The Flame Trilogy (Books I, II & III)

1.12

When I wake up once more, I'm in the same bed though this time my hands are chained to the frame with padded leather cuffs. I guess it's intended purpose is supposedly to prevent me from hurting myself again, especially after my crazed display the last time.

I look around the bare room, taking the time to really look this time. I'm guessing that it's in the pack infirmary, judging by the painfully bright white surfaces and the smell of disinfectant burning my nose.

The floors are squeaky clean and there are a couple chairs beside the bed; one of which houses a sleeping Viktorya. The lingering scents of Irina and Angel hang in the air, tickling my nose with the different perfumes. Knowing that they're looking after me all this time is somewhat conflicting. I don't want to get too close, but I know that I'm both grateful and able to trust them after having them look after me so well in this state.

A small bubble of hope rises within me as I look around, hoping that he would be here too, though it quickly pops once I realise that Dimitri is nowhere to be seen. A small, masochistic, spitefulness fills me as I bask in my disappointment; serves me right for feeling remotely anything for him.

I easily break out of the padded cuffs and slide out of the clinically white hospital bed, wincing at the sudden coldness against my bare feet. I move quietly, for some reason not wanting to wake Viktorya from her peaceful slumber. There are a set of clothes on a chair nearby. They smell clean enough so without caring who they might belong to or where they may have come from, I quickly shrug them on.

The t-shirt falls down to my knees- it probably belongs to a male. I don't bother with the bottoms considering the shirt covers everything and the pants would probably be too big anyway.

The smell of Dimitri is stale in the air, though if it were anyone- anything- else they probably wouldn't have been able to smell it. He had probably been here the night before; the scent is so faint it's almost gone completely.

I follow it up to his office, though part of me already knows where he is without sniffing him out. It's like he's calling out to me, it probably has something to do with the strange mate bond that the girls had told me about. It's a little harrowing that no matter how much I try to battle against the feelings, I seem to be failing. The conflict is an ever- present battle in my mind and body, one that got ever stronger in Dimitri's presence.

I push open the door, my eyes briefly trailing over the now familiar interior as I walk, taking confident strides forward before stopping in front of his desk.

"Next time knock." He says simply without looking up, continuing with whatever has his attention. It irks me a great deal that he hadn't even bothered to look at me when he spoke. I feel something rise within me, scorching me with the need to challenge him, show him that if he disrespects me then I'll do the same to him.

"Next time ask before you have a needle shoved into me." I reply with an even amount of annoyance and animosity, turning my back to him with a roll of my eyes.

His eyes snap up to mine, taking in my features. The movement is so fast I'm certain that he caught me rolling my eyes at him. Judging by the stormy look on his face, he knows exactly what I'm doing.

"Did you just roll your eyes at me?" He asks, his tone darkening significantly. The sound is wonderful to my ears, the beasts within me purring with delight; that deep baritone enough to set me alight.

I face him, challenging him with my gaze as I fight the urge to smirk. It's somewhat pathetic on my end, pretending that I haven't just ruined my panties from the sound of his voice. Though I can't deny the attraction I feel, there's a larger part of me that wants nothing more than to egg him further. See how far he's willing to go.