AUTHOR'S POV. -
Entering the changing room, Ruby turned towards Lucian with her eyes flickering shyly and her lips stretched in a wide grin. Lucian rolled his eyes while turning to look at the other side."Lucian I-" "Mrs. Ruby, just because you're my mom's close friends daughter doesn't mean you can behave as you wish. I hope this is the last time or I have to take some actions against you." Lucian didn't let her speak as he spat all the word towards her with calm yet rude tone. Ruby's smile faded as she heard his every word. She frowned at him while Lucian didn't even turn to look at her and started to walk towards the door. "I hope you understand what I said and come to the shoot, before I replace you." Saying that, Lucian left the room with a fuming Ruby behind. "How dare he!!!" She gritted her teeth while staring at the door.
IN THE STUDIO -
Everyone was waiting for the model and Lucian to come out from the changing room. As they heard the footsteps coming towards the studio, everyone straighten their posture and stopped murmuring among themselves. Livie turned to look at the entranced and saw Lucian entering the studio alone. For a second, their eyes got locked which made Livie feel a different kind of emotion. Lucian's eyes stared at her in such a way that she couldn't understand the emotions behind them.
Livie diverted her gaze once she spotted Ruby coming behind Lucian. But he couldn't stop staring at her. The way she looked so gorgeous even in a simplest attire made his heart flutter. With great efforts, he diverted his attention towards Ruby who had a poker face. "I assume you got what I mean to say." Lucian whisper in a warning tone as Ruby looked at him for a second before going to stand on her spot. Everyone looked at her as she took her place. "Only Mr. Mitchell can handle her." Livie heard soms staff whispering but she decided to ignore them and focus on her work.
"Everyone, take your positions." Avian clapped his hands as everyone started to shuffle and get on their spots. Lucian went and stood in a corner to see the shoot. Many of the staff thought that he wanted to see Ruby's shoot, but only he knows for whom he was standing there.
Half an hour passed. Everything was going smoothly except Ruby's attitude. Just because Lucian was standing in the same room, she didn't burst or threw tantrums. But she made sure her acts will annoy Livie. She kept telling Livie how her angles aren't good and how she should improve herself. While Livie tried her best to ignore Ruby's attitude and focus on her work to make it done as soon as possible.
On the other hand, all this while Lucian's gaze didn't left Livie alone even for a second. He observed her every little move. Her hair falling on her face as she brushed them off, her biting her lips while concentrating on the angles, her earnings dangling every time she moved her head to remove her hair strands from her eyes. Everything about her made his heart beat raced and he couldn't get enough of her beauty.
Livie was feeling a constant gaze on her as her eyes roamed around the room to find two dark brown eyes staring at her way with a small smile on his lips. Her eyes mate with Lucian a few times but she ignored the thumbing in her chest and continued to do her job.
"I think this angle could be better if you take the picture from a little afar." Ruby said twirling her hair strand between her fingers as she stared at the screen where the pictures were displayed. Livie took a deep breath to calm down herself while Avian placed his hand on her shoulder. Livie looked at Avian as he pleaded her with his eyes. She sigh before looking at the screen. "Sure."
Livie stood at some distance as Ruby was at the centre, posing for the picture. The angle wasn't the best, so Livie tried adjusting it by moving back and forth. While doing so, she didn't noticed the wires tangled on the floor as she carelessly kept coming backwards until she felt her leg getting stuck in the wire. But before she could understand what's happening, she had already lost her balance. Her body reacted in reflex and she closed her eyes when she didn't find anything to hold on to. Some people gasp while some tried to come forward to hold her.
But before anyone else could hold Livie, a strong pair of arms held her waist and her nape preventing her from falling. Livie found something to hold on to as she gripped the fabric in her fist tightly with her eyes still closed while her other hand held her camera. Everything happened in a blink of second as all the people in the room stand still and stunned as they witness the scene in front of them. Feeling safe and secure in the embrace she was wrapped in, Livie could hear another heart beating as equal speed as hers. The grip on her waist was tight yet gentle. The scent entering her system made her feel dizzy and intoxicating. She felt herself getting addicted to that scent and didn't feel like pulling away.
