Chapter 72
~ NYSSA
Thankfully, Eric did exactly as I asked.
Whenever people were around, he was stoic and cold, like the guards I saw around the palace, but when it was just us… he was back to his normal self.
He spent the day camped out in the office Aria had given to me, his legs kicked up on the coffee table. He helped himself to snacks in the breakroom and I could’ve sworn I saw him flirting with a few of the staff.
“Can you turn up the air con?” I asked, tugging at the neckline of my tank top.
Contrary to Leah’s words, it didn’t get colder. If anything, it got stuffier and warmer. The sun was out with a vengeance and despite ditching my jacket, my skin was still warm.
“Sure,” he said, eyes roaming over me slowly. “Are you sure you’re good? Your face is red p>
“I’m hot,” I ground out. “I don’t know how you stay in those leathers all day. It would be unbearable for me p>
“Maybe on a warm day, yes, but it’s not that bad today p>
I scoffed.
It was worse than bad. I’d never felt so uncomfortable in my life.
He adjusted the air con like I’d asked and lowered himself back onto the couch, eyes tracking my every movement.
For a while, the air con made things better, but it must have been fucking broken because within a few minutes, the discomfort came back. At that point, I knew it wasn’t his fault so I sucked it up and threw all my attention into my work, trying to ignore the fact that I wanted to peel my skin off.
The door to my office opened an hour later and Aria walked in. “Nyssa, are you—why the hell is it freezing in here p>
I scoffed, throwing my hands up in disbelief. “You all must be insane if you think it’s freezing p>
Her nostrils flared as she stepped further into the room. She made her way over to me and gently placed the back of her hand against my forehead.
“You’re burning up. Are you sure you’re not coming down with something p>
“Wolves don’t fall sick, Aria,” I said plainly. “Our immune system will kill whatever virus gets in before it even has the chance to take root. You should know that p>
She rolled her eyes. “I do know that but she turned to Eric. “You were right, maybe we should call a doctor p>
I turned to Eric in shock. “You told on me p>
He didn’t even seem remorseful. “I was worried p>
I stood to my feet sharply. The heat was bad enough but the fact that they’d discussed me behind my back only added to my growing annoyance.
I needed to get the hell out of the office before I said something I’d regret.
Aria was quick to reach out to me but I side stepped her. “Where are you going p>
“I’m going for a walk,” I snapped. “Or do I need to run that by you first p>
I bumped into someone hard before she could respond. My skin ached from the contact and a loud curse left my lips.
“I’m so sorry,” I mumbled, trying to take a step back but before I could, a hand wrapped around my wrist tightly.
I looked up to find one of the interns from the accounting office. I’d seen him around a few times but we’d never spoken before.
His hair was cropped short and his eyes were so dark that they almost appeared black.
“You can let go of me now,” I said slowly, trying to tug my hand out of his grip but he wouldn’t let go. “Did you hear me p>
He stepped closer, his body nearly touching mine. It was as if he couldn’t hear me. I tried to pull back from him but he was stronger. He shoved me back hard into a wall.
Everything happened so fast I barely even had time to scream.
He was so close, his scent filling my nose and making my stomach churn when suddenly he was ripped away from me.
A large looming figure stood over me and I barely got to see Eric’s fuming expression before he turned to the boy with a low growl.
“Are you insane?” he snapped. “What the fuck is going on p>
Aria was at my side in an instant, checking over me for injuries and asking if I was okay but my attention wasn’t on her, it was on the intern.
He blinked rapidly, his eyes wide with shock and shame. I couldn’t help but notice that his eyes were now a soft brown color and not the deep black I’d noticed earlier.
“I’m so sorry,” he whispered. “I don’t know what came over me. I didn’t… I’m so sorry p>
“What do you mean you don’t know what you were thinking?” Eric growled low. “You grabbed her and pinned her p>
“Eric!” Aria snapped, cutting him off. “I don’t think it was his fault p>
Eric turned to her in disbelief. “What do you mean? You saw p>
“I know what I saw,” she hissed. “I also know what it looks like. I wasn’t sure before but… fuck, I think I am now. I need to get her out of here and you need to find my brother p>
Eric clenched his jaw stubbornly. “I’m not leaving her p>
Aria sighed, running her hands through her hair as she tugged me towards the elevator. “I know this is your job but p>
“This isn’t about a job,” Eric cut her off. “I’m not going to leave her like this. Not when she’s fucking sick p>
I opened my mouth to tell him I wasn’t sick but before I could, Aria cut in. “You’re going to have to because I don’t know that I can fight you off if it comes down to it p>
“Why the hell would you need to fight me? You’re not making any sense right now p>
“I don’t know why you’re not affected yet, but you will be soon. She’s in heat p>