Marcus pulled up to the towering iron gates of his mansion, the gates slowly swinging open to reveal a sprawling estate. Alina's eyes widened as they drove through, taking in the perfectly manicured lawns, the elaborate garden with its colorful array of flowers, the sparkling water fountains, and the impressive fleet of luxury cars parked in front of the massive house.
Alina turned to Marcus, who was watching her reaction with a slight smile. "Your house is really big and beautiful," she said, unable to hide her admiration.
"Thank you," Marcus replied, his eyes twinkling as he looked at her.
She noticed his gaze lingering. "Why are you staring at me like that? Is it because I said your house was big?" she asked, puzzled.
"Well, not really," Marcus said, shrugging. "I was just wondering if you had never been to my house before."
"No, this is my first time," she confirmed, glancing back at the mansion.
"Really? Not even for the parties I sometimes have? I invited almost half of the school," Marcus said, his surprise evident.
Alina turned to him, eyes wide. "No, you never did."
"Huh. Must have slipped my mind. Come on, let's go inside."
They walked up the grand steps and through the ornately carved front doors. The inside was even more breathtaking. The entrance hall was vast, with marble floors that gleamed under the chandelier's light. State-of-the-art electronics and elegant furniture filled the space.
Every piece of decor, from the paintings on the walls to the tables and chairs, was chosen with impeccable taste.
Alina stood there, her mouth slightly open as she tried to take it all in. A maid appeared silently beside her and asked if she would like any refreshments. Startled, Alina declined with a polite smile.
As the maid left, Alina turned to Marcus. "Are your parents around?"
"My dad's still at work, and my mom's traveling in Europe. Paris, to be exact," Marcus replied casually.
Alina shifted uncomfortably, suddenly aware that she was alone in this vast mansion with Marcus.
Just then, a tall, muscular man in his mid-forties, dressed in black, entered the room. He walked over to Marcus and, with a deep, respectful tone, addressed him as "Alpha Marcus."
"Please, I need to speak to you in private. It's urgent," the man said.
Alina looked at the man in surprise. Why was he addressing Marcus as "Alpha"? Then she thought, Marcus must have made his father's employees call him that after watching too many werewolf films. She shook her head and laughed quietly to herself.
Marcus turned to her, eyebrow raised. "What's so funny?" he said.
She quickly covered, "Oh, just thinking about a movie I watched recently."
Marcus nodded, not pressing further. "Wait here for a moment, Alina. I need to speak to him in private."
"No worries," she replied, watching as they walked into a nearby room and closed the door behind them.
Alina sat in the living room, the soft ticking of an ornate clock the only sound. She glanced at her watch, realizing it was getting late.
Deciding to remind Marcus, she approached the door and raised her hand to knock. But she paused when she heard something that sounded like a man crying.
Curiosly, she leaned closer, pressing her ear to the door. Marcus's voice came through clearly, stern and commanding.
"There is no forgiveness for betraying the pack, Ben. You know what to do."
Alina's heart raced. What had she just overheard?
"Should we do it here or maybe..." a voice said. She guessed it was the very tall man speaking.
"Shhh, I think someone is listening in," Marcus said, to Alina's surprise.
Alina's heart skipped a beat. She immediately fled from the door, hurrying back to her seat. Moments later, the door swung open, and Marcus emerged with the towering man following close behind.
"You can go," Marcus told him. The man bowed his head before leaving the house.
Alina watched in surprise. Why was he bowing his head to Marcus? And what were they discussing? Part of her wanted to ask Marcus, but she didn't want him to find out that she had been listening in on their conversation. So, she decided to put what she had just heard out of her mind. "I bet it's nothing," she said to herself, trying to convince herself.
Marcus noticed her distraction and snapped his fingers in front of her face. "What are you doing? You've totally forgotten yourself. Let's go," he said, leading her to a sweeping staircase.
"Where are we going?" Alina asked, her feet dragging as she followed him reluctantly.
"To my room, of course. Do you expect me to show everyone that someone was doing my homework for me?" Marcus responded with a playful smirk.
Alina stopped at the foot of the stairs. Glancing around the vast and empty space.
