Rejected By My Mate; Claimed By Lycan Quadruplets Chapter 48

Lisa's POV

I don’t think I have ever run that fast in my life. My heart was practically sprinting ahead of me as I bolted down the hallway, my boots pounding against the wooden floorboards. What the hell had I just done? I didn’t even give myself a second to process it; my body moved on pure instinct, like I had just committed a crime and the entire pack was out to arrest me.

I kissed Ash.

Oh, God. I kissed him.

Not just a brush of lips either. No, I had stood there like some deranged idiot, leaning into him, heart hammering as if I was desperate to breathe the same air he did. For a split second, his wolf stirred, and I felt something warm and dangerous in his energy, and I… I had liked it.

I practically crashed into my room, slammed the door shut, and leaned my back against it like I could hold off the embarrassment clawing at me. I dragged my fingers through my hair, yanking at the strands as though pain could erase the memory. “Stupid. Stupid. Stupid!” I hissed under my breath, sliding down the door to sit on the floor.

What was I thinking? Oh right, I wasn’t thinking. My brain had checked out the moment I saw him standing there, droplets of water sliding down his chest like something out of a forbidden daydream. My legs had walked me closer like they belonged to someone else, and before I knew it, my lips were pressed against his.

I squeezed my eyes shut tightly, like maybe if I tried hard enough, I could rewind time. But nope, all I saw was the exact image of Ash’s stunned expression when he gently pushed me away. He didn’t even look mad, which somehow made it worse. That soft, knowing look in his eyes burned a hole through me, making me feel like a foolish little girl. I screamed silently into my hands, rocking back and forth on the floor.

“This is how you die of embarrassment, Lisa,” I muttered. “Not by rogues or alpha punishments, but by your own stupidity.”

I had no idea how long I sat there sulking, but a soft knock at my door snapped me out of my spiraling thoughts. I jumped up like I was caught doing something illegal.

“Uh… yes?” I said, my voice way too high-pitched.

The door creaked open, and one of the young maids peeked in. She looked like she was trying to hide a smirk. “Kael sent for you,” she said.

Kael? My brows furrowed. Why would Kael want to see me? The guy barely talked to me aside from joking around during random encounters, and now suddenly he was sending for me like I was one of his recruits?

I nodded stiffly. “Tell him I’ll be there in a minute,” I said, trying to sound composed even though my nerves were buzzing like bees.

The maid’s smirk widened, and she left without another word. Great. Just what I needed—another round of being the subject of gossip in this pack.

I felt a sudden pressure in my lower stomach and groaned. Fantastic timing. “Okay, quick bathroom trip, then to Kael. Focus, Lisa,” I muttered to myself.

After taking care of the call of nature, I straightened my clothes and walked out of my room, determined not to look like the mess I felt inside. The corridors seemed unusually quiet, as if they too were holding their breath, waiting for me to trip over my own awkwardness again.

I reached Kael’s door and hesitated. My hand hovered over the wooden frame for a moment before I knocked. “Kael? It’s Lisa,” I called softly.

No response.

I knocked again, a little louder. Still nothing. Maybe he wasn’t here? I frowned and glanced around. The hallway was empty. Curiosity got the better of me, and I slowly pushed the door open.

The room was warm, and the faint scent of Kael’s cologne—something fresh and earthy—hit me immediately. His bed was half-made, with a few papers scattered on the desk. I took a cautious step inside, feeling like I was trespassing. “Kael? Are you here?”

Silence.

I sighed, deciding to leave before anyone saw me snooping. I turned to go, but just as I reached the door, I heard the creak of the bathroom door swinging open.

I froze.

And then Kael stepped out.

Completely. Naked.

I mean, there was a towel—but it was slung lazily around his shoulders, not his waist. His wet hair was dripping, water trailing down his chest and torso like it was deliberately trying to mess with my brain. I didn’t even know where to look. Actually, I did—I looked everywhere I wasn’t supposed to look.

“Oh—oh, sweet moon goddess,” I blurted before spinning around so fast I nearly fell. “I—uh—I knocked! Twice! You didn’t answer!” My voice cracked on the last word, which was just perfect.

Behind me, I heard his deep chuckle. “Relax, Lisa. I didn’t hear you. I was in the shower,” Kael said, completely unbothered by the fact that he was walking around like a cover model for ‘Alpha Warriors Monthly.’

I slapped my hand over my eyes like that would erase the image already burned into my mind. “Could you… you know… put something on? Please?”

“Why? Embarrassed?” he teased, and I could hear the smirk in his voice.

“No! I just—” I stopped because lying would be pointless. “Okay, yes, I’m embarrassed! Now, for the love of all things holy, get dressed!”

I heard him laugh again, low and warm, before he finally muttered something about finding his shirt. I stood there, facing the door like it was my only salvation. My face felt like it was on fire.

“Alright, you can turn around,” he said after what felt like an eternity.

I hesitated but slowly lowered my hand. He was standing there now with a simple t-shirt and sweatpants, looking annoyingly handsome and completely aware of the chaos he just caused me.

“You okay?” he asked with a lopsided grin, leaning casually against the dresser.

“Define okay,” I muttered, crossing my arms. “I was just here because you, apparently, sent for me. Or was that some kind of prank?”

Kael raised an eyebrow. “Prank? No. I just wanted to check on you. I heard you’ve been… having a rough time adjusting.”

His tone softened, and for a moment I forgot about the whole towel incident. “Oh,” I said quietly, unsure how to respond.

“You don’t need to look so nervous, Lisa,” he said, moving to sit on the edge of his bed. “I’m not going to bite. Unless you’re into that, which—”

“Kael!” I cut him off, horrified but also fighting a laugh. “Not funny!”

He chuckled, clearly enjoying himself. “Relax, I’m kidding. Mostly. Look, you don’t have to be so tense around here. Enzo might be a hardass, but the rest of us don’t bite unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

I stared at him, half amused, half confused. “Do you always talk like this?”

“Only when I’m trying to cheer someone up,” he said with a shrug. “So, how about I give you a tour of the training grounds tomorrow? Might help you feel less… caged.”

I hesitated but nodded slowly. “Okay… I guess.”

“Good. Now, unless you want to see me naked again, I suggest you leave before I change into something else.”

My face turned crimson. “I’m going!” I said, practically tripping over my own feet as I hurried to the door. His laughter followed me all the way out, making me want to both strangle him and… okay, maybe not finish that thought.