Chapter 19 Morning After
|| Lilac’s POV ||
The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the pounding in my head. It felt like a pack of wolves had decided to throw a rave inside my skull, complete with strobe lights and a bass–heavy soundtrack. Every dull throb was a reminder that last night had been a very bad idea. I groaned, squeezing my eyes shut as I tried to block out the cruel assault of sunlight sneaking through the cracks in the curtains.
The second thing I noticed was the warmth.
Not the cozy,
blanket–wrapped kind of warmth, but the solid, muscular, very much alive kind. An arm, a very male, very strong arm, was draped over my waist, holding me in place as if I belonged there. My heart stuttered. A slow, steady breath tickled the back of my neck, and the familiar scent of pinewoods filled my senses, rich and intoxicating. My stomach did an uncomfortable flip.
Oh. No.
My eyes flew open, and I froze.
Alaric.
He was still asleep, his face relaxed in a way I had never seen before. The usual sharpness in his expression was gone, replaced by something almost boyish. His dark hair was an absolute mess, sticking up in places as if I had run my fingers through it, oh goddess, had I? And his jawline, normally clenched with tension, was softened in sleep.
And he was ridiculously handsome.
Which was so not the point right now.
Panic hit me like a bucket of ice water, dousing any remnants of warmth or drowsiness. What the hell did I do last night?!
My brain, in all its hungover glory, decided to finally supply me with flashbacks.
Alaric’s hands on my skin.
His lips tracing fire along my neck.
The way he had whispered my name, his voice raw with something I didn’t want to name.
I groaned again, this time out of sheer, soul–crushing mortification.
I needed to get out of here.
I shifted, attempting to slip out from under his arm, but as soon as I moved, I realized something far worse than my aching head or my questionable decision–making skills.
I was naked.
As in, no clothes.
As in, completely, utterly, horrifyingly naked in bed with Alaric.
I clamped my mouth shut to stop the very dignified scream that nearly burst out of me. Instead, I sucked in a breath, my entire body locking up as if that would somehow make me invisible.
Okay, okay, think. Think! Maybe, maybe, I had just stripped down to my underwear? I peeked under the blanket, praying for some kind of miracle.
Nope. Not even a shred of dignity remained.
Heat flooded my cheeks, followed quickly by a fresh wave of why, dear moon goddess, why?
I carefully lifted Alaric’s arm, only for it to tighten around me like a steel trap.
Oh, come on!
I carefully extricated myself from his hold, wincing as the movement sent another wave of throbbing pain through my head. My wolf, usually so quiet and reserved, stirred in the back of my mind, her presence stronger than I’d ever felt in past few days.
Oh, now you show up? I thought, glaring at the ceiling as if she could see me. Where were you last night when I was making questionable life choices?
She didn’t respond, but I could feel her amusement, a faint ripple of laughter in my mind. But she was still dormant.
Great, I thought, rolling my eyes. Even my wolf, who is half dormant, half alseep, is judging me.
I glanced back at Alaric, who was still asleep, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. Part of me wanted to stay, to curl back up against him and forget about the world for a little while longer. But the rational part of my brain knew that I needed to leave. Things were complicated enough without adding this to the mix.
I slipped out of bed, my movements slow and careful as I gathered my clothes from the floor. My dress was crumpled, and my shoes were nowhere to be found, but I managed to piece together something resembling an outfit. I cast one last glance at Alaric, my heart doing a weird little flip as I took in the sight of him. This is going to be a problem, I thought, shaking my head as I tiptoed out of the room.
The cool morning air hit me like a slap in the face as I stepped outside, the crisp breeze doing little to ease the pounding in my head. The parking lot was mostly empty, the faint hum of the city in the distance the only sound breaking the silence. I spotted Elara leaning against her car, her arms crossed and a knowing smirk on her face.
“Well, well, well,” she said, her tone dripping with amusement as I approached. “Look who decided to show up.”
Elara.”
She laughed, the sound bright and teasing. “Oh, I’m definitely starting. You disappeared last night with a certain mysterious wolf, and now you’re sneaking out of the bar looking like you just had the best night of your life. Spill.”
I rolled my eyes, though I couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at my lips. “It’s not what you think.”
Elara raised an eyebrow, her smirk widening. “Really? Because it looks exactly like what I think. You were all over him, Lil. I mean, I didn’t even know you had it in you.”
I groaned again, leaning against the car as I tried to ignore the heat creeping up my neck. “It was the alcohol,” I muttered, though even I didn’t believe it.
Elära laughed, shaking her head. “Sure, it was. And I’m the Queen of England. Come on, Lil, who was he? And don’t even think about lying to me.”
I sighed, knowing there was no way I was getting out of this. “It was Alaric,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
Elara’s eyes widened, her jaw dropping open in shock. “Alaric? As in the Alaric? Kael’s brother? The one everyone says is cursed?”
I nodded, bracing myself for the inevitable lecture. “That’s the one.”
Elara stared at me for a moment, her expression a mix of disbelief and concern. “Lil, do
idea what you’re getting yourself into? The rumors about him… they’re not exactly flattering. any What’s with you and the Reventhorns?”
you
have
I shrugged, trying to play it cool even though my stomach was doing somersaults. “I know the rumors. But he’s not what people say he is.”
Elara raised an eyebrow, her tone skeptical. “Oh, really? And you know this because…?”
“Because I’ve spent time with him,” I said, my voice firm despite the uncertainty swirling inside me. “He’s not the monster everyone makes him out to be.”
Elara sighed, shaking her head. “I hope you’re right, Lil. But just… be careful, okay? The last thing you need is another Alpha drama.”
I nodded, though I couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at my lips. “I’ll be fine, Elara. Trust
me.”
She studied me for a moment, her expression softening. “You’re really into him, aren’t you?”
I hesitated, my mind racing as I tried to find the right words. “I don’t know,” I said finally, my voice quiet. “But there’s something about him… something I can’t ignore.”
Elara smiled, her tone teasing. “Well, if nothing else, at least he’s hot.”
Send Gifts
Elara grinned, linking her arm with mine as she led me to her car. “Come on, let’s get you home before you do something else reckless.”
I rolled my eyes, though I couldn’t help the warmth that spread through me at her words. “Thanks, Elara. For everything.”
She smiled, her tone light and teasing. “Anytime, Lil. But next time, maybe try to keep the drama to a minimum, okay?”
I laughed, the sound echoing through the quiet morning air. “No promises.”
As we drove home, the sun rising over the horizon, I couldn’t help but feel a flicker of hope. The future was uncertain, and things with Alaric were… complicated, to say the least. But for the first
time in a long time, I felt like I was in control. And that was enough.