"Wait a minute, are you afraid that I might do something to you? You are such a pervert," Marcus teased, wrapping his arms around himself in mock horror.
Alina's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "What do you mean, pervert? I am just being careful," she responded defensively.
Marcus laughed, shaking his head. "Yeah, right. What did you think would happen? That I will do something with you? Eww!" He continued, still acting disgusted. "You see, let me make it fully clear to you, you are not my type."
"Whatever," Alina muttered, still feeling a bit offended. "You are also not my type. Now, can we go?"
"Yeah, let's go," Marcus said, chuckling to himself. He led the way up the grand staircase, knowing that he had finally convinced her to follow him. The halls echoed with their footsteps as they made their way to his room.
When they reached his room, she was taken aback. The room was neat and organized, far from the chaotic mess she had expected. It was three times the size of her own room.
Marcus quickly retrieved his books from his bag and handed them to her. Alina settled herself at a chair and table in a corner, opening the book to start working on his homework.
"I want to take a short nap. Once you're through, wake me up so I can give you half of your book as I promised."
"So, you're leaving everything to me," Alina said, frowning. "Whatever. What was I expecting from a blockhead like you?" she muttered, feeling irritated.
After a few minutes, she glanced up to see Marcus sprawled on his bed, already fast asleep.
She shook her head in irritation,"Lazy bum," she mutters again to herself.
After forty minutes, Alina was done with the assignment. She approached his bed to wake him but hesitated. The thought of finding her scrapbook and running away with it suddenly flashed into her mind.
Not wasting any time, Alina put her thoughts into action. She tiptoed to his wardrobe and searched inside, but the scrapbook wasn't there. She then moved to his bookshelves, but it wasn't there either. Frustrated, she was about to give up when she spotted a little drawer next to his bed.
Tiptoeing gently so as not to wake Marcus, she approached the drawer. She opened it slowly, and fortunately, the scrapbook was inside. Excitedly, Alina took out the scrapbook and was about to close the drawer as Marcus's eyes fluttered open, and he caught her hand, pulling her onto the bed with him.
She found herself lying beside him, his eyes locking onto hers. Her heart pounded, and she blushed furiously.
Marcus's grip was firm yet gentle as he held her close. "Caught you," he murmured, a playful glint in his eyes.
Alina tried to pull away, but his gaze held her captive. She could feel the warmth of his breath on her skin, and her own breath quickened. "Marcus, what are you doing?" she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.
He chuckled softly, his grip tightening just a little. "I was just curious to see what you'd do. Were you trying to steal the scrapbook?" he asked.
Their faces were inches apart, and Alina's heart raced even faster. She didn't know whether to push him away or to stay. The moment stretched on, charged with unspoken emotions, until she finally found her voice.
"Marcus, this is crazy," she said, trying to sound stern but failing miserably."The scrapbook is mine. How can I steal what belongs to me?"
He smiled, his eyes never leaving hers. "But it was yours, past tense. It now belongs to me," Marcus said with a smirk, his tone unsettling.
"Okay, I heard you. Leave me alone. I want to go. I'm sorry for trying to take the scrapbook," Alina pleaded, trying to get him to release her. She blushed deeper, her thoughts a whirlwind of confusion and unexpected feelings.
"No, I don't want to," Marcus replied with a grin. "I did not know how beautiful you were. I can stare at you forever," he teased.
Alina blushed deeply again, feeling even more uncomfortable. She didn't want Marcus to know she was attracted to him, but her face was betraying her. He affected her easily, and he knew it.
"Marcus, I need to go back. It's getting late, and my dad will be home any moment now," Alina urged, trying to escape the situation.
"Do you have to go? Can't you stay?" Marcus insisted, bringing his face closer to hers. "I really want to—"
Before he could finish the sentence, the door flung open. "Marcus, what are you doing?" his mother's voice filled the room.
Startled and shocked, Marcus landed on the floor, and Alina sprang to her feet. Marcus looked up to see his mother, surprised.
"Mo…mom, are you home?" Marcus stammered, as Alina glanced between them in panic, uncertain of the next action