Princess of the Elite

Sweet Like Honey

I took one step back automatically, the nerves from the night before still controlling my actions. The phone in my hand felt heavy and I wondered if I should call Priya and ask for backup just in case. Namjoon's expression faltered at my hesitancy but he quickly composed himself. He made no move to get up from his position on the floor and I wondered if it was so I wouldn't be frightened by the sudden movement.

"I-" He stopped and shook his head. "I am so sorry. I never meant to scare you like that."

Namjoon's eyes were no longer glowing and his fangs were nowhere to be seen, all evidence of anger had vanished from his features. He was still dressed in his dress shirt and slacks which were now wrinkled from sleep. The top few buttons of his shirt had come undone and I had to concentrate to keep my eyes from trailing down the smooth, tan skin of his chest. Suddenly, I thought, I'd never get used to how effortlessly beautiful he was.

"They're my pack. I'm supposed to be there for them, protect them, but I-" The emotion welling up inside him caused his voice to crack, effectively cutting him off. "I am so sorry, Jade."

My heart ached as I watched him try to repress the sadness that overwhelmed him at the mention of his pack. It didn't take much to realize how deep of a bond the hybrids shared.

I think it was a combination of the three; Namjoon's obvious love for his pack, the sincerity in his voice, and the concern and guilt in his gaze when he looked at me that made me push away any leftover fear and crouch down in front of where he sat on the floor. My phone which still showed Priya's contact information was discarded in favor of soothing the pained look on Namjoon's face.

As soon as I was close enough to do so he wrapped his hand around my arm, his finger's resting on the inner part of my wrist. The unexpected touch caused my eyes to widen for a moment. He held me gently but there was an underlying firmness to it, almost as if he was scared I would disappear from his grasp. As much as I tried I couldn't ignore the quickening of my heartbeat or the way warmth bloomed under his hand.

"It's okay. I understand." I felt his fingers around my wrist tighten faintly at my words. "You were just worried about your pack."

He exhaled in relief and let his eyes close softly as he leaned his head back against the wall. I could almost see the invisible weight lift from his shoulders. The ease that overcame him was almost shocking. I didn't expect him to feel this bad about last night but a small part of me was glad that he cared.

My voice was level as I spoke but the crinkles at the corners of my eyes made it evident that it wasn't too serious of a threat. "If you do something like that again, I won't hesitate to kick your ass."

Namjoon let out a low chuckle before staring into my eyes with the same intensity I've begun to associate him with.

"I won't."

He said it with such certainty it sounded like a promise.

Even if I didn't mean it, we both knew my threat didn't hold much weight. Namjoon was a hybrid and I was human. If he completely lost control of his animal instinct I would end up hurt or worse. He was promising I wouldn't be in danger because of him again. Though the voice in my head did it's best to discourage me, I decided to trust him.

Namjoon's hand was still wrapped around my wrist like a lifeline. It wasn't something I was used to but it wasn't uncomfortable. It was almost cute, this huge, six foot hybrid holding on to me as if his life depended on this small intimacy.

I gave my eyes permission to wander. His hair was messy from sleep but the bedhead did nothing to deter his attractiveness. His sharp, piercing eyes which led down to his full, pink lips. I wondered how soft they were and how they would feel on my own but as soon as the thought came it left. His chest was still exposed allowing me a limited view of his chest muscles and the soft skin that covered them. It was then that I remembered I had found him sleeping outside of my door.