CHAPTER 283: THEY PLANNED EVERYTHING

Evaline:

The shrill buzz of my alarm sliced through the stillness of the room, dragging me unwillingly out of sleep. For a moment, I lay there confused, blinking against the soft glow that was coming from a dim lamp nearby.

I found myself cocooned in warmth, familiar and comforting, and I buried my face deeper into the pillow with a faint groan.

But then it hit me.

This wasn’t my room at the Academy. This wasn’t my bed. The steady rhythm of a heartbeat beneath my ear reminded me I wasn’t even alone.

I froze. Slowly, I tilted my head upward and met the lazy half-awake eyes of Oscar, his arm still draped possessively over my waist. On my other side, Draven stirred, muttering something under his breath as if he was annoyed at the alarm for disturbing his peace.

Heat rushed to my face instantly. Memories from last night - every whispered word, every searing kiss, every moment they had unraveled me - came crashing back like a tidal wave. My entire body flushed hot, my skin prickling with the ghost of their touch. I swallowed hard, wishing I could somehow sink into the mattress and disappear.

Four times. They had pushed me to the brink four times until I was trembling and boneless in their arms. And now, lying between them in the quiet aftermath, I didn’t know if I wanted to scream, run, or hide.

Oscar’s lips curved into a faint smile as his eyes roamed over my burning face. "Morning, little mate," he murmured, his voice husky with sleep.

I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. My heart was pounding so fast I thought they could hear it echo in the room.

Instead, I scrambled upright, clutching the blanket to my chest like a shield. "It’s Sunday," I blurted, more to myself than them. "The internship. I-I need to get to headquarters-"

Panic surged through me. My schedule flashed in my mind, the half day I was supposed to spend working on the Nightshade Pack’s report. And me? I was here, away from the academy and tangled in bed with two mates who seemed far too calm about it.

Draven finally opened his eyes. He sat up, stretching with a lazy elegance, and then said simply, "Relax. You’ll be there on time."

"Relax?" I asked, my voice carrying my inner turmoil. "I don’t even have clothes, Draven! I can’t show up in-" I glanced down at the blanket that was the only thing keeping me covered.

Draven’s lips twitched, but he didn’t smile. He reached to the nightstand, picked up my phone, and handed it to me. "I already thought of that. You don’t need to worry about clothes. Everything you’ll need is here."

I blinked at him. "Everything?"

He nodded once, matter-of-fact. "Fresh clothes, toiletries, whatever you would need. I made sure of it."

That only made my blush deepen. My mates had planned all of this - like they knew I would end up staying the night. Like they had expected me to break.

"You should text Mr. Wood," he added calmly. "Tell him not to come pick you up. Oscar and I will drop you at headquarters."

Oscar hummed in agreement, still sprawled on the bed like he had no intention of moving. "Unless you would rather show up with bed hair and wearing our clothes," he teased.

My glare shot to him immediately, but it only earned me a low chuckle. My face felt like it was on fire. Without answering either of them, I pulled the blanket off them. Clutching it tightly around me, I climbed out of bed and padded toward the bathroom.

I could feel their eyes on me as I walked, the heavy weight of their attention like invisible fingers brushing over my skin. My legs wobbled slightly, still sore from last night, and I hated how much it reminded me of everything.

Inside the bathroom, I paused. My breath caught.

They really had prepared everything. A toothbrush, still sealed in its package. My favorite shower gel and the shampoo brand I used were neatly placed on the counter. Even a light green bathrobe and a soft towel were sitting folded on the rack.

Standing in front of the mirror, I pressed the heels of my palms against my burning cheeks. "What am I doing," I whispered to myself.

I should have been furious. Embarrassed. Determined to keep distance. But instead, my heart felt like it was unraveling thread by thread, pulled by their quiet care, their maddening calmness. Even when they had taken me apart last night, they had been careful with me. Even now, they were making sure I didn’t have to worry about the small things.

I hated how much that meant to me.

Shaking my head, I quickly freshen up before heading out. Oscar was still in bed while Draven was on his phone. The latter looked up even he heard my movement.

Even before I could have said anything, he made his way toward me and handed me a short that looked just my size, and... a shirt that undoubtedly belonged to him.

"Thank you," I said as I took the clothes and headed back to the bathroom to get dressed.

I was too sore to do my morning stretching and exercises, so I decided to return to the bed and go through my history presentation on my phone.

By the time I finished revising all thirty slides, I heard the shower running in the bathroom. Oscar was still in the bed, which meant it was Draven who slipped inside while I was focused. Of course, he would be up and moving before anyone else. That was just like him.

I put aside my phone, and pulled my hair into a messy bun as I listened to the faint splash of water behind the door. For a second, a dangerous thought crossed my mind - how it would feel to join him, the heat of his body under the spray - but I quickly shook it off. Absolutely not.

Instead, I sat on the edge of the bed, scrolling through my phone as I drafted a message to Mr. Wood.

Good morning, Mr. Wood. You can have the day off today. My friend will be dropping and picking me up today.

When Draven emerged, towel slung around his waist and droplets of water still clinging to his skin, I snapped my eyes away instantly, pretending to be very invested in my phone screen. My face felt like it might combust.

"Bathroom’s free," he said, his tone carrying a teasing undertone. But he didn’t say anything further and stepped out of the bedroom without another word.

I exhaled shakily, then stood and gathered the courage to head for the shower myself.

But just as I stepped inside and reached for the door to close it... a hand caught it from the other side, and in the next second Oscar slipped in, shutting it firmly behind him.