The Unwanted Bride Of Atticus Fawn

~ALARIC~

She fucking skipped my class today. I tried not to notice it, but it wasn't easy. The second I entered the room today and didn't see her, I was uneasy. I checked the door multiple times, waiting for her to arrive, but she never did. Clara was not the type of girl to skip classes. It made me so worried to the point that I called Carter to ask about her. He was initially confused as to why I was asking about Clara, but I convinced him that it was an essential class that she missed. Then Scarlett told me that she was pretty sure that Clara attended the academy today but skipped my class.

Her words prompted me to ask the other professors if she attended their classes. And then I was told that she was absent for all.

Seeing her every day always brightened my dull life; I looked forward to it, and the one day she never showed, my whole world felt like it was flipped upside down.

I angrily slam my truck door shut as I exit the garage. I wasn't thinking clearly.

The only thing that kept me going was my hope of seeing her tonight. I knew that she would be here for Scarlett. She wouldn't miss it for anything.

On top of everything, Nicole never attended the Academy today, either. I never got the signed divorce papers that she promised to give to me. It made me worry.

Did she intentionally not show up? Was she avoiding me so she wouldn't have to give me the papers? I wanted to believe her when she said she signed them, but it was hard to believe after everything she's done.

That was just a tiny part of my problems. My biggest one was the fact that I couldn't get Clara's kiss out of my fucking head. Every time I closed my eyes, it was all I could think about. It was so bad that I never slept at all last night. I kept my eyes wide open for the entire night. My body was burning for her touch. It was fucking insane.

As I storm into the house, the first person I see is Carter.

"What the hell is up with you?" he demands when he lays his eyes on me. "You look like someone took your last plate of food."

"Not now, Carter," I growl.

He quirks a brow, "something is up. Talk to me. Tell me what's wrong. We can play a game of basketball outside to help ease the stress that I know has to do with Nicole. There isn't anyone else in your life to stress you out besides her."

He was so wrong. He knew nothing about Clara and me, and I planned on keeping it that way. But what was there even between the two of us? It was nothing. It was just a kiss, nothing more. Clara was drunk; she kissed me, and I got a bit carried away. There was nothing to tell or worry about. I was positive that she was thinking about Carter despite what she may believe. But that still wouldn't explain why she had my shirt on her bed. I swallowed hard as I remembered the way she clutched it to her chest as she slept.

Fuck.

Get her out of your mind!

I was a damn fool even to believe those earlier thoughts. I knew damn well that it was more than just a kiss. So much so that I was almost terrified of the full moon. I was usually worried about it in the past, but this time, I was in a fucking mess just thinking about it.

There was no telling what I would do to get to her. I saw what Carter was capable of doing when he started going wild over Scarlett. I knew that I was capable of much more.

"Alaric?" My brother calls my name once more.

My gaze snaps to his, "yeah?"Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

"You didn't hear a word I just said to you, did you?" He asks as he shakes his head. "You've been a little out of it these past few days. It reminds me of myself when I started hooking up with Scarlett."

He pauses for a second, "don't tell me you're interested in someone now that you and Nicole are most likely divorced?"

My jaw clenches, and before I can give him an answer, I see the woman who's been driving me crazy since she kissed me.

I turned to face her properly despite what my brother would think when he saw me gazing at her. I couldn't fucking hold it back. I wanted to see her.

The second her eyes fall on me, I see the panic in them.

I frown.

Why was she nervous?

Did she remember everything from that night?

Was Clara avoiding me? Is that why she skipped my class today?