"Oh God. Are you alright?" A voice broke the peaceful silence between two soules as Livie realised her position. She opened her eyes slowly and pulled away from the person she was holding. Her breath got stuck in her throat when she looked in the eyes of the person. Lucian stared back at her as his heart flutter when her eyes flicked between his eyes to his lips. His inner wolf jumped by holding her so close. He couldn't help but feel happy and excited from inside and unwillingly his eyes shone and turned red for a blink of second. But Lucian blinked multiple times while looking away from Livie, not to make her suspicious. But little did he know that she already saw the red spark in his eyes.
This time, it was her staring at him and his heavenly features. She couldn't remove her gaze from him. Her hand resting on his chest picked up the rate of his heartbeat which wasn't normal at all. No way a normal human heart could beat with that speed. Her eyes stared at her hand confusingly which was on his chest. "You're heartbeat..." She mumble with both concern and amusement which made Lucian to look back her. This time when their eyes mate, it was completely different than before. They stared at each other as if they both can read their soules through their eyes.
"Ahm!!" Both of them flinch when Ryan cleared his throat and looked away from each other. They realise that now every person in the room was staring at them. Livie felt her cheeks burning in embarrassment as she abruptly stood straight on her feet and removed her hand from Lucian's chest. Lucian made sure that she was fine and then only removed his grip from her waist even though his wolf didn't wanted to let her go. "Sorry and thanks." Livie whispered with her cheeks darkening in shade while Lucian internally chuckle seeing her flushed face. "It's fine. Just be careful." Lucian said making her look at him for brief seconds as she nodddd her head and turned around.
"Are you okay?" Avian asked when Livie reached to where he was standing as Livie just nodded her head, too embarassed to say anything. Avian also nodded and they started their work again.
Lucian who was busy gawking at Livie, got pulled out of the studio by Ryan as he took him to the other room of the same floor. "Ryan, what are you doing?" Lucian asked after reaching in the empty room as Ryan sigh and looked at Lucian. "Alpha, you can't loose control." Lucian's eyebrows crashed in confusion as he couldn't get what Ryan is trying to say. "What do you mean Ryan?" Ryan again sigh while flipping his hair. He looked at Lucian but this time with a serious gaze. "Alpha, if you let your guards down around her like this, then it won't take her long to know your real identity." Lucian was still confuse on how it is not good to show his mate his real identity. "And what's wrong in that? She's my mate. She needs to know about it." "But she's a human."
Lucian went silent as he saw Ryan's eyes which was full of frustration turned concerned. "Alpha. Even if she's your mate, she's a human. And we can't trust a human so easily. You know what have happened before. We still don't know much about her. What if she's not safe for us? What if disclosing our real identity to her is risk? How can you just accept her without even making sure that she IS your real mate?" Lucian understood Ryan's concern but he couldn't bring himself to doubt Livie. He felt the spark between them both. He felt the rushed of goosebumps when he held her. But he can't ignore the fact that Ryan said.
"Did you got her information?" Lucian asked making Ryan to stared at him. "Just a little more. I'll give you all her information." Lucian nodded his head and left the room with a heavy heart while Ryan stared at him fading figure.
Ryan felt bad for his Alpha. After all this year when he finally found his mate, it turn out to be a human. He wasn't agaisnt it, but their pack's safety is their first priority. And he can't ignore it. No matter what.
Lucian peeked inside the studio while going back and saw Livie busy staring in the camera. His eyes roamed on her face as he took in all her features. "I think we need to wait a little more, my moon." He mumble while glancing at her one last time before turning and walking away from the studio. While on the other hand Livie felt a gaze on her as she looked around but didn't find anyone. She shrugged her thoughts and tried concentrate on her work.
But she was unaware of the two gazes on her. One filled with love and admiration. While the other filled with hatred and disgust.
TO BE CONTINUE ||