The Triplets’ Bookworm

CH 21 - AMBER

**AMBER POV**

The gasps and murmurs around us barely registered as I pounded my fists against his broad back. “Put me down, you caveman!”

The scent hit me before I could process anything else—woodsy, fresh, intoxicating. Too good.

My stomach dropped.

Alek. AGAIN.

What was his problem? In the span of a week, he had acted like this *twice*—as if he cared. As if he had any right to drag me off like I belonged to him.

I froze for half a second, my body stiffening in disbelief, and that was all the time he needed. Alek’s long strides carried us toward the gym doors while I dangled over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

“What the hell are you doing?!” I yelled, squirming, kicking, and punching with all the fury I could muster. “Put me down, you asshole!”

He didn’t answer. Didn’t pause. His steps were steady and unyielding as the crowd parted before him like the Red Sea. Faces blurred in my peripheral vision—shock, amusement, and curiosity written all over them.

“Alek, I swear to God—”

“Stay still, Amber,” he growled, his voice low and vibrating with authority. “Or I’ll spank that ass of yours.”

I froze again, this time for an entirely different reason. He couldn’t be serious. Right?

*He wouldn’t dare.*

But the wicked smirk curling on his lips said otherwise.

“You wouldn’t,” I snapped, twisting around to glare at him. “You wouldn’t *dare—*”

A loud slap landed squarely on my right cheek.

A small, barely audible gasp escaped me as my body betrayed me. A shiver—warm and treacherous—ran down my spine, leaving my brain scrambled and my face burning hot.

*Traitor.*

His deep chuckle snapped me back to reality, and my synapses finally fired again. My fists doubled in rage. “You arrogant, overgrown—”

“Quiet,” he said casually, like this wasn’t the most mortifying moment of my life.

By the time we were outside, the night air hit me like a slap to the face. It was cool and sharp against my flushed skin, but it did little to cool the fury boiling inside me. Alek finally stopped, setting me down with deliberate care. Not rough, but not gentle either—like I was something fragile he didn’t know how to handle.

I stumbled slightly, steadying myself before spinning to face him, fists clenched.

“What the actual *f**k* is wrong with you?!” I spat, my chest heaving.

Alek stood there, unfazed, his green eyes locked on mine with an intensity that made my breath catch. For a brief moment, I thought I saw something flicker in them—something dark and unhinged, his wolf lurking just below the surface.

“What the hell were you doing in there?” he demanded, his voice a low growl.

“Dancing, you *moron*! It’s a dance!”

“That wasn’t dancing,” he snapped, stepping closer. His jaw was tight, frustration practically rolling off him. He ran a hand roughly through his dark hair, his movements jerky and impatient. “That was—” He cut himself off, his nostrils flaring as he looked at me like I was some unsolvable puzzle.

“That was *none of your business*!” I jabbed a finger into his chest—hard and unyielding like a stone wall. “You don’t get to drag me out of there like some caveman because you don’t like what I’m doing!”

His lips curled into a sneer, but there was something raw in his eyes. “I don’t care what you think, Amber. You don’t get to make a spectacle of yourself like that.”

“Oh, I’m *so* sorry,” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “I didn’t realize I needed your permission to have fun.”

His eyes darkened, swirling with a mix of green and black, his wolf dangerously close to the surface. “You’re going to drive me insane,” he muttered, more to himself than to me.

“Good!” I shot back. “Maybe then you’ll finally leave me the hell alone.”

We stood there for a long moment, the tension thick and heavy, as if the air between us had turned to tar. His chest rose and fell with every measured breath, his hands flexing at his sides like he was fighting some unseen battle.

Then he stepped closer.

Too close.

So close I could feel the heat radiating off his body, could see every fleck of gold swirling in his darkened green eyes.

“You don’t get it, do you?” he said softly, his voice rough like gravel. “You don’t understand what you’re doing to me.”

I swallowed hard, my pulse pounding in my ears. “Oh no, I *get* it, Alek. Your hatred for me is pretty loud and clear. What I *don’t* get is this sick need you have to drag me into your chaos whenever you please.”

His jaw ticked, his eyes flicking to my lips for half a second before darting back up. “You’re playing with fire, Amber,” he whispered, his voice dangerous and low. “And one day, you’re going to get burned.”

I yanked my arm free as his hand brushed my wrist, stumbling back a step. “Maybe. Or maybe tomorrow I’ll meet my mate, leave this pack, and never deal with you or your *sick* brothers again.”

His gaze darkened further, his wolf surging forward for the briefest moment, black creeping into the green. For a heartbeat, I thought he might argue. Instead, he exhaled slowly, his expression unreadable.

Then, before I could react, he closed the distance between us again, so quickly I couldn’t move. He leaned down, his lips brushing my ear as he whispered, *“Not going to happen.”*

His warm breath sent goosebumps down my neck, and before I could process his words, his lips were on me. A soft kiss at the base of my neck, trailing to my collarbone—slow, lingering, and utterly devastating.

I froze, my body betraying me once again. Heat bloomed beneath my skin where his mouth had touched, spreading like wildfire.

Then he was gone.

He turned on his heel and stormed away, his long strides carrying him into the darkness at werewolf speed. I was left standing there, breathless and furious, the cool air burning against the places he had kissed.

For a long moment, I couldn’t move. My heart pounded, my mind a mess of confusion and anger. I pressed my hand against my neck, the heat still lingering there like a brand.

*What the hell just happened?*

Slowly, the sound of laughter and chatter drifted to me, snapping me back to reality. I turned to see other students leaving the gym, couples holding hands, friends laughing as the dance wound down.

The night was ending.

I let out a shaky breath and made my way back inside, slipping through the thinning crowd toward the coat check. I grabbed my jacket and bag, my movements mechanical, my mind replaying every moment with Alek.

By the time I stepped outside again, Victoria was waiting for me near the parking lot, her arms crossed and a curious look on her face.

“What the hell happened?” she asked as I approached.

I shook my head, too exhausted to make sense of that overwealming night. “Let’s just go home.”

As we walked toward the car, I glanced back at the school one last time, my fingers brushing against my neck where his lips had been.

My life was turning into a mess. A complicated, confusing mess. And I had no idea how to stop it.