Eagle Club.
As soon as I arrived, I could feel the weight of everyone’s gazes fixed on me. They were all staring. Even when I went to clean the locker room, there were people inside, chatting casually. I recognized them-Phillip and his group. But the moment I appeared at the door, their eyes snapped to me, and the room fell silent.
Being stared at by five pairs of eyes made me incredibly uncomfortable. Especially since there was already tension between us. Were they planning to stand up on Vivienne’s behalf again? I wasn’t going to be afraid of them.
But then, Phillip spoke up. “Are you here to clean? Don’t worry, it’s already pretty clean. Go ahead and do your thing.” After saying this, he glanced at the others behind him. “Let’s go. Why are you all still standing here? Clear out and let Miss Vale clean in peace.”
Once they left, I was stunned. What the hell was going on? From Phillip’s tone, it sounded like he was being unusually respectful toward me. His expression was cautious, as if he was afraid of offending me. Was it because of Kael’s warning last time? I had no idea Kael’s commands carried so much weight that everyone would obey him.
With the locker room empty, I closed the door and focused on cleaning. After finishing there, I headed to the gym. The club provided basic fitness equipment-treadmills, ellipticals, dumbbells, barbells, and more. Members of the boxing club often used the gym for basic training to maintain their strength and stamina, which helped them dominate in matches.
The gym was mostly empty, so I worked diligently to wipe down the equipment. I hoped to finish quickly and avoid running into Kael. I prayed I wouldn’t see him until my shift was over. Unfortunately, my wish didn’t come true.
“Seraphina, are you really not considering dating me officially?”
Kael’s voice suddenly came from behind me as I lifted a dumbbell to clean it. He was so close, it felt like his lips were about to brush against my ear. Startled, I dropped the dumbbell. The ones used in this gym weighed at least 5 pounds, and I could feel the heaviness in my hand. Now, it was plummeting toward my foot. If it hit, I’d definitely get hurt.
Damn it, Kael! Why did he have to sneak up on me like a ghost, without making a sound? In that split second, a thousand thoughts raced through my mind. But the pain I expected never came. Kael grabbed me and pulled me back. The dumbbell hit the floor with a dull thud, while I was yanked against the wall.
My back pressed against the cold surface, the chill seeping through my clothes and sending a shiver down my spine. In front of me, Kael radiated heat. The contrast was stark. Honestly, I’d rather be pressed against the wall than have anything to do with Kael. But he pinned my shoulders against it, effortlessly trapping me.
At that moment, he looked at me like a predator, as if he might devour me whole. “Seraphina, don’t push me away,” he said. “I can accept keeping things the way they were, but I can’t handle you distancing yourself from me.”
His hands cupped my face, and he pressed his forehead against mine. We were so close that I could see the pleading in his eyes. He looked like a dog abandoned by its owner, wagging its tail pitifully, hoping I’d take him back. For a moment, my heart felt like it was being squeezed, tight and suffocating. I actually felt sorry for him.
But soon, I laughed at myself for even thinking that. Who was Kael? Whether as a human or a werewolf, he was far more powerful than ordinary people like me. Even as a werewolf, he probably had plenty of werewolf girls vying for his attention.
“Kael, give me one reason. Why do you like me?”
“What if I told you it was love at first sight? Would you believe me?”
“A playboy like you, falling for me at first sight?”
“Yes. Not just me, but my wolf too. You smell sweet, Seraphina.” As he said this, he leaned in and kissed me. But unlike before, he didn’t deepen the kiss. It was as if he knew I’d be angry, so he only brushed his lips against mine before pulling away. Still, his hands remained on me, refusing to let me go.
His words shocked me. So, Magnus was right? They were drawn to me because of my scent? But I couldn’t smell anything unusual about myself.
“Is… is my scent that strong? Even Marek was attracted to it?”
Kael nodded.
“Why is that?”
“I’m not sure. I just feel like you’re not ordinary. Lately, a lot of monsters have been drawn to your scent. That bear you met in the woods? It was because of you.” He paused, then added, “That’s why I had Marek stay close to you, to protect you.”
My eyes widened, and my breathing quickened. What the hell was going on? I’d lived 19 years as an ordinary person. But now, a werewolf was telling me I wasn’t normal? If I wasn’t human, then what was I?
“Am I a monster too?!” I gasped, staring at Kael.
Seeing how agitated I was, Kael pulled me into his arms and stroked my back. He kissed the top of my head and said, “No, Seraphina. Don’t panic. This is just a theory. If you weren’t human, I’d sense something more complex about you. But so far, I haven’t.”
Still, his words didn’t comfort me.
“I feel so confused.”
“It’s okay, Seraphina. Take your time to process everything. Take your time to accept me. But please, don’t push me away so harshly, okay?”
I covered my face, shaking my head. “Kael, don’t pressure me… I don’t want to get involved with werewolves.”
“But Seraphina, I haven’t hurt anyone,” Kael sighed. “Can’t you try to understand me, little by little?”