Chapter 34: ³⁴: sneaking in

"What... what do you mean?" I asked, not understanding what Maria being fine had anything to do with us.

"I mean..." He looked at me as if he was searching my face for something. "...Now that Maria is completely fine and out of danger, I am still very much interested in our friendship."

I stared at him in disbelief not believing what I was hearing and then an unbelievable thought came to my mind. "You mean you want me to believe that you saved Maria using your blood only because you wanted to prove to me that you weren’t behaving like that last night because you thought I assumed you no longer had Maria to fawn over?"

I was speechless by his audacity. What did he even think of me? He had used such an intimate method to save Maria. Now she would be even more convinced that she was meant to be with Louis, and he was standing here trying to convince me that he had done all of that only to prove that Maria wasn’t the reason he had approached me.

"Yes," Louis answered, looking genuinely confused. "Wasn’t that the reason you gave me last night for not believing that I suddenly wanted to start a friendship with you?"

As he spoke, he casually reached his hand toward my face. I immediately slapped his hand away.

"Listen, Mr. Dreven." I pointed a finger at his chest, my eyes blazing with anger. "I said that because I wanted to knock some sense into your head and make you understand that I would never even look at someone like you."

"Not because I wanted you to prove anything to me."

"After the way you treated me during the first few days at this academy... after the way your eyes look every single time you stare at me... even if the entire Empire stood before me and swore that you sincerely wanted to be friends with me, I still wouldn’t believe a single word."

I jabbed my finger against his chest. "I have seen too many two-faced people in my life already, so don’t ever grab my hand or talk to me like you have any right over me."

I shoved him away before turning around and pulling the washroom door open to get away from all this weird thing.

Just as I stepped outside, I heard something crash loudly behind me. Whether he had punched the wall or kicked something... I didn’t care.

Without looking back even once, I walked out of the academy, sending Rose a quick text to let her know I was fine.

I slammed my room’s door shut before throwing myself onto the bed, still fuming over whatever Louis Dreven had been trying to achieve.

Seriously... I already had enough problems on my plate. I didn’t have the time or the patience for whatever game he was planning.

Speaking of the things already on my plate... I rolled onto my back, staring at the ceiling as my thoughts drifted toward Kael.

After everything that had happened between us yesterday... He hadn’t tried to contact me even once.

Yeah, I know I never gave him my number... But come on! If he could have people investigate my entire background within hours, then getting my contact information should have been the easiest part.

I groaned before grabbing my hair. Just remembering how I had behaved with him last night made me want to bury myself alive.

I had been stuttering. Blushing.

Getting flustered over every little thing.

I was supposed to be the one leading him.

I was supposed to make him lose control.

Instead, I had acted like a complete virgin.

Okay.

I was still a virgin.

Which was honestly a little embarrassing. But... At least that was better than the alternative. If I hadn’t been one anymore... That would have meant I had lost it to Harry which would be even worse. The very thought made my stomach twist in disgust.

I immediately shook my head. "Nope. Not thinking about that." I sat upright before clapping both hands against my cheeks.

"Okay, Athena." I nodded to myself. "Enough rolling around. Get up and get to work. You have to do the thing you are here for. If he isn’t coming to me..."

"Then I’ll go to him."

"Bitch!" I hissed under my breath as I finally managed to climb over the balcony railing of the enormous mansion, scraping my elbow against the stone in the process.

I rubbed the sore spot while glaring at the railing as though it had personally offended me. Then I quickly looked around. Did anyone see that?

Fortunately... Being ridiculously powerful had one unexpected advantage. Kael apparently didn’t feel the need to surround his mansion with an army of guards.

There were only a few watchmen patrolling outside and some household staff moving around inside. Sneaking in was surprisingly easy.

I quietly climbed into the room before carefully looking around. Seeing no one was around I let out a relieved sigh.

"So..." I whispered to myself as I slowly looked around the room. "This is where Alpha Kael Dreven lives."

The room practically screamed luxury. Well... It had to. This was the mansion of the Alpha of the Starlight Empire. More importantly... It was his room.

My eyes wandered across the shelves until they landed on a framed photograph hanging on the wall. I walked over to it.

"So this is what you looked like when you were my age."

The picture showed a younger Kael standing proudly beside his Dravera.

Honestly... There wasn’t much difference between the Kael in the photograph and the Kael now.

The only change was that the man had grown even more mature... More masculine... And— more HOT.

... I blinked. Hot?

"What are you thinking, Athena?" I muttered, smacking my own forehead. "Focus."

"You have a very peculiar habit of sneaking into my personal spaces, Miss Moonvel." The deep voice behind me froze every muscle in my body.