Chapter 71: Emergency Rush I
Charis
I was curled up on Kael’s bed, watching him at his reading table with growing curiosity and lazily tossing popcorn into my mouth.
It was his idea for me to stay on his bed; he wanted to be sure I was in his line of vision, and I thought it was funny.
It was nearly 9 pm, and he was hunched over his textbook, but I noticed he was barely turning the pages—the same observation I’d made in the cafeteria earlier. That small notebook from before was positioned next to him, and every few minutes, he would glance between it and the textbook, tracing words with his finger like he was trying to decode some secret message.
Several times, I wanted to walk over and ask if he needed help, but something held me back. Even I could tell something wasn’t right, and with the way he was trying so hard to look focused, I suggested this was deeply personal territory I shouldn’t intrude upon without invitation.
Or maybe because my mind had been drifting back to Rhett—and the kiss.
I couldn’t stop thinking about it. The softness of his lips, the way he cradled my body like it was the most precious thing he’d ever held. The way his desire had pressed against my thighs and how he’d groaned in response when I kissed him back.
The kiss had warmed me up in ways I hadn’t expected, and surprisingly, I didn’t feel guilty about it. Not for that kiss. Not even for the one with Kael. Or Slater. I’d kissed three Alphas in less than three weeks, and yet, instead of shame, all I felt was...warm. Wanted.
Like, for once, I wasn’t just a pawn.
While I was still lost in these thoughts, Kael stood up from his desk and came to where I sat on his bed. I looked up and flashed him a smile.
"Hi," I waved playfully.
He dropped onto the space next to me with a heavy sigh. "I’m exhausted," he said, reaching into the bowl of popcorn beside me.