Marked

Skylar's POV

I woke up to the harsh light assaulting my eyelids, pulling me from my beauty sleep. I squinted my eyes open just to scare the shit out of me.

There he was—Alec, again—lying next to me. He had not crossed the pillow border, but was close enough that I could notice the faintest lines of tension on his face. His arm was draped over his eyes, shielding him from the daylight.

His features were relaxed, yet there was a slight furrow in his brow. The slight twitching of his muscles spoke volumes about his discomfort. But his unguarded posture and the steady rise and fall of his chest were oddly soothing. My gaze lingered on him, studying the way his dark hair was tousled and his jaw clenched. He didn't seem so arrogant right now rather strangely vulnerable.

Just as I was lost in my thoughts while watching him, Alec's hand shifted slightly. His arm moved up from his eyes to his head, revealing his eyes.

Our gazes met. For a brief, electric moment, I held my breath, having no idea in which direction I should run.

He blinked his eyes, so blue, so dark yet so calm—locked onto mine. He wasn't sleeping. I mean, he looked like he didn't get any sleep.

Should I explain? Should I say I wasn't doing anything? I tried to wake Salony up in my mind but she was still sleepy.

His lips parted slightly. "We—" He was about to say something, but before he could utter another word, there was a sharp knock on the door. The sound shattered the charged silence between us.

My heart leaped, and I instinctively jerked up. Thank God.

"I will get it." I muttered as I started to get up to open the door, but before I could make it past the pillow border, Alec's hand shot out, grabbing my wrist with surprising firmness.

I glanced back at him, my lips slightly parted in awe.

"Who is there?" He asked while his gaze remained locked on me. I couldn't understand what he was thinking.

The knock came again, more urgent this time, and a familiar voice called out from the other side. "It's Bellina."

"Hold on a minute." He said to his mother.

The next second, without a warning, he pulled me back down onto the bed. A gasp escaped my lips, my heart pounding in my chest as I fell over his body—one hand on his shoulder, the other one on the border. Then almost in an urgency, he slipped his hand in my hair and pulled me closer.

The sudden closeness caught me off guard, and before I could even react, he pressed his lips against my neck. My chest rose, something hot stirred within me, reaching my core.

My eyes closed as his teeth sank into my neck, biting down on my skin.

It took him another knock to withdraw his hand from my hair, his eyes searching mine with an almost clinical focus.

"Alec?" Bellina called.

His Adam's apple moved slightly before he glanced at the door and replied, "Coming." His morning voice—fuck—it was fucking hot.

"You enjoyed it. Now, move." Salony's sudden voice knocked some senses into my head and I immediately pulled away from him, sitting up.

Alec too sat up and hurried to ruin the pillow border from the bed, placing them back to their spots. He slightly rumpled the bedsheet, making it disheveled before he finally got to the door and opened it.

Ivana walked into the room. Her lips curled with a warm smile as spotted me on the bed. "Good morning."

"Good morning, Lu—" I bit my tongue as she narrowed her gaze playfully. "Mom." I corrected myself.

Her smile widened. She walked closer to me and gently caressed my face. "Are you awake yet?" For a moment, I felt like her gaze swept over my neck with a mix of curiosity and then approval.

Was it the mark? Was it why he did it?

Goddess. Of course, if he hadn't marked me, his mother would have been so pissed off.

Gritting my teeth, I glanced at Alec, who was standing across the door, now studiously avoiding eye contact. Anger flared within my system.

Yet, I managed to stay calm and nod at his mother, "Yes. Entirely."

"Then, get freshen up and come downstairs with him." Bellina said, moving her hand from my cheek. "Have breakfast with us."

I smiled. "Sure. Thank you, mom."

"My pleasure, sweetheart." Saying, she tore her gaze away from me but as she started to turn away, her eyes found Alec. "Why are you wearing that black shirt? Don't you always sleep shirtless?" She asked.

Looking at her, he scoffed in disbelief. "Mom?"

"You better treat her right, Alec." She warned him and it wasn't even a joke—she meant it. Turning back to me, she asked to confirm, "Is he good to you?"

Finally. It was my turn to mess up with him. Oh, I wholeheartedly manifested some troubles for him.

"Well—" I said, holding back the smile when he glanced at me lifting his brow. "He is a bit cocky. But…"

"How dare he." Ivana didn't let me finish. Sauntering to her son, she glared at him. "Meet me in the study after breakfast." She said before stepping out of the room.

Letting out a soft sigh, Alec ran his hand through his hair, making his morning hair messier.

I enjoyed his frustration until his dark gaze met mine. When I feared his gaze alone would eat me up, he turned on his heel and stepped inside the bathroom.

Was he mad or just disappointed?

"Both mean the same, Sky." Salony sighed, sleepiness still lingering in her voice.

Well, he didn't look disappointed. He didn't look so pleased either. But again, his face held no emotion at all, so for such a normal person like me, it was impossible to know what he was thinking.

"Why would you care? Didn't he bite you without your consent just to show his mother a while ago?" Salony asked sternly.

She was right. He had no right to give me an attitude when he was the one who started the game.

Fuck him.