"So, what does this mean for me?" Violet’s voice was edged with panic as she stared at Alaric. "Does it mean that I’m not human?"
"I don’t know," Alaric admitted, clearly frustrated with himself.
"Wait a minute..." Violet’s eyes widened as a thought struck her. "Am I a werewolf?"
"I don’t seriously know!" Alaric snapped, throwing his hands in the air.
"How can’t you know that? You’re supposed to be the smart one! You should know everything!" Violet’s exasperation bubbled over as she glared at him.
"Well, I don’t know everything, Violet Purple! I’m not a fucking computer!" Alaric shot back, his voice rising.
The tension between them was intense for a moment before Violet caught herself. She took a deep breath and rubbed her hands down her face. "Fuck... I’m sorry," she muttered an apology.
Her tone was softer as she continued, "I’m not trying to be a bitch, okay? It’s just... I’ve spent my entire life believing I was human. And now, suddenly, nothing feels normal anymore. Ever since you cardinal alphas barged into my life, it’s like everything I thought I knew about myself is being unraveled."
Alaric calmed down as well. "No, it’s alright. You’re just confused and scared. You’re questioning everything, and that’s understandable. And for all we know, you might still be human, just... a human who’s immune to lightning."
Violet scoffed at the idea. "That doesn’t sound very human, does it?"
Alaric shrugged, his lips quirking in an awkward half-smile. "Maybe you’re like one of those old-world superhero stories. You know, like Superman? He was human, wasn’t he?"
"Superman was from another planet," Violet corrected, crossing her arms.
"The Flash, then?" Alaric argued. "He got his powers after being struck by lightning while standing next to some chemicals, I think."
"Really?" Violet raised an incredulous brow, giving him a look that screamed disbelief.
"It sounds stupid, I know," Alaric admitted, looking away and scratching the back of his neck.
Violet sighed and ran a hand through her hair, trying to process everything. "You really don’t think I’m a werewolf?"
"You don’t smell like one," Alaric said bluntly. "Humans smell like humans. Werewolves smell like werewolves. It’s how we recognize our kind. Trust me Violet when I say you don’t smell like a wolf at all."
"Great," Violet muttered sarcastically, shaking her head. "Now I’m questioning whether I smell weird."
Alaric chuckled softly, the tension in the room easing slightly. "You smell fine, Violet, even for humans."
Violet arched a brow, a teasing smirk on her lips. "And how would you know that?" She let out an exaggerated gasp, her tone mockingly scandalized. "Alaric Storm, have you been sniffing me out like some kind of weirdo?"
Alaric laughed, shaking his head. "I haven’t done that. But if you want me to..." He leaned in suddenly, his face nearing hers as though he was about to scent her.
Violet burst into laughter, her amusement filling the room. "You’re ridiculous!"
Alaric laughed along with her, but as the sound faded, the atmosphere in the room suddenly shifted. It was subtle in the way the air grew heavier, the way his gaze softened yet burned all at once. He leaned in closer again, and this time, his deep inhale was on purpose.
"You smell amazing," he murmured, his voice husky and low.
Violet froze, her heart hammering wildly in her chest. She tried to ignore the way her pulse quickened, but then he added, "Do you know that werewolves mark their prospective mates on the neck? And you, Violet Purple, have one insanely creamy neck."
Oh fuck. What was she supposed to reply to that?
The intensity in Alaric’s tone, paired with his words, sent a shiver down her spine. Unlike the other alphas, Alaric wasn’t typically flirtatious. But when he was, it was devastating.
Violet’s brain screamed at her to back away, to regain control of the situation. Unfortunately, another scathing thought screamed just as loudly: She’d kissed Asher an hour ago. She couldn’t—no, she wouldn’t—kiss Alaric. She wasn’t Elsie.
Elsie was the one clearly lusting over the four cardinal alphas. Surely, she — Violet — had liked them at some point when she didn’t know them better. But that was all it was all. A crush. She was not the type of girl to play around with different boys at the same time. It was not normal behavior.
But then Alaric began leaning in. Fuck her life. She needed self control here!
By sheer grace, Violet placed a hand on Alaric’s chest—his very solid, very muscular chest. The universe was really not helping her right now —and tried to gather her scattered thoughts.
"Alaric, I don’t think—"
He kissed her.
It was a soft kiss, a fleeting brush of his lips against hers, but it left her stunned.
Violet swallowed hard. "This is a bad idea..."
He kissed her again, lingering this time, his lips firmer and more insistent. When he pulled back, his gaze locked onto hers, waiting for a reaction.
"There are so many reasons why we shouldn’t—"
He silenced her with another kiss, this one deeper, more commanding, making it impossible to think straight. When he pulled back again, his breathing was uneven, his eyes dark with desire.
Oh, screw this. He wasn’t going to get her all hot and bothered and leave her hanging like that.
Violet grabbed his face and smashed her lips to his. Whatever consequences awaited her for kissing two alphas in one night could deal with themselves later. Right now, she wanted this. And clearly, so did he.
She pushed him against the nearest shelf, sending books and gadgets toppling to the floor. Neither of them cared. The kiss was fiery and wild, their tongues tangling as Alaric growled low in his throat. The second her lips parted for him, his tongue stroked against hers, and she responded by sucking gently on it, eliciting a deep, guttural moan from him that reverberated through her entire body.
Just as the heat between them reached a fever pitch, a thought hit her like a cold bucket of water.
Violet abruptly pulled back, her breathing ragged as she met Alaric’s hooded gaze. "What if I’m a witch?"
Alaric groaned, throwing his head back in visible frustration. Was she seriously kidding him right now?