Chapter 6

Serena’s pov

I bit my lip, feeling small and out of place in front of him. “I..I think I’m supposed to be examined before the interview,” I stammered.

He studied me for a moment before offering a gloved hand. “Come here,” he said gently, his tone leaving little room for argument.

There was just something about him that made my skin tingle and that made me hesitate. He must’ve noticed my hesitation because he gave me a small smile beneath his mask. “Don’t worry, it’s just routine.”

With a small nod, I stepped closer, my fingers curling nervously at my sides. “I don’t want to be any trouble to you, sir.”

He chuckled softly, a sound that was both warm and mysterious. “Trouble?”. His icy blue eyes sparkled in amusement. “You don’t strike me as the kind to cause trouble.”

I couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at my lips, but I quickly hid it. “I’m not.”

He gestured for me to sit on the examination table, and I obeyed, my pulse racing. “What’s your name?”

“Serena,” I whispered.

“Serena,” he repeated, as though tasting the sound of it on his lips. “Beautiful name.”

Heat rose to my cheeks. I stared at my hands, unsure of how to respond.

He moved towards me, pulling a stethoscope from his pocket. The rubber gloves covering his hands made a soft sound as he adjusted it. “May I?”.

I nodded, my heart racing fast as he leaned in. His gloved hand pressed gently against my shoulder to steady me on the bed, the contact making my skin tingle even through the thin fabric of my dress.

His closeness made the air between us feel thick and heavy. I caught a faint scent of pine.

“Breathe in,” the doctor murmured, jolting me from my thoughts. I inhaled deeply, feeling the cold touch of the stethoscope against my chest.

“And out.”

I exhaled slowly, my gaze fixed on the ceiling as my mind whirled.

He repeated the process, his gloved hand brushing my neck lightly. Each touch, sending shivers down my spine.

I swallowed, feeling my pulse race as his hand hovered around my shoulder. A strange warmth pooled in my belly, unfamiliar and unsettling, but I told myself that this was normal.

His hand settled lightly on my collarbone, just above the neckline of my dress, his touch firm, yet careful.

“How do you feel?” he asked, his ice-blue eyes unreadable beneath the medical mask.

I nodded, my throat tight. “F…I’m fine.”

He was a doctor and he was just doing his job and so I tried to relax. There was nothing strange about anything. Doctors touched their patients all the time.

His fingers lingered a second too long at my pulse point before he pulled away. “Your heart’s racing.”

“I’m nervous,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

He paused, his icy blue eyes searching mine. “You have nothing to fear here.” Something in his tone made me believe him. And his eyes… they were enchanting… like one could get trapped in them.

He moved on to check my reflexes, his hand guiding my knee with gentle precision. His gloves shielded the warmth of his touch, and I felt a strange pang of emotion, an irrational thought that confused me.

Suddenly, I felt the strap of my dress falling off my shoulder and I felt a jolt, like lightning, sharp and sweet, but I stayed still, my breath shallow.

“Why is my body reacting this way?” I asked myself.

It’s all part of the examination, perhaps this is how it’s supposed to be. Not like I have ever been examined before, this was my first time.

I felt his gloved hands dangerously close to my breast and I swallowed hard, hoping that he wouldn’t notice how nervous I was.

His hand flattened over my chest, broad and warm, as though he could feel the frantic beat of my heart beneath his palm.

“You’re doing well,” he murmured. “Just breathe.”

His thumb brushed the underside of my breast. My body arched, just a small movement, barely noticeable and heat rushed to my cheeks.

I bit my lip, trying to focus on the ceiling. He moved his hands down my side, his fingers pressing into my waist. I clenched my thighs together. My mind told me that this was normal, just a strange, new kind of examination, but my body burned where his hand lingered.

When his fingers pressed just a little harder, my hips shifted. I clenched my fists against the cushions, feeling something dangerous stir inside me.

“Relax,” he murmured again, his hand drifting lower.

I shivered, my breath coming in shallow gasps. I didn’t know why my body felt so tight, so desperate for more. It was confusing, overwhelming even and I closed my eyes.

“You’re healthy,” he said, making me open my eyes quickly.

“You’ll need to wait in the lobby now.”

I slid off the table, smoothing my dress as I stood. “I—”

“Go,” he interrupted, the faintest hint of a smile playing at his lips.

I turned, feeling his gaze follow me as I walked away.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

The lobby was filled with women who whispered and laughed as I entered.

I lowered myself into a chair, keeping my eyes down.

“Did she even get an interview?” one of them whispered loudly that I could hear.

I curled my fingers in my lap, ignoring the tightness in my chest. I had no time to concern myself with their opinions. I needed this opportunity.

“Look how dirty she looks,” yet another said, earning laughs from the other women.

I didn’t flinch. Their words were meaningless. I had endured worse.

The chief maid from earlier whom I had now known to be Jennifer stood near the far wall, her arms crossed as she watched me with a scowl. “Another one who thinks she’s special.”

My fingers tightened.

“You’ll be eliminated,” a tall woman hissed in my direction. “You just wait.”

I exhaled slowly, keeping my expression neutral.

‘Ignore them, Serena. Focus!’

“I thought you left, why did you come back?” One of the women who had been quiet asked and I swallowed hard as I answered.

“I was locked in the bathroom.”

The head maid’s daughter stood in the center like a queen surrounded by her court. She flipped her sleek black hair over her shoulder, her eyes narrowing as she glared at me.

“Pathetic,” she hissed loud enough for everyone to hear. “Locked in a bathroom? What a sob story.”

A few women snickered, casting me pitying looks.

I clenched my fists beneath the table but didn’t rise to the bait. She wanted a reaction. I refused to give her one.

A sudden thud of footsteps made the room go silent.

A tall figure approached and we all focused on the man in front of us.

“Who among you is Serena?.” He asked.

My heart skipped a beat. Did I fail? I have never taken an examination before.

I swallowed hard and rose to my feet, my legs trembling slightly. “Yes, I am. ”

“Congratulations, You’ve passed the examination,” he said calmly. The announcement was met with an audible gasp.

The room erupted into chaos.

“What?” Jennifer’s voice cut through the air like a whip. “That’s impossible! She’s…her? Are you sure?”

The other women joined in, the sounds of protests filling the room.

“She didn’t even finish!”

“This has to be a mistake!”

“Did she take the examination?”

The man remained unfazed. He crossed his arms over his chest, a picture of control. “The decision has been made.”

“Why!” Jennifer’s daughter yelled.

“Why don’t you go ask the alpha?,” he said simply before turning away.

Jennifer stepped forward until she was inches from my face. “Don’t think for a second that this is over, Omega.”