Claire P. O. V
I took Ethan’s hand as he guided me into the room Lucy had set up for me. His hand was big, with long, strong fingers, and I could feel some calluses on his palms like he’d been lifting something heavy for a while.
The mansion was massive. When I decided to leave the room, I had no clue where to go, just wandering until I ended up in the backyard of that enormous place.
Not knowing how to return to my room, I stood there, lost in memories of all the times I shared with Sister Alberta and the rest of my family back in the dorm. Eventually, Ethan came looking for me.
Standing in front of the room Lucy had given me, I hesitated at the door, causing Ethan to look at me curiously.
“Do you need something?” he finally asked, noticing I hadn’t stepped inside.
“Are you heading back to your room?” My question made Ethan raise an eyebrow.
It seemed silly, and I could tell he thought so, too.
“Aren’t you scared of sleeping alone?”
“Honestly, yeah. I’ve never really gotten used to it. We always shared a room in the dorm with the other sisters. Sleeping alone was unheard of for us.
Ethan waited to reply. He just stared at me, lost in thought.
“I’ll ask someone to bring you a cup of tea, come in first-”
I instinctively grabbed his hand, trying to keep Ethan from leaving. Still, as soon as I realized how forward I was, I quickly let go, hoping he wouldn’t be upset about it.
“I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to do that. I just-”
“I’ll come with you. Just go on in,” Ethan replied, almost as if he felt he had no choice. I was being too casual, making him uncomfortable, and he just wanted to get it over with so I could head to bed and stop bothering him.
Completely unaware of this, I stepped inside with Ethan trailing behind me. The room was pitch black since I hadn’t turned on any lights since Lucy had handed it to me.
Ethan stepped inside and flicked on all the lights, instantly brightening the room and making it look nice. With the better lighting, I headed to the bathroom to wash my dirty feet, then returned to find Ethan sprawled out on the mattress, hands behind his head, resting on the pillow.
“Why are you looking at me like that? Just go to sleep; I’ll be here until you do,” he said.
“Is it just until I fall asleep?”
Ethan turned to face me, a playful grin on his face that made me a bit uneasy. “What’s the matter? Are you scared, or are you trying to keep me here with you?”
I quickly shook my head. He laughed and said, “No! Seriously, you can leave whenever you want!” I climbed onto the bed and settled in right next to him.
Now, I’m lying in bed with my Alpha. It felt strange and uncomfortable since Ethan was the first guy I’d ever had an intimate relationship with. It definitely felt more awkward than my first day with Hendrik.
I was feeling pretty wiped out, and my mind was all over the place, so I shut my eyes with Ethan right next to me. Just as I was trying to drift off, I felt his big hand wrap around my waist while the other gently pulled my head closer to him.
In my jumbled thoughts, Ethan started to release his pheromones, and suddenly, I felt a wave of calm wash over me. Before I knew it, I was out like a light.
When I woke up, Ethan was still shirtless, half his body tucked under a blanket.
Honestly, I can’t deny that Ethan is incredibly handsome. His muscles are perfectly defined, his facial features are strong, and he has an ideal face shape. His skin tone is just right-not too pale and not too dark-like a true masterpiece.
I didn’t even notice my hands wrapped around his waist, but I could catch a whiff of his subtle pheromone scent. I kept holding on, ignoring that it was morning and time to get up. That perfect moment was only broken by the persistent knocking on the door.
I tried to check who it was, but Ethan held me back. He insisted I stay put and keep hugging him.
“Just let it go. Stay here. I want to lounge until noon,” he said in that deep, husky voice.
His words embarrassed me because just as I was about to get out of bed to see who was at the door, I realized Ethan was awake, too. Did he know I was holding him? That thought made me cringe a little, feeling like I was being a bit creepy.
But the knocking didn’t let up, which was intriguing and uncomfortable. Then, out of nowhere, Ethan’s hand covered my ear, urging me to ignore the noise and not pay attention to whoever was knocking.
“What if it was Lucy?” I asked.
Ethan seemed to snap awake suddenly. He took a deep breath before lifting his head to glance at the door. He called out, asking what was going on out there.
“Who?”
“It’s me.”
I was right. It was Lucy’s voice. But honestly, I didn’t think Ethan would jump up without a fuss when she told him to.
Without a word, he pulled his arms away from me, got out of bed, and grabbed his clothes from the floor, quickly putting them back on. Then, he headed straight for the door. When he opened it, Lucy was looking stunning in a pastel purple mini dress made of silk satin that shimmered as she moved.
“You need to get going. Chen Lien is on his way here.”
“Chen Lien is coming, you say?”
“Yep, and he needs you to pick him up at the airport.”
“Why didn’t he call me?”
“Did you bring your phone when you left the room?”
Ethan shook his head. “Nope! I’m not going to the airport just to pick up that jerk. Just tell him I’m not going.”
“Come on! When he heard you were back, he left all his stuff in Hong Kong. You should get him and tell him you’re happy he’s coming to our Pack.” Lucy pinched Ethan’s hand, but he just smiled, acting like it didn’t bother him.
It wasn’t just a casual response to the pinch; when Lucy insisted he get dressed and head to the airport for someone named Chen Lien, Ethan didn’t argue. He went along with whatever Lucy wanted, chuckling as she spoke enthusiastically.
It seemed normal, but isn’t Ethan supposed to be an Alpha in this Pack? So why does Lucy act like they’re just two close friends?
“Oh, my … okay! Just hurry up, I’ve prepared breakfast for you, you definitely won’t miss the avocado toast, and a little roasted pistachios.”
“Wow, that’s my favorite. I’ll be down in five minutes, please also prepare a glass of soy milk, suddenly I want to drink it this morning.”
“With ice?”
“Of course.”
Breakfast is going to be a bit different today. Claire, you should come down too; breakfast is ready in the dining room. You can join Ethan after this. Let’s repeat it before we head out.
Lucy’s words seemed normal, but Ethan kissing her felt off. I should feel something about it, but I need clarification. Something’s bothering me, and I can’t shake off this jealousy.