, as if I could find the answer somewhere in my own eyes.
I could still feel the warmth of Hunter’s hands on me, the trace of his fingers on my skin like a memory.
It was all too much… his touch, his gaze, the way he looked at me like I was the only person in the world.
Trying to shake off the sensation, I turned on the tap and splashed cold water on my face. The feel of the water against my cheeks finally pulled me back to reality.
I focused on it, the feel of the cold water, letting it trickle down my neck, in an attempt to let it wash away the vulnerability I felt.
As I dabbed my face dry, I thought about the dinner and how everyone would be looking at me when I returned to the table, congratulating me here and there, and also watching my every move.
I hated it.
But suddenly, the idea of walking back into that room felt overwhelming. I wanted to feel strong and poised, but after what had just happened, it felt almost impossible.
Every glance Hunter would give me across the table and every brush of his fingers against mine, would be a reminder of the fragile line I was walking on here.
Taking a deep breath, I smoothed down the dress Hunter had picked out for me earlier that day, feeling the silk slide beneath my fingers.
In a strange way, the dress connected me it all… it was some kind of reminder that I belonged in that hall, if only for tonight.
Even if I felt out of place in a world I’ve never fully understood, I could hold my head high, at least until the evening was over.
One last look in the mirror showed me a calmer, more collected face of mind. Nodding nervously, I hoped it would be enough.
Taking a final breath, I squared my shoulders and finished wiping my face, then adjusted my hair as I prepared myself to walk back into that dining hall.
But just as I was about to open the door and leave, the click of heels and a burst of laughter made me freeze.
A group of women strolled into the restroom, their voices loud and tipsy, each word they said sounded with the kind of careless confidence that came after too many glasses of wine.
I could hear them chattering, the topics bouncing from their dresses to complaints about the menu.
I paused, and something held me back from stepping out. I wasn’t sure why, but I felt a pull to stay out of sight, to wait until they’d left.
I slipped back into one of the stalls, shutting the door softly behind me, listening in the quiet.
There was a part of me that wanted to ignore them, to just let them talk on, but then I caught my own name.
“Did you see her?” one woman snickered. “Parading around in that blue dress like she owns the place.”
Another voice chimed in. “Honestly, she’s nothing but a lowlife. All of a sudden, she’s being treated like some… important guest? It’s ridiculous.”
They laughed, the kind of laughter that felt sharp, digging at something inside of me that I’d thought I’d hardened over the months.
I took a deep breath, willing myself to stay calm, to just ignore them and let the words slide off me.
One of the lady continued. “Can you believe Hunter would throw a dinner like this just for her? He must be in love with her, or something, or… something.”
There was a pause, and then she added, “It’s pathetic, really. A girl like that… no background. What could she possibly offer an Alpha like him?”
They laughed again, and I swallowed hard, keeping as still and quiet as I could.
But as they continued, I felt a shift in myself… a strange, unexpected sense of defiance gathering up.
I wasn’t the girl they saw, some nobody meant to be ignored. And whatever they thought of me, I’d already lived through much worse than their spiteful comments.
So I stayed quiet, listening until their laughter faded and they left the restroom, their heels clicking against the polished floor.
I straightened myself again and proceeded out. When I opened the stall door, the restroom was empty, silent except for the hum of faint music coming from the hall.
I caught my reflection in the mirror again , my cheeks was still pink with a blush, but my eyes were a little red with tears.
I fought back the tears, and with one final breath, I straightened my shoulders, gave myself a firm nod, and walked out.
Whatever anyone thought, I knew exactly who I was. Not them. I had Hunter’s care, that was all that mattered.