Scarlet had kissed Brett.
Not just a scene partner in Literature class-but Brett Blackwood, star quarterback and newly minted heartthrob of Silverthorne University. And while her lips had met his, her body still burned for someone else.
Alec.
She could still feel his eyes searing through her skin, even after class had ended, his quiet fury cloaked behind that composed exterior. But it was the kind of fury that came from somewhere deeper-somewhere primal. Possessive.
The kind that made her stomach twist.
But she didn't owe him anything. Not yet.
---———-
As gym class wrapped up and students began to file back toward the locker rooms, Scarlet broke away from Brett with a casual "see you later" that barely masked the fire still buzzing beneath her skin.
She didn't head for the girls' locker room just yet. Instead, she wandered across the field toward the cheer gym doors, flipping her ponytail over her shoulder and exhaling slowly. The sun was starting to dip, casting golden light across the field and catching on the faint shimmer of sweat across her skin.
Practice would be starting in minutes.
She didn't mind though-cheer was where she could breathe, where she could move and think and feel without someone watching her every second.
Except someone was watching.
Alec stood at the edge of the main building, still partially in shadow. His expression unreadable. She felt his gaze on her like a magnet, drawing across her spine. She didn't look his way. Not directly. But she knew he saw her.
Scarlet pushed open the double doors to the cheer gym, the air-conditioned room a sharp contrast to the fall heat outside. Inside, her squad was already warming up-some stretching, others chatting and scrolling on their phones.
"Let's go, girls!" she called out.
Scarlet dropped her bag by the bleachers and rolled her shoulders as she joined the rest of the team. The flips, the tosses, the rhythmic claps and beat of her cheer shoes against the mat-it all dulled the noise in her head. The confusion. The ache. The thrill.
Still, her mind flashed with moments from that day.
Brett's breathless laugh beside her on the track.
Alec's cold fury in the classroom just hours earlier.
The way both of them looked at her like they knew her, like they wanted her.
And she didn't know who it was beating for more.
-----
Cheer practice unfolded like any other as they took it out to the field-Scarlet barking counts, calling flips, catching her team as they soared through the air. But she was aware of Brett standing at the edge of the field, stretching in his sleeveless shirt, tossing glances her way between reps.
He winked at her once, right after she landed a tumbling pass. She rolled her eyes but didn't stop the blush that crept to her cheeks.
Ana noticed. "Playing with fire," she warned under her breath.
Scarlet smirked. "Feels like home."
And just then-she felt him.
Alec. Watching from the bleachers. He wasn't trying to hide it anymore. His aura pulsed like a second heartbeat in the air, radiating heat and sharp frustration. His arms were crossed, legs spread, face unreadable.
But his eyes-
Those eyes screamed jealousy.
Scarlet stretched slower than necessary, arching her back just enough to let Alec see the lines of the tattoos along her lower spine. She didn't know why, she did it.
Maybe she wanted to hurt him back.
Or maybe... she wanted to be claimed.
-----
The sun hung low in the sky, casting elongated shadows across the campus as Scarlet made her way toward the library. The events of the day still lingered in her mind-the kiss with Brett, Alec's piercing gaze, and the unsettling encounter with Reenie. Each memory pulsed like a heartbeat, echoing in her veins.
As she approached the library steps, a familiar scent wafted through the air-citrus and cedar, tinged with something darker. Brett. Her pulse quickened, a mix of anticipation and apprehension knotting in her stomach.
"Scarlet," his voice called out, smooth and confident.
She turned to see him leaning against a column, arms crossed, a smirk playing on his lips. The setting sun cast a golden hue on his features, highlighting the mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Didn't expect to see you here," she said, trying to keep her voice steady.
"Thought I'd catch up on some reading," he replied, pushing off the column and walking toward her. "But seeing you is a pleasant surprise."
She rolled her eyes, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth despite herself. "Always the charmer."
He stepped closer, the space between them shrinking. "Only for you."
Their eyes locked, the tension between them palpable. Memories of their kiss surfaced, sending a flush to her cheeks.
"I should get inside," she murmured, breaking the gaze.
Brett nodded, stepping aside to let her pass. "Don't let me keep you."
As she ascended the steps, she felt his eyes on her, the weight of his gaze sending shivers down her spine.
------
Inside the library, the cool air was a stark contrast to the warmth outside. Rows of books stood like sentinels, silent witnesses to the turmoil within her. She found an empty table near the back and settled in, hoping to distract herself with research.
But focus eluded her. Thoughts of Brett, Alec, and the mysterious changes in Reenie swirled in her mind. The lines between right and wrong, desire and duty, blurred.
