3

Evie's pov

My breath catches when his words sink in.

Bad girls get punished.....

The sound of it sent a shiver down my spine, one that felt so good.

His face is so close, his breath so warm brushing against my nose and lips. On their own my lips parted, as if searching for a breath, searching for...words.

His scent is richer when he's this close to me, so strong that I can somehow taste it in my lungs. Pine. And something stronger. Wilder.

A hum starts in my stomach, light and fluttery.

Ryan's eyes flicker down to my lips and though his eyes were already dark, something shadowed across them to make the mysterious color darken even further.

The look that crosses his gaze made me shudder.

Perhaps I was imagining it. Perhaps I saw wrong. Perhaps there was nothing to see at all.

But I could swear I saw that look of hunger and desire flash in his gaze.

While they trapped me in a trance I can't help but think that he was about to kiss me. I could swear he was inching forward.

Little by little.

Breath by breath.

He's so close.

But then his eyes flickered away from my lips to glare at the seat belt over my shoulder. He exhales a breath sharply and pulls back.

"You make it very hard to keep my word, Evie," he grumble under his breath before pulling away completely and closing the door.

I stayed silent, my brows drawn into a furrow of confusion as I follow his movements. Once he entered the car, he buckled but kept his gaze forward as if afraid to look at me.

What did he mean by that?

I made it hard for him to keep his word? What word was he referring to?

"What do you mean by what you just said?" I question softly. It wasn't really the best idea to question an alpha but Ryan was my best friend and one of the few that cared about me.

I don't think he'd mind.

He shook his head and starts the car. "Buckle up," he grunted even though he had already made sure that I am. My brows furrowed even more. " before I forget why I shouldn't-

He stops himself and shakes his head again as if trying to talk himself into not doing something. The silence between us grows heavy as we drive off.

The wind outside sings softly but all I can hear is the beating of my heart in my ear.

I steal a glance at him then, catching the way his jaw flexed, hard. What catches my attention the most is how even though his gaze is ahead, his fingers gripped the steering wheel tightly until his knuckles were white.

He was troubled.

But by what?

Was it me?

Did I do something wrong?

The silence stretched on until we almost got to Hannah's but then he breaks it. "Stop staring at me like that."

His words made my eyes widen in surprise and I quickly looked away, only now realizing that I've been staring at him the entire way.

"I- staring at you like how?" I flushed, almost blabbering.

"Like you want me to do what we both know we want," his voice is a husky soft tone, one that made a shiver rush down my spine.

As we pull up into Hannah's driveway, Ryan, turns to me. I can't help it, I am drawn to his stare. For a few humming seconds we just stay there staring at each other.

His jaw clenched.

"Go get that necklace before I change my mind," his gaze darken and my eyes widen. I opened my mouth to speak but he shook his head. "Don't ask any more questions munchkin, trust me you don't want the answer to them."

I nod slowly, half turned to him as I unbuckled myself. Something tells me that I should heed his warning and not ask him any further questions.

"I'll be right back." I tell him as I open the door and step into the crisp air.

I walk towards Hannah's house, each step feeling dreadful the closer I got there. Hannah was Kimberly's best friend and she equally hated my guts.

I lift my hand to knock on the door but it swings open before I could.

Hannah stands there with a mocking grin on her freckled face. "Hey Evie, was expecting you since Kim mind linked me that you'd be coming and all."

I know this was her way of trying to mock me for not having a wolf. She and Kim always seem to target that soft spot.

She tilted her head and her eyes casted where Ryan was waiting for me. "I see alpha Ryan is still doing charity," she snorts low and opens the door further.

"You'll have to come up to my room to help me look for it. I can't seem to find it," she said, her eyes twinkling oddly.

I hesitated. The back of my neck prickled as I watch Hannah's grin widen. It was way too wide to be innocent and it never reached her eyes.

"I can wait here while you look for it," I stated. Hannah snorted.

"Don't tell me you're scared of my house Evie,"

Not scared of the house just scared of you.

I had a feeling she had something up her sleeves but I knew if I didn't go in she'd tell Kim and Kim would give me hell at home.

So with a sigh I stepped into her house and forced my feet to move. With a victory grin Hannah spin on her heels and I followed her up the stairs.

Upstairs, Hannah's room is exactly how I remembered it. Pink walls, stuff teddies on her bed messily and too many pictures of her and Kim smiling widely.

My heart clenched every time I see them because she got the side of Kim I could only wish for.

"Check over there," she pointed aimlessly by her bed. I nod and went to look over there. After a few minutes of searching and finding nothing, Hannah suddenly exclaimed in a fake chirpy tone.

"I found it!"

I straightened myself and then turn to her. The necklace glistens brightly in her hand. She's smiling but it doesn't quite reach her eyes. And when she stretches her hand out to give it to me I understood why.

Because as soon as I grab the necklace, Hannah tugs on it harshly and the pretty necklace snaps.

Hannah fake gasps, her eyes widening. "Oh Evie! What did you do!"