Assaulting My Nostril

Galatia’s POV

As soon as I stepped into my room, the scent that assaulted my nostrils was hers, and I knew instantly, that she was in here.

I turned to look at Dahlia, wanting to ask her why she had let this happen, but I also knew the poor woman couldn’t win against Sidney Harp.

“Where is Ms. Harp?” I asked Dahlia to be sure she didn’t really know she was in here. “Is she awake?”

Dahlia nodded her head. “Yes, she had breakfast and she’s in her room.”

Her room, my foot. She was right here, hiding as if that could help keep me from knowing. I took a while, then finally, I said. “Good.”

Dahlia bowed as I walked to a drawer, rattling it open and checking for the file I needed, the one that brought me back home.

By the time Dahlia left the room, I had my hand in fist, gritting my teeth. “You should come out now, woman” I said.

For a second, I heard nothing, and I could tell she was hoping I just left her instead and pretend she wasn’t there, but there was no way I was leaving her in my room.

“Just come out, I can smell you.” I said.

I heard a smack, and I imagine she had just smacked her own forehead in disappointment, then a groan followed, before I heard her shuffling out from under the bed.

There was just something about her that draw me to her, and I wasn’t even talking about the fact that she was my mate… a fact I wasn’t prepared to accept. It was just… primal.

She crawled out from under where she had hidden herself and for some reason, her scent hit me afresh, like I had just opened a room filled with flower.

Grey growled within me, stirring immediately but I pushed him back down.

“What are you doing in here?” I forced myself to ask her but she just stared at me with those huge saucer eyes of hers that looked so cute… okay, I was getting off track, but I really couldn’t help it if this woman was looking at me the way she was, like she was some innocent woman that gave into temptation just once and was caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

I rubbed at my temple, already trying to work out the many reasons she could be here.

“I can’t believe you would sneak into my room to snoop around just because I left.” I said.

She gave me an offended look, like I had just insulted the crap out of her, then she put her hand on her chest, a dramatic look on her face. “Ah, coming from you who kidnapped me? Are you saying I did something wrong trying to figure out who my kidnapper was, and maybe even why?” she asked.

Something told me that wasn’t really her reason for being in my room, but I wasn’t even in the mood to argue with her right now. But I also didn’t want her to think that her actions were without consequences, so I started to walk towards her, gently.

At first, she stood her ground, trying to act like I didn’t scare her, like she wouldn’t even bulge from where she was standing, then she took one step back, and then another, and another, until her back finally hit the wall behind her.

For a split second, I thought she would drop the attitude, but I was wrong, because instead of fear or panic, instead of any of the normal reactions a person should have when cornered by the person who literally kidnapped them, this woman lifted her chin like she was about to negotiate a business deal.

“Wow,” she said, glaring at me. “What is this supposed to do? Scare me?” She asked, still giving me that look.

“Is it working?” I asked before I could stop myself and she scoffed, rolling her eyes.

“Oh please. The whole brooding, kidnapper vibe you’ve got going on doesn’t move me one bit.” She raised her chin even higher. “And it’s not like I did anything wrong.” She insisted.

You broke into my room,” I reminded her, my voice lowering dangerously as I leaned in just a little closer.

“And you broke into my life,” she shot back without missing a beat. “You kid…” she lowered her voice as if she was doing me a favor. “You kidnapped me and brought me here. If you don’t like me snooping around in your room, then you better let me go.” She said, as if she was in any kind of position to threaten me.

My jaw tightened. There it was again… that irritation, boiling my blood. But underneath it, however annoying and persistent it might be, was something else.

I cleared my throat slightly, still looking down at her tiny frame, then I took another step forward.

This time, there was nowhere for her to go, and I was so satisfied when her breath hitched finally, but instead of backing down, she pressed herself flatter against the wall.

“Listen! I don’t know how nice you think I am because you’re not bound in chains and locks right now, but don’t test me. This room isn’t yours, so it’s out of bounds for you.” I started, making sure she heard the wrath in my voice. “The next time I see you in here, you wouldn’t like what I would do.” I said.

I could see her lower lip tremble for a second, and a look of fright crossed her eyes for another, but she said nothing.

Instead, she gave a small nod, and then before I could say anything else, she pushed to the side, enough to be able to escape, and she scurried away out of my room, not once looking back at me.

“Good! Next time you’ll learn not to cross me.” I said at the same time I heard my wolf muttered that I was an ass.

I rolled my eyes at that, an muttered that he was a traitor right back.

With one more look around, I walked out of my room, this time, locking it.

The last thing I wanted was to come back home to smell her in my room again, maybe this time, near my personal stuff, or worse, my bed.