The Male Lead Is Hotter In Person

Lana stood outside the Alpha’s study, staring at the massive wooden doors.

She had spent the last twenty minutes preparing herself for this meeting.

She had practiced smiling, walking elegantly, and sitting without appearing uneasy.

Most importantly, she had practiced behaving like Isadora.

Elegant, composed, and graceful.

Definitely, not like the woman who had screamed when she discovered she was inside her own novel.

And definitely not like the woman whose only current objective was surviving seven days.

She inhaled deeply.

“You can do this.”

She straightened her shoulders.

“You are Luna Isadora now.”

She nodded firmly.

“Act like it.. Don't screw it up, like you always do.”

The doors opened.

Immediately, Lana forgot everything she had practiced.

Cassian Blackwood stood beside the massive windows at the far end of the room.

For several seconds, Lana simply stared with her mouth widely opened.

'Hell.. no..'

She thought.

'This is bad.. Really bad.'

The man standing in front of her wasn't merely handsome, he was devastatingly handsome.

He was exactly the way she had imagined him, while writing.

Tall.. Broad shoulders.. Muscular, without looking absurd.. Black hair falling slightly over his forehead.. Sharp features.. And golden eyes that seemed capable of making an entire room fall silent.

He wore a dark formal shirt beneath a black coat, and somehow even his clothes looked intimidating.

Lana’s brain stopped functioning for several minutes.

She had created this man, she had spent months describing him, she had written paragraphs about his golden eyes, she had written scenes about his commanding presence, and had once spent an entire afternoon deciding if his jaw should be square or slightly angular.

Seeing him in person was unfair, absolutely unfair.

Then, her thoughts betrayed her, even before she could stop them.

'Oh my God.. He’s even hotter than I imagined.'

Cassian’s eyes immediately moved toward her.

Lana froze.

She swallowed.

'Why is he looking at me like that?'

She forced a polite, but it came off akwardly.

“Good morning, Alpha.”

Cassian said nothing.

He simply watched her.

Lana’s smile became strained.

“Are you well?”

“Yes.” He responded blankly.

His voice was deep.

Her brain immediately supplied another thought.

'Why did I give him that voice?'

She almost coughed.

Cassian’s expression changed slightly.

Lana hurried towards the chair opposite his desk.

She sat down carefully, gracefully, and almost perfectly.

Then, she remembered something else.

She had written Cassian as intimidating, cold, disciplined, and a man who rarely smiled.

Unfortunately, now she was sitting across from him, she could see every detail.

His eyelashes.. The faint line between his eyebrows.. The way his fingers rested against the desk.. And the small movement of his throat when he swallowed.

Lana mentally slapped herself.

'Stop staring.'

'Stop thinking..'

'Cassian, I command you, to cease existing in my mind.'

Cassian’s eyes narrowed.

Lana immediately looked at the window.

He continued staring.

She looked at the floor, he was still staring.

She looked at the ceiling, he still was staring.

Lana’s thoughts became irritated.

'What the hell?'

Cassian remained silent.

She shifted her chair slightly.

'Does he have nothing better to do?'

His jaw tightened.

Lana noticed.

'Oh..'

She glared carefully.

'He's getting annoyed.'

She immediately remembered her objective.

Survive seven days.

She wouldn't want to offend the male lead. Especially, not when she knew exactly how powerful he was, and the fact that he never loved isadora.

She turned back to him, and lowered her head.

“I apologize.”

Cassian raised an eyebrow.

“For what?”

Lana blinked.

“I… don’t know.”

He stared at her.

“This is becoming a habit, Isadora.”

Lana stared.

“What do you mean?”

Cassian studied her for a while.

“You apologizing without knowing why.”

She forced another smile.

“I suppose, I’m very considerate.”

He raised an eyebrow.

Then, she decided she liked his eyebrows.

'No.'

'Stop it, Lana.'

She mentally shook herself.

'Don’t think about his brows.'

There was a pause.

'Goodness me, his eyebrows are divine.'

Cassian’s expression hardened.

Lana noticed.

'Why does he look offended?'

She shifted again.

'I haven't done anything wrong.'

Cassian leaned back.

“What were you thinking?”

Lana nearly choked.

“Nothing..”

“Nothing?” He repeated.

She nodded.

“Yes.”

He studied her.

“You looked as though you were about to say something.”

“I wasn’t.”

Lana's response was immediate.

He stared at her.

“You were, Isadora.”

She immediately raised a hand.

“I promise, I wasn’t.”

Cassian’s eyes narrowed, lana's heart raced.

'He couldn’t possibly know.. Could he?'

She shook.

'No, he couldn't..That's impossible'.

She hadn’t written anything about Cassian being able to read minds.

She mentally searched through her memories, she hadn't written such.

'No.. Definitely not.'

She moved her eyes.

'Why was he looking at me like that?'

Lana cleared her throat.

“I believe you wanted to discuss the Luna’s responsibilities.. That's why you wanted me here..”

Cassian nodded.

“I do.”

He opened a document, and began explaining several upcoming meetings and ceremonies.

Lana listened.

At least, she tried to.

Unfortunately, her mind kept wandering.

'Wow.. His hands are huge.'

She looked down.

Cassian’s hand was resting on the paper.

She immediately looked away.

'Why am I noticing his hands?'

Cassian paused.

She looked at him.

