Avice's eyes swept sideways, taking in the people passing by. They seemed to pay less attention to them, they were all walking with their heads up, high and straight.
"We're outside". She said, bringing up her hand to push him even if she knew he wouldn't budge.
"Don't worry, they won't look at us". He replied, his thumb still skimming her throat.
"What does that mean?" She asked but then her brain answered the question before he could. He wasn't even attempting to answer the question judging by the way he just smiled. Seeing his smile up close made her already wild heart flutter and another lump went down her throat. "Let them watch". She told him and he quirked a brow.
Avice knew he had stopped the people from focusing on them but a part of her wanted them to watch how close Rex was to her. She wanted them to see how intently Rex was staring at her. She wanted them to see that he was caging her and that they were all wrong.
"Why?" He asked, his gaze constantly sliding down to her lips. "If it's to prove what you told them a week ago, I think you need more than this to show them".
"What do you mean?" She asked and in response, his eyes fell on her lips, his thumb moving up to caress them as well. He wanted to kiss her, it was evident in his eyes. Avice wanted to decline but another idea slipped into her head. She could actually strike a deal, she'd let him kiss her and he'd tell her his own side of story. "What will I get in return?"
He smiled, the hand on her neck leaving to slide an invisible hair behind her ear. "That's cunny. What do you want?"
Avice gulped, the tip of her tongue sticking out a little to draw in her bottom lip that Rex dried with his eyes. She chewed on it as she phrased the question in her head, his eyes growing hungrier as he stared at her movement.
"You'll tell me your own side of story, why you were cold towards Eliana". She said, searching his eyes for declination but instead, he seemed amused, as if liking the idea.
"It'd take more than a kiss to tell you that".
"Then what—" She paused, her eyes growing big the moment realization hit her. Her hand came up to tug him and thankfully he moved, his smile growing bigger like he loved the way she flushed. "You're sick. Why would I do that?"
"Because you're curious". He replied. "It's not a bad idea anyway".
"Yeah, in your dreams". She almost rolled her eyes, her cheeks still burning red from his words. He must be drunk to think she'd have sex with him for a piece of information that was not her business in the first place. If she wanted to have sex with him, it wouldn't be because of anyone. It would be because she wanted it and not because she wanted to get something out of it.
"You'd be surprised we've tried that multiple times in my dreams".
"Did I bite your dick? I'm fucking sure I did". She said, hoping he'd dismiss the subject because she had started imagining it in her head.
"No, you didn't. Do you want the details?" He cocked his head, amusement still vivid in his eyes.
"No, thanks". She shook her head, knowing her brain would take it upon itself to keep slipping the images in her thought.
"Well, that's sad". He shrugged.
"Will you just tell me, I think I deserve to know". She pushed and the amusement in his eyes disappeared. From his expression, Avice knew he didn't want to talk about it and what she hated more was letting someone's old wound bleed. But what could Eliana have done to hurt him so much? "It's fine if you don't want to tell me".
Of course it's not!
Somehow, seeing his expression blank was no different from getting stabbed in the chest or leaving a hole that could never be filled in her heart and she wished she could hate how much his silence bothered her. His change in mood was caused by her and it could only be fixed by her. As much as she wanted to know what really happened between Eliana and him, she didn't want to piss him off. because she had no idea how sensitive the matter was.
"Do you always sleep in your cabin?" Was the distraction her dumb brain could come up with. Seriously, she doubted if the brain in her head was hers. They probably just switched memories, leaving the brains behind.
"Why? Do you want to come?" The playful, teasing side of him was back and she wondered if he was always like that. Was the tense, cruel part of him a cover-up?
"A boy can dream". She replied, imagining all the women that had probably slept on his bed. When Avice looked around, she realised the evening had bled out and the moon was starting to sneak in. She bet Adeline had started worrying about her. The girl would never let herself a moment of peace. "I should start going back to my room".
"You haven't given me what I want. I can summon everyone to watch us if that's what you like". He reminded, his eyes coming to her lips again.
"Too late. I don't want to anymore". She replied immediately and started walking out on him.
He laughed. "No no, you didn't just say that". He snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her back to the wall. This time, he stepped in until his body was the one pinning her to the wall. Avice's heart drummed against his chest as he slid his finger under her chin, pushing her head up to look at him.
His face leaned down, stopping when his nose touched hers. She didn't know why he stopped but if it was to give her a last chance to back out before he kissed her, then he had probably overestimated her. There was no language her body wanted to understand at the moment and her hands didn't want to move either. It was like he commanded all her senses to stay still, she felt so powerless.
