The Unwanted Bride Of Atticus Fawn

~CLARA~

My cheeks are red as I openly stare at a fully naked Alaric Prince in front of me.

I place a hand over my mouth to cover my surprised scream as I rush out of the door and run straight down the stairs.

Why do I keep embarrassing myself like this?

But more than that, why was Alaric so damn sexy?

I didn't think anyone could look as good as him. In the past, I always knew Carter was good-looking while we were dating, but Alaric was on another level. He had this aura about him that screamed sex.

My body shivered at the reminder of his rock-hard chest and.. He wasn't even erect, but it already looked like a masterpiece.

Clara! Get a hold on yourself! He's off-limits, remember?

"What's wrong with you?" Scarlett asks me as she spots me at the bottom of the stairs.

"Oh, nothing." I lie.

I didn't want to tell my sister that I'd just seen Alaric completely naked.

"Did you tell Alaric that Carter wanted to talk to him about something?" She asks me.

Oh no. My eyes widen in surprise. I forgot why I'd gone to his room to begin with.

I'd knocked a few times and hadn't gotten a response. Then I shouted that I was coming in and still got no response. So, I waited for two minutes before opening the door.

The last thing I expected to see was Alaric without any clothes. He'd definitely just come out of the shower.

Should I tell my sister that I saw him but forgot to mention it to him? Or should I lie and say I never went to his room?

"Never mind," Scarlett says suddenly. "He's already walking down the stairs; I'll let him know myself."

I freeze at her words.

I refused to look at him after what I'd just seen. I didn't want him to think that I was some pervert.

What if he thinks I intentionally barged into his room to see him without any clothes? I could feel the blood rush to my cheeks.

Was there a single day that I wouldn't embarrass myself this badly? So far, I'd embarrassed myself more than three times before him today.

"Alaric!" I hear my sister say his name. "Carter wanted to see you about something. He's in the study room; he asked for you to meet him there."

His scent paralyzes me when he walks past me to the study room.

"You're acting a little weird today," Scarlett notes. "Are you sure everything is okay?"Belonging to NôvelDrama.Org.

I sigh, "I just had another rough day at the academy."

Her gaze softens, "I'm so sorry about everything, Clara. I can't believe they're still giving you a hard time about everything. If we could move on from the past, why can't they also?"

"That's just how they are," I inform her. "They won't leave me alone until a new rumor or scandal pops up."

"I'll let Carter speak to them!" She hissed.

"It's okay," I assured her as I guided her to a chair. "I won't let them bother me, I promise. I'm more concerned about your health. How are you feeling?"

She leaned back against the chair and sighed while rubbing her tummy, which grew more prominent daily. "It's been a bit difficult. I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I never thought it would be like this. I hate not being able to go to the academy with you."

"It's okay," I promise her. "Jenna is a good company; you should know since she was your best friend before she became mine."

She chuckles, "Are you trying to steal my best friend from me, or is my best friend trying to steal my sister from me?"

I roll my eyes, "no one can steal me from you."

"Did you happen to see Autumn today?" She asks me.

I nod, "I spoke to her like you asked me to."

"And?"

"Elsa is still hiding at their home," I inform her. "I'm not sure how long they can keep hiding her; the Cage family is going crazy trying to find her."

She nods, "I know. Jagger Cage visited our home today."

My eyes widen, "he did?"

She nods, "he asked if we knew anything, but of course, we lied to him."

"I'm surprised he came here," I confess. "They must be getting desperate to find her."

She nods, "I want Elsa to be happy, but if her family finds out that the Fawns are keeping her hidden, that will only lead to another battle."

Scarlett was right. They would freak out if they found out the truth.

For now, we had to hope that they never found out where she was.

My breath hitches when Alaric walks back in with Carter. My eyes found him, and he held my gaze briefly. In those seconds, I could feel myself grow wet between the legs.

What the hell was happening to me? Why did I have such a strong reaction to this man?

He drags his gaze away from me to answer what Carter asked.

"Is something going on between the two of you?" Scarlett whispers. "I'm sensing a lot of tension."

I shook my head immediately, "nothing at all." I assure her.

There was absolutely nothing between Alaric and me. I don't think there was a chance for anything to happen, either.

I knew the kind of man Alaric was. He was very noble and would never consider dating a woman his younger brother once dated. He also wouldn't do anything inappropriate while still married to Nicole, even though he already filed for a divorce.

That was just the kind of man he was. And I wouldn't want him to be any other way. His outstanding qualities are what drew me towards him, to begin with. I would never want him to change.

However, a small part of me wished that he could break the rules a little, but just for me, no one else. . . Only for me.