A sudden movement caught her eye. Looking up, she saw Alec entering the library, his presence commanding as always. Their eyes met briefly before he looked away, heading toward the stacks.
Scarlet's heart pounded. The air seemed to thicken, charged with unspoken words and unresolved tension.
Moments later, Alec approached her table, a book in hand.
"Mind if I join you?" he asked, his voice low.
She nodded, gesturing to the seat across from her. "It's a free country."
He sat down, placing the book on the table. Silence stretched between them, filled with the weight of everything unsaid.
Finally, he spoke. "About yesterday..."
Scarlet looked up, meeting his gaze. "What about it?"
He hesitated, then shook his head. "Never mind."
Frustration bubbled within her. "You can't just start a sentence like that and not finish it."
Alec sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's complicated."
"Try me," she challenged.
He leaned forward, his eyes intense. "I care about you, Scarlet. More than I should. But this... whatever this is between us, it's dangerous."
Her breath caught. "Dangerous how?"
"Because it makes me vulnerable," he admitted. "And in our world, vulnerability can be fatal."
Scarlet reached across the table, placing her hand over his. "Maybe vulnerability isn't always a weakness."
Their eyes locked, the moment stretching, charged with emotion.
Suddenly, the library doors burst open.
Reenie stumbled in, her eyes wild, her body trembling.
"Help me," she gasped, before collapsing to the floor.
Scarlet and Alec rushed to her side, the moment between them forgotten as a new crisis unfolded.
Scarlet made a snap decision. "Lucia's bakery. It's close. I know what herbs she keeps in the back and it'll help Reenie."
Alec nodded, not questioning her. He lifted Reenie into his arms, and together they disappeared into the shadows.
-----
The bakery was dark except for the faint glow of a streetlamp spilling through the front windows. Scarlet unlocked the door with a key Lucia had given her years ago-"just in case"-and they slipped inside.
The air smelled faintly of cinnamon and honey, though the ovens were cold. Alec laid Reenie gently across a cushioned bench near the back, while Scarlet rummaged through a cabinet in the herb preparation area.
"She's burning up," Alec murmured, kneeling beside her.
Scarlet found what she needed-dried elderroot, feverfew, and crushed moonberry bark-and quickly mixed the herbs into a paste with warm water from the kettle.
"She's in between shifts," Scarlet whispered, brushing Reenie's damp curls from her forehead. "Something's disrupting the rhythm. It's like her wolf and her human side are at war."
"She needs rest," Alec said.
"She needs balance," Scarlet corrected, gently pressing the salve to Reenie's temples and chest. "And someone who won't give up on her."
Reenie groaned faintly, but her pulse was already beginning to slow.
"Sleep," Scarlet whispered. "You're not alone anymore."
-----
Once Reenie was resting, Scarlet finally let out the breath she'd been holding.
Alec leaned against the counter, watching her with something softer than his usual guarded stare. "You're good at that," he said.
"At what?"
"Taking care of people."
Scarlet gave a small laugh. "Must be all those years of pretending I wasn't broken myself."
He didn't answer that. Just kept watching her, his crimson gaze flicking to the flour-dusted cabinets, the mixing bowls stacked neatly beside the sink.
"I'm starving," she said suddenly, brushing her hands on a towel. "Want something sweet?"
Alec lifted a brow. "What kind of sweet are we talking?"
She smirked. "The kind that makes you forget the world's falling apart."
Scarlet set to work, pulling ingredients from memory. Flour, butter, sugar, cinnamon. She moved around the space with ease, barefoot now, hair tied up, sleeves rolled high.
Alec didn't speak-he just watched.
When she was done, she pinched a warm piece from the pan and turned, holding it up to him.
"Try it," she said, stepping closer.
He did, leaning down slightly. Her fingers brushed his lips as he took the bite.
A slow exhale escaped him. "That's dangerous."
She smiled, a little breathless. "Told you."
The silence that followed was charged-thick with everything unspoken. Alec's gaze lingered on her mouth, and Scarlet's heart skipped a beat. Her fingers dropped to her side, but she didn't step back.
They were too close.
He reached out, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Scarlet..."
Their faces were inches apart now. One more breath, and they'd collide.
But then-
A soft groan from behind them.
Reenie stirred, shifting on the bench.
Scarlet blinked, reality slamming back.
"I should..." she started, stepping away.
"Yeah," Alec murmured, straightening. "We should get her home."
They moved quickly but quietly, neither speaking as they helped Reenie out of the bakery and into Alec's car.
But the weight of that almost-kiss followed them into the night.