Our time at the mall felt surprisingly normal. Conversation flowed easily between us, light and unforced, and for the first time, I realised how comfortable I felt with someone in public. He stayed close without crowding me, and every so often his hand would rest on my lower back as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Each time it happened, my stomach fluttered, a quiet, dizzy warmth blooming in my chest, and I had to remind myself to keep walking like nothing at all had changed.
I found myself unconsciously leaning closer, secretly sniffing the faint scent that clung to him. A quiet, instinctive pull, my omega needing his pheromones, brought me an unexpected comfort, grounding me in a way nothing else could. I could feel myself getting hungry, so I suggested we stop by the supermarket. He agreed without complaint. It was a bit crowded, but the noise and bustle felt almost normal with him by my side. I turned to look at Knox, expecting to see him like always, but suddenly… he wasn't there. My heart skipped, a flicker of panic rising as I scanned the aisles, realising for the first time how much I relied on his presence even in the smallest moments.
I spun around, weaving through the aisles, my chest tightening with each step. The crowd blurred, colours and sounds merging into a dizzying haze, but my eyes searched only for him.
"Knox?"
I called softly, my voice catching, almost swallowed by the hum of the store. Then I felt it, a familiar warmth brushing against my back. I turned quickly, and there he was, just a few steps away, holding a small basket of groceries. His intense eyes met mine, calm and steady, as if nothing had happened, and yet my relief hit me like a wave.
"You disappeared,"
I whispered, half scolding, half laughing nervously.
"I'm right here," he said, tilting his head with that faint, infuriating smirk that somehow always made my heart flutter. "No need to panic."
Despite his words, my hand found his almost instinctively, fingers curling around his as if anchoring myself to him. And just like that, the world felt a little less crowded, a little less chaotic, because he was back.
"Where did you go?…so suddenly,"
I asked, my voice tighter than I intended, a mix of worry and irritation threading through it.
He glanced at me, amusement flickering briefly in his eyes before settling back into that calm, unreadable expression.
"Just ahead," he said smoothly, as if that explained everything. "I wanted to grab something quickly. Didn't think you'd notice."
I huffed softly, half exasperated, half relieved, and squeezed his hand just a little tighter.
"Of course I noticed," I murmured. "You can't just vanish like that."
He gave a faint shrug, his smirk teasing but gentle.
"Noted," he said, his thumb brushing over mine once, deliberately slow, grounding me in the quiet certainty that, no matter what, he was right here now."What did you buy?"
I asked, curiosity mingling with lingering frustration. He tilted the basket slightly toward me, letting me peek inside.
"Just some essentials," he said casually, bread, milk, a few snacks, but his eyes lingered on me, scanning my expression like he was testing a reaction. The only thing I could think about was questions, spinning endlessly in my mind: What are we? Why is he acting this way? Does he only see us as friends with benefits? Even just the thought made my heart sting. I wanted, no, I needed, to be someone close to him, someone he cared about in the same way I cared about him. I wanted him to see me the way I saw him, to understand the depth of what I felt, and the more I thought about it, the more painfully clear it became that I didn't know how to make him feel the same.
Knox's POV:
I looked at her red eyes as they locked onto mine, soft, mesmerising, addictive. Her fluffy ears twitched slightly, the subtle movements making my pulse quicken, and her silky white-silver hair was gathered neatly in a bun, framing her face perfectly. Her plump, sparkling lips parted just enough to catch my attention. If it weren't for the crowd around us, I would have claimed her right here, without hesitation.
"Bella." My voice came out low, almost a warning. "Don't stare at me like that… fuck~"
The words stumbled out, a mixture of frustration and desire I couldn't hold back. She blinked, a faint flush rising to her cheeks, and it only made the ache in my chest worse. Every instinct in me screamed to close the distance, to take her hand, to pull her against me, but I couldn't, not here, not now.
Before she could even register my next move, I took her hand, my grip firm but gentle, and guided her toward a nearby clothing store. The noise of the mall seemed to fade as I steered her through the aisles, weaving past displays and shoppers without a word.
A small fitting room door caught my eye, and without hesitation, I slipped inside first, silently pulling her along. The click of the latch echoed faintly, sealing us away from the world outside.
The air in the tiny room felt charged, close and intimate. Her eyes widened as she realised where we were, and my chest tightened at the sight. I didn't need to speak; the intensity of the moment was already understood between us.
I let go of her hand for a heartbeat, just to trace my fingers along her arm, feeling the warmth beneath the fabric.
"You shouldn't look at me like that in public," I murmured, my voice low, almost a growl, though my eyes never left hers.
Her breath hitched, and I could see the flush creeping up her neck.
"And why not?" she whispered, almost daring me.
"Because," I said, closing the small distance between us, "I can't control myself around you."
The words hung in the air, heavy and charged, and for the first time, the mall, the crowd, the outside world, none of it mattered. It was just her, just me, and the pull that had been building between us all day.