Ask her out

I’m so sorry,” Amara apologized, her cheeks flushing a deep shade of crimson as she quickly averted her gaze, trying to keep her eyes anywhere but on Darius’s bare form.

Her heart raced, her breath catching in her throat as she stumbled backward, her foot catching on the edge of the rug. Darius, equally surprised, froze for a moment before his lips curled into a slow, amused smile.

“Amara,” he said, his voice carrying a teasing lilt, “stop acting like you’ve just seen a ghost.”

He chuckled softly, clearly not as bothered that Amara had seen him naked as she was.

Amara’s face burned even more, and she quickly turned around, her back to him, trying to maintain whatever shred of dignity she had left.

“I’m so sorry, Darius. I didn’t know you were— I mean, I thought you were out,” she stammered, wishing she could disappear into the ground right then and there.

Darius chuckled again, seeming to enjoy her flustered state. “It’s okay, Amara, no harm done,” he said casually.

She could hear the rustling of fabric behind her as he presumably reached for a towel. “You can turn around now.”

Amara hesitated for a moment before slowly turning back, relieved to see that he had wrapped a towel around his waist. She quickly bent down to pick up the clothes she had dropped, trying to calm her racing heart.

“You’re always so serious,” Darius commented, still watching her with a hint of amusement in his eyes. “You should relax a little. Life isn’t all about chores and responsibilities, you know?”

Amara straightened, clutching the clothes to her chest like a shield. “I have work to do,” she replied quietly, still avoiding his gaze. “I didn’t mean to intrude.”

Darius’s smile softened slightly as he took a step closer to her, his tone becoming more sincere. “You didn’t intrude. Besides,” he added, his voice dropping to a softer pitch, “I like seeing you around.”

Amara’s breath hitched at his words, and she glanced up at him, meeting his eyes. For the first time since she had entered the room, there was something in his gaze that made her heart skip a beat—something she couldn’t quite place. But she quickly looked away, reminding herself of her place and the fact that she had far more pressing concerns.

“I really should go,” she muttered, trying to move past him toward the closet, but Darius reached out gently, catching her arm.

“Amara,” he said, his tone suddenly serious. “Are you okay? You seem tense—more than usual.”

Amara hesitated, her heart pounding. For a moment, she considered telling him about Antonia, about the threat hanging over her head, but she quickly dismissed the thought. Darius might be kind, but he was still the Alpha’s son. Could she trust him to take her side over his cousin’s?

“I’m fine,” she finally replied, forcing a smile. “Just a bit tired, that’s all.”

Darius studied her for a moment, as if trying to read her thoughts. Then he nodded, though he didn’t seem entirely convinced.

“If you need anything, Amara, you can always come to me. You know that, right?”

Amara nodded, feeling a pang of guilt. “Thank you, Darius,” she said softly. Pulling away from his grasp, she smiled faintly and placed the clothes neatly in his closet.

Just as she was about to leave the room, the door abruptly opened, and her breath caught in her chest when she saw Damon walk in. Their eyes locked, and she could see the confused look on Damon’s face.

He stared at her for a moment before looking at his brother, and a frown appeared on his face when he noticed Darius was wearing just a towel, which barely covered him.

Damon’s eyes flickered between Amara and Darius, his frown deepening. The tension in the room was suffocating, and Amara could feel her heartbeat pounding in her ears.

Damon looked confused—and then a shadow crossed his features. Something dark. A mix of suspicion and something else she couldn’t quite name.

“What’s going on here?” Damon demanded, his voice edged with a tone Amara rarely heard. His green eyes were filled with anger as he took a step closer, his gaze never leaving Darius.

Darius let out a light chuckle. “Relax, brother,” he said, raising his hands in mock surrender. “Amara just accidentally walked in while I was getting changed. No need to get so worked up.”

Amara quickly found her voice, desperate to diffuse the growing tension. “I–I was just putting away the laundry,” she stammered, holding up the empty basket as if it were proof of her innocence. “I didn’t know Darius was in here.”

Damon cut her off, his eyes narrowing slightly. “And yet, here you are,” he said, his voice cold.

Amara flinched at his tone, taking a small step back. She hadn’t done anything wrong, but Damon’s reaction made her feel like she was somehow guilty.

Darius’s expression hardened at his brother’s words. “Seriously, Damon, it’s not like she planned to walk in on me. You’re overreacting,” he said defensively, his amusement fading into irritation.

Damon turned his gaze to his brother, his jaw clenched. “Maybe. But I’m not the one standing half-naked in front of her,” he retorted sharply.

A wave of anger and jealousy tugged at his chest, and despite how much he wanted to hide it and act like he didn’t care, he couldn’t.

Amara felt a surge of embarrassment heat her cheeks again. “It was a mistake,” she said softly—more to herself than to them—wanting nothing more than to disappear from the room.

Damon’s gaze hardened as he glared at her. “Get out,” he demanded.

Darius frowned, clearly frustrated with his brother’s attitude. “This is my room, and I get to say who stays and who leaves,” he muttered, his gaze holding Damon’s.

Amara hesitated, not wanting to be caught in the middle of a brewing argument between the two brothers.

“I should get back to work,” she murmured, stepping toward the door, hoping to slip out before things escalated.

But Darius took a step toward her, his expression softening again. “Amara—” he began, but Damon interrupted him.

“Darius, let her go,” Damon ordered, his voice firm. For a moment, Amara thought Darius might argue, but he finally nodded, his eyes still on her.

“Fine,” he said, sighing. “I’ll see you later.”

Amara nodded quickly and moved toward the door, brushing past Damon as she left the room. As she stepped into the hallway, she felt relief—but her heart was still racing.

She could hear the brothers’ voices behind her, already raised in disagreement, and she hurried away, not wanting to hear any more.

“What are you doing in my room, Damon? I thought you didn’t want to talk to me. So why are you here?” Darius asked angrily. He was upset at the way Damon had treated Amara.

Damon’s frown deepened, and he could hear his wolf growling inside him, urging him to tell his brother to stay away from Amara. But Damon knew he had no right to do that. He had rejected her.

“If you love her so much, why don’t you ask her out?” Damon suggested, causing Darius to furrow his brow, confused.

“What do you mean?” Darius asked.

Damon stepped closer and placed a hand on his shoulder. “It’s obvious you like Amara. So why don’t you make it official? Ask her to be your girlfriend. I’m sure she won’t deny it,” he suggested to his brother, ignoring the ache in his heart.