Chapter 5 Good night, Lucy

She couldn't sleep. Maybe it was because she was in the same bed as him-his broad shoulders just inches away-or maybe it was because her brain kept tweaking on the fact that he said she would sleep with him.

Her mind darted from one thought to the next, but mostly, it lingered on the abandoned music sheets in the other room. Should she sneak out and get them? Even if she did, her keyboard wasn't here. No way to practice. Her lips tightened with frustration as she turned again, and again, unable to find a comfortable position or the urge to sleep at all.

Professor Kain. She couldn't let him win. She'd made it this far with no one's help, her parents didn't even know. In fact, they couldn't ever know she ran away to get involved in the human world. If they found her, they'd drag her back into the woods for the mad Alpha to claim.

"Never slept in a man's bed?"

Kyle's voice ripped through her thoughts-disarming, disorienting, scattering everything in her mind like leaves in wind. She froze, held her breath, his presence suddenly too loud, too real.

Then an idea struck her. Fast. She slammed her eyes shut and faked a snore, one loud, obnoxious, and entirely unconvincing.

"Unbelievable," he whispered in awe, part gasping, part grinning as he propped up on his elbow to get a better look. "I should ravish you asleep right now. Such plump lips..."

He leaned in closer, too close, his breath hot on her skin. She wanted to melt into the bed, vanish between the sheets, clench her fists and disappear. She hoped, desperately that he wouldn't ravish her. Especially not like this.

His index finger traced her cheekbone-then her neck, then her lips. Gentle. Intentional. Curious. It made her squirm, made her ticklish, made her want to shrink from the burn of his touch.

"So pretty..." he murmured, his voice dark with hunger. "With hardened nipples poking through your silk nightie. Oh, I wish I could taste them right now..."

His mouth dipped low, close enough that she could feel the warmth of it ghosting her chest.

Close.

Closer.

He could see her muscles tense, her eyes clenched shut, her face drawn so tight he wondered if she was even breathing, and he was right. She held her breath like prey caught in a trap. It was almost too much-amusing, yes-but he forced himself not to chuckle.

Then he leaned in, brought his lips to her ear, and whispered, "Or perhaps I should take what you offered-without wasting any more time..."

The speed at which she shot out of the bed startled even Kyle. He blinked. She moved like lightning, like survival depended on it. And for the first time in a long time, he felt something that looked vaguely like... embarrassment. No girl had ever left his bed so fast. Not one. And for a moment, just a moment, it made him wonder if she ever wanted him at all. Maybe her offer had been nothing more than a ploy, a tactic to shake his brother off her scent.

"No. It's not possible. I can't do that," she said, panting slightly, sweat on her brow, her arms trembling like she thought he might leap out of bed and force himself on her.

He scoffed. "You threw yourself at me..."

"That was then-"

"And now?"

She bit down on her lip, uncertain. Torn. She didn't know what to say, or how to say it.

"I don't want that anymore. I'm actually... not like that. I was in a complicated situation. A desperate one."

Kyle knew he shouldn't feel angry. He shouldn't feel anything. She didn't owe him. He hadn't claimed her. She was free. But still, the rejection burned. Why did he want her to still want him? Why was he angry that she no longer wanted to use him?

He leaned back against the pillows, arms crossed.

"And you're free of this... situation?"

Lucy blinked, startled by the weight of his question. It wasn't that she wanted to use him anymore. Something had shifted. She couldn't explain it, but somehow, she'd decided not to put him in harm's way. And more than that, she wanted to hold onto her virginity, at least a little longer.

"No. I'm not," she said honestly. "But it's better now. And... I'm sorry I threw myself at you. You're just... not even my type."

Kyle froze.

Then slowly, he turned to her with a look like she'd just insulted his entire bloodline. "I'll take every excuse from your lips," he said carefully, "but not your type? Girl, I'm everyone's type."

A beat.

He cringed. "Okay, that sounded narcissistic. I'm sorry. It's fine, Lucy. I'll let you sleep. Matter of fact, I'll sleep on the floor."

What a gentleman, Lucy thought, if only for a second until it hit her. She was the intruder here. She was the one who should be sleeping on the floor.

"No! I'll-errm-I'll sleep on the floor. I love the floor."

The moment that ridiculous lie left her mouth, she shuddered. It was a cold night. No one in their right mind could love the floor in that kind of weather. And Kyle's expression said it all, judgmental and amused.

"Does your mouth move before your brain accesses its sensibility?" he asked dryly.

She let out a scratchy laugh and shook her head. This human. She could take him down at any moment if she wanted to. He didn't know how lucky he was. To her, he was pitiful, handsome, yes, but a weak, pitiful human who needed protecting from her kind.

"You should thank your stars I'm in a good mood," she said haughtily, shaking her head as she lowered herself to the floor. The second her skin touched the icy tiles, she winced, but cleared her throat instead, feigning nonchalance.

Kyle raised a brow. "Enjoy the floor, with the rats and cockroaches. I'm happy to take the-"

"What!? Rats and cockroaches!?" she shrieked, already on her feet, jumping like the floor had turned to lava. Werewolf or not, she was still a girl, and vermin were a universal horror.

"I-I think I should return to my old room," she said, dancing on her toes.

Kyle stared, arms folded, mouth half-open in astonishment. She amazed him. Absolutely amazed him.

"You're scared of rats and cockroaches?"

"What? Yes-I mean no. I just... I like my room. I like sleeping alone and..."

He shook his head slowly. "So much for playing tough."

"I wasn't playing-"

"Lucy. Sleep on the damn bed," he ordered firmly, but with a smirk at the end. No menace. Just enough bite to make her obey without question.

And somehow... she did.

"Good night," she muttered, rolling comfortably back onto the bed, yanking the covers over her head like nothing had ever happened.

Kyle shook his head again, but this time, in total amusement. She was something else. It had been a long time since he'd enjoyed a girl's company this much. Honestly? He was beginning to consider asking her out again. A proper date. He wanted to know the real Lucy, what made her laugh, what made her tick. What she liked, what she feared. Her hobbies. Her secrets. Her type.

He needed to unravel the mystery that was Lucy, and he knew full well how much trouble that could bring if his brother found out about his involvement with her.

But he didn't care.

For once, he needed something in his life that mattered, something unscripted, something alive, and Lucy had waltzed in with all her fire, all her contradictions. He wasn't going to let her go. Not like the others. He wouldn't ship her off to her parents like some fragile thing that needed saving. No, he'd protect her himself. He wanted to.

And unlike those other girls, the ones who'd sensed what he was and trembled the moment they saw him, Lucy actually thought he was human.

She trembled because she was trying not to want him.

That made all the difference.

He watched her settle beneath the covers, her hair peeking out like a stubborn thought.

"Good night, Lucy," he said softly, with a warmth he didn't expect from himself.