“Is something wrong?” He questioned.

She straightened.

“Not at all.”

He continued.

Lana nodded.

Then, she noticed his hair.

"Damn!.. His hair is even hotter, up close.'

Cassian stopped again.

Lana’s heart dropped.

“Is there a problem, Alpha?”

He stared at her.

“You tell me.”

She smiled nervously.

“I don’t understand.”

His expression remained stern.

“You seem distracted, Isadora.”

Lana lowered her gaze akwardly.

“But.. I'm listening.”

“To what?” He questioned.

She looked at him.

“To you, of course.”

Cassian sighed.

“You've diverted the response.”

Lana laughed awkwardly.

“Perhaps… Why don't we continue.”

Cassian stared at her, and breathed before continuing.

Lana desperately tried to think about something boring, but nothing came forth.

'You'll think about absolutely nothing, now.'

She closed her eyes for half a second.

Her mind went silent.

Then, it immediately supplied a wild uncontrollable thought.

'What if I accidentally trip and fall into his arms?'

She swallowed.

'Oh my goodness.. those lips'

She slowly opened her eyes.

Cassian was staring at her.

Lana panicked.

'No.'

Her eyes made repeated movements.

'What if he catches me?'

Cassian’s jaw tightened.

Her face heated.

'Remain still.'

She straightened.

'Now, smile convincingly'

She smiled akwardly.

Cassian only stared, then he lowered his head once more and continued explaining.

She exhaled.

'Now, think about vegetables, and remained focus.'

Suddenly, an unplanned thought flashed through her mind.

'He's got good physique.. He'd probably look hot without a shirt.'

Lana’s eyes widened.

She nearly stood up.

'No.. No, no, no.'

'Why are you doing this to me, brain?'

She mentally screamed at herself.

'Stop thinking about the alpha naked, Lana!'

Cassian went completely still.

Lana’s heart nearly stopped.

Her eyes began moving randomly.

'Hope i didn't say that aloud.'

She was sure of it.

'How do i stop this?'

She forced herself to breathe.

“Are you feeling unwell?” Cassian asked.

She smiled slightly.

“I’m perfectly healthy.”

He studied her for several seconds.

“You’re red, Isadora.”

Lana quickly placed both hand on her cheek.

“It’s warm.. I’m naturally warm.”

Cassian simply stared, before continuing.

Lana wanted to disappear.

She focused desperately on the table.

'Wood.. Good table.. excellent.'

Then, she sighed.

'Ugh!.. Very boring table.'

She was succeeding, until she noticed the faint scent of Cassian’s cologne.

Her thoughts immediately betrayed her again.

'Oh..'

She swallowed.

'That smells really good.'

Cassian’s fingers stopped moving.

Lana stared at him.

He stared back.

Neither spoke.

Finally, Cassian asked.

“Do you always behave like this, Isadora?”

Lana blinked.

“Like what?”

He stared at her.

“Strangely.”

She gasped, offended.

“I do not behave strangely, Alpha.”

Cassian sighed.

“You’ve spent most of this meeting staring at me, looking away, blushing, and then appearing angry at yourself.”

Lana’s mouth opened, but nothing came out.

“That sounds…”

She searched for the right word.

“Normal?”

Cassian’s eyebrow lifted.

“No isadora, that isn't normal.”

Lana sighed.

“Perhaps, I’m nervous.”

He stared at her.

“Why exactly?”

'Because you’re Goddamn hot!.'

She thought.

'Because you’re supposed to love another woman, and I know your entire life.'

Her expression sank.

'Perhaps, its because I’m going to die in seven days.'

Instead of everything she had thought, Lana simply replied.

“You have an intimidating presence.”

Cassian watched her carefully.

“Is that all?”

She nodded.

“Yes.”

A brief pause surfaced.

Then, He sighed.

“Definitely..”

She smiled, but Cassian didn’t.

The meeting eventually ended.

Lana stood quickly.

Way too quickly, that her foot caught the edge of the chair.

She stumbled.

Cassian reached out, and caught her arm.

Lana froze.

His hand was warm against her skin.

For a second, she forgot how to breathe.

Cassian steadied her.

“Careful.”

She looked up at him.

His golden eyes were only inches away.

Her mind immediately screamed:

'Oh my God.. He's so hot.. I wanna kiss him'

Cassian quickly let go of her, she pulled away.

“Thank you.” She said.

He only waved.

Lana immediately hurried towards the door.

Then, she stopped.

She had to behave normally.

She turned, and smiled.

“Have a good morning, Alpha.”

She left.

The doors closed behind her.

Cassian remained standing in the middle of the room.

His expression slowly changed from suspicion, to confusion.

The woman who had entered his study had been Isadora, but she had behaved nothing like the woman he knew.

She had stared at him strangely, blushed for no reason, apologized repeatedly, and had seemed to argue with herself without moving her lips.

Even worse, he had heard everything, and still couldn't understand how.

He remained there for another moment, recalling every strange expression she had made, and every word she had said, even when her lips didn't move.

Isadora had always been reserved, and careful around him.

But today, she was something else entirely.

Awkward, unpredictable, impossible to ignore, and somehow he had heard her speak, but she didn't seem like she had said a word.

He needed to understand how that happened.

Cassian looked towards the closed doors.

His golden eyes narrowed.

“What exactly happened to my Luna?”