Rex's lips touched her softly and she shuddered when tingles danced down her spine. His right hand went to the back of head as the other one rounded her waist, tugging her off the wall and into his hard chest.
He parted her lips with his tongue, wanting more than just her lips. His kiss was soft and gentle until he found her tongue and he began to wrestle with it. The grip on her head hardened and his arm pulled her closer, squashing the butterflies in her stomach. Her hand made its way to his neck before crossing both of her arms behind it, tugging him lower while he kissed her like he couldn't get enough of her. Like she was going to disappear the next day.
They were both revelling in eachother lips like hungry thieves, oblivious to their surrounding and how people side-eyed them while walking by. The numbers of passers-by increased by seconds, not stopping to stare at them but Avice could hear them squeaking once they walked by.
Did he perhaps summon them like she wanted?
Stepping down a little, she placed her hand on his chest and broke the kiss. His eyes searched hers, not moving an inch away from her. Avice's stomach dropped in fear when she saw his eyes, dark and needy. And she didn't miss the way her thighs squeezed in response to his starving gaze.
Finding her voice, she asked, "did you—" Her head turned sideways, her eyes briefly locking with a passerby who instantly walked away. "—I told you it wasn't necessary".
The hand on her head trailed down to her cheek. "This is my way of telling them their body parts will be missing if they ever fuck with you". He said, his voice even deadlier than his eyes.
Avice's heart fought against her rib cage as she looked into his eyes. If she was right, then the man in front of her wasn't making an empty threat. He was serious about butchering anyone who messed with her and his eyes were living proof of it. She could almost smell the seriousness and it only intensified the sudden throb in between her legs.
She was no longer the Avice she used to know. She was no longer the Avice that could deny her attraction for a man. She was no longer the Avice that wouldn't think twice about breaking three bottles on someone's head for a touching her. Her sharp senses would blunt out at the sight of Rex and her blood would run thin with a single touch. Her reflexes would leave her and she'd find herself letting him do whatever he wanted.
"And no." His thumb skimmed her cheek. "I don't always sleep in my cabin. Probably twice a week when I have too much to do". He let go of her and stepped back and Avice almost dragged him back, not wanting to lose the heat his body provided, or the way his arm fitted perfectly around her waist.
God, she was going nut!
"Okay". She sucked in a quick breath and scanned everywhere. "I should probably get going". She said and bolted out of his sight before he could wrap his arm around her again. She doubted she wouldn't follow her heart and undress herself if he ever caught her again.
Avice didn't know how she got to the pack house or how she ignored the soft chuckles that grazed her ears as she walked by. She only wanted to jump on her bed and bury her face in her pillow. Her feelings were running wild for someone she'd end up leaving behind when her fate in the werewolf world hit a stop. He might not be feeling half of what her heart had chosen to let her feel for him.
He might just be toying with her.
"Eliana". Someone snapped from ahead. She looked up from the stairs to see Jordan leaning on her door and she managed to pull a smile at him. He didn't return her smile, infact, his jaw clenched harder and his face muscles tightened. It was the first time jordan was glaring at her and she didn't like it. "What happened?"
Instead of replying, he opened her door for her, gesturing her in. Avice hesitated a little, knowing he was probably angry because of the kiss with Rex but she kept quiet and walked in.
He walked in behind her and closed the door. "What happened". He asked.
"What happened what?" She answered cluelessly.
"Is it true what everyone is saying?"
"What is everyone saying?"
He drew in a sharp breath and ran his fingers through his hair wildly. "Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about".
"How do you expect me to know what's on your mind, Jordan. Just speak". She retorted.
"Did he kiss you?" He asked, his voice heavy as he said the words.
Avice's lips parted, wishing she could tell him no because she didn't want to see the look on his face. She knew how much Jordan loved Eliana and how painful it must be to watch someone you love kiss another man. To be honest, it happened one time in middleschool and she almost considered suicide as one of the ways to escape the torture.
"Yes. We did". She nodded slowly, taking in his expression. She was expecting him to grab her shoulders and ask her if he forced her or probably, kick the floor and hit the door but he did none of it. He only nodded, turned, and walked out of her room.
Avice sighed and walked to her comfort space—bed. She didn't want to think too much, she didn't want to feel. She only wanted to bury her face in her pillow for as long as she could.
Hoping when she opened her eyes, she'd be in her world and all the feelings and shit would be nothing but a sweet dream that felt too real.