It’s Funny How Love Starts (IFHLS Book 1)

Alexia’s POV

The most annoying thing is to wake up feeling all groggily and nasty. Today was one of those days.

I was still in my ripped dress and my body was still weak and sore. I tried stretching my body to get my blood up and running but I felt something on my thigh.

“Hey, shhh. Hold still,” I heard Lucas’ voice before I saw him. I opened my eyes and saw him tending the small wound I got from yesterday.

He had a small pack of Neosporin and was applying it on my thigh. I thought the wound would’ve healed by now but I guess it was worse than I thought.

He worked quickly and efficiently on my thigh, making sure the wound was neatly covered in Neosporin. When he finished, he wiped the remains of the medicine on his designer jeans. I squinted at how much that must’ve cost.

Even before, I had enough money to spend on anything but I was raised better and had to earn money through chores like any other kid. Obviously Lucas hadn’t learned those etiquettes. Judging from his maturity, he probably learned how to do business as soon as he could talk.

“Feel better?” Lucas asked but his eyes seemed to be worlds away, distracted.

“Yes, a lot better, thanks,” I replied, thanking him.

“The Elders just left town to do some business and making sure the werewolves have all calmed down,” Lucas said, briefing me on everything.

“Oh, I though Amos was supposed to be with me twenty-four, seven,” I said, getting up from bed. Although my thigh didn’t seem to hurt as much, I still felt that morning grogginess. I felt a little thirsty too.

“Well, he trusts us unlike the other Elders so he’s being more lenient.” That was nice for a change. I hated how the Elders were all up in my case yesterday.

“So what kind of adventure do we have for today?” I asked, mildly cheerful.

“Hey, don’t worry, we’re getting out of this mess,” Lucas soothed, brushing my messy hair aside. I don’t think I believed his words. How can you run away from a prophecy? He sighed, unable to trust his own words. We sat there in bitter silence thinking about how our problems went from trying to get me marked and mated to end of the world destruction. Suddenly, a realization hit me.

“Crap, I fainted didn’t I?” I asked, forgetting all about yesterday’s incident. Something dark stirred in me as if reliving what happened yesterday. Anger filled me and I had an urge to push Lucas and start a fight. If he never had come in the first place, I wouldn’t be in this mess. It was after coming to his house that all these problems emerged. These thoughts played out in my head and I acted on anger by pushing Lucas hard and by the surprise in his eyes, he didn’t know I was capable in that much strength.

He lost his balance but he was a quick and deadly. He quickly recoiled my attack and looked at me in confusion. “What was that, Alexia?”

What was that? I also had a hard time understanding what had happened. The anger still lingered in my thoughts but now the feeling of guilt overwhelmed me. What have I done?

“P-please, stay away,” I quivered, trying to get as far away from him as possible. I didn’t want to harm him.

“Alexia-”

“Please!” I curled up on the bed, my back plastered to the backboard in the attempt to stay far away from him. There was so much panic and urgency in my voice that made me even more scared than I already was. Kill. Kill. Kill. The voice taunted me and if it had a face, it would have been smirking at me.

“NO!” I yelled, burying my face between my legs. I couldn’t take it anymore. The voice was coming from somewhere inside my head and I wanted to destroy it.

“Alexia, calm down. You can do this,” Lucas whispered. Somehow through all the voices, I didn’t notice Lucas holding me on the bed. “Shhh, think about something happy. Cast out any dark feelings and rebuke the darkness,” he instructed while stroking my hair.

I tried to do what he told me to and thought of something I was surprised to even think of. My mind went back to the time when Zane and I fell asleep on the couch and mom took a picture of us while we were sleeping. It had happened before the party, before the fire, before everything in my world turned upside down.

It was a blissful memory and the feelings I had: happiness, love, compassion casted out my feelings of anger that held me. Slowly I felt the anger melt away and the only thing I could think of was how mom looked with her one sided grin and Zane’s laughing face.

Feeling all those mixed emotions at once had concluded with me crying. I had let the darkness overcome me even if it was for a minute and the memory of my mom and the cheerful face of Zane had tug my heart into forming lumps in my throat.

“Alexia, you’re OK now. It’s over.” Lucas continued to soothe me, putting encouraging words in my ear until I had stopped crying. I was breathing heavily and shaking but it could’ve been worse if Lucas hadn’t been there.

He held me between his legs, my back to his stomach and he gently placed his head on my shoulder. It was quiet moments like these that I treasured and cherished with Lucas. Ever since our lives met together, it was all hate and fighting but it was nice to just take one step back from everything and share something nice like this.

“I wish we can be stuck in moments like these,” Lucas sighed, lifting his head and planting a kiss on my cheek. It seems like he didn’t need to go scourging my head to know what I was thinking about. We were in sync with each other.

“Hm,” I sighed in agreement. My skin tingled from the lightest brush of his lips on my skin.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

I turned my head around just in time to catch his next kiss. He was taken aback at first but he recovered, taking charge as usual. My whole body turned so we were facing each other and he deepened the kiss, gently tilting my head with his hand for a better angle. He gently pushed me to my back with him on top of me and continued to kiss me. As our kiss continued, I tugged on his shirt, attempting to pull it off but I was experienced. Heck, I was still a virgin but that feeling of loneliness wanted something more. Someone to love me.

He chuckled probably reading my thoughts and helped me take his shirt off. His body never ceased to take my breath away and I felt my heartbeat skyrocket.

Lucas didn’t waste any time. He found the zipper of my tattered dress and eagerly took it off leaving me in my bra and underwear. I didn’t know what was supposed to happen next. Not only have I never been in a bed with a guy but I never exactly kissed one too.

Lucas saw my hesitation and immediately stopped. His head snapped up and he rolled off of me and out of bed.

“What’s wrong?” I asked. Suddenly, I noticed how little clothing I had on and felt embarrassed and ashamed. Stupid me.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have treated you that way,” Lucas said, gritting his teeth, angry at himself. He looked the other way, ashamed of what he had done.

“What are you talking about?” I asked, confused. It felt…good.

“I didn’t treat you with respect. I treated you like I treated with every other slut I’ve been with in the past,” he said honestly. He continued to beat himself mentally and I felt that in his mind.

“I’m sorry too.” At that he turned to me confused. “We shouldn’t do this again,” I said, getting up from bed and grabbing a comfortable t-shirt and jeans from my bag of clothes. I think I created an awkward atmosphere but I didn’t want us to be in an uncomfortable situation that might damage whatever relationship we were in. Geez, way to start a morning.

“Agreed,” he said. I think his short reply surprised me more than his previous shock.

I felt a little pain in my heart because he agreed so easily but I simply nodded and we left it at that but I couldn’t shake the pain in my heart away.