There was a situation. Where was Violet going to stay?
Not that there weren’t enough rooms in the lodge. But the real question was—who was she going to stay with?
The lodge was built in a grand U-shape, with three main wings enclosing a wide stone courtyard, where a heated fountain bubbled gently at the center. It held about thirty rooms, including several luxurious suites, spread across two floors.
Upstairs, long balconies overlooked the courtyard, offering a sweeping view of the surrounding landscape. But even with all its elegance, the owner likely hadn’t anticipated the arrival of a group with a relationship as unconventional as theirs.
There were three private cabins scattered deeper into the woods for anyone wanting a more authentic communion with nature.
Yeah, no thanks. Definitely not happening. That scread girl-goes-on-mountain-vacation-and-ends-up-in-a-thriller-murder-mystery energy, and Violet wasn’t signing up for that.
Technically, she should’ve been rooming with Griffin, he was her mate after all. But they’ve spent enough ti already, and to settle the growing argunt, Violet made the executive decision to stay alone.
As flattering and thrilling as it was to be surrounded by her n, a little breathing room was necessary. The sheer volu of testosterone was choking sotis, and she needed a clear head.
To her surprise, none of them fought it. There was no sulking, no arguing, just their mutual agreent. That alone was suspicious, but Violet let it go and took it as a small win. Maybe, just maybe, there was hope for their group dynamic after all.
Her room upstairs was nothing short of indulgent. Warm amber lights glowed from wrought-iron sconces on the walls, casting a golden hue that made the place feel enchanted. The wood floors were dark and smooth beneath her bare feet, with a plush burgundy rug spilling out from under the bed.
The bed itself was hand-carved from raw timber, wide enough to hold two or three of her n, if they squeezed. Not that she was planning anything. Yet.
The red bedsheets were soft and slled faintly of cedar and warm linen, the kind of scent that made one want to fall into them and sleep their trouble away.
To the left, a pair of wide glass doors opened onto a private balcony, where crisp mountain air slipped through the crack she’d left open. From there, Violet could see the thick pine forest stretching for miles, mist swirling through the treetops. The cold bit against her skin, but the view was breathtaking.
In the corner of the room sat a vintage-style chaise lounge beneath an old frad painting of the lodge from years ago, and beside it, a small table stacked with books that probably none of the guests ever read but looked great anyway.
The bathroom was nearly as large as the bedroom, all stone and brass, with a tempting clawfoot tub that could fit a small army.
Yeah, it was confird. She was going to enjoy her ti here.
It was tempting to just jump into bed and sleep the evening away, but there was a slight problem. They had co with nothing, and Alaric had lent her his clothes since hers were soaked from the rain. But that wasn’t going to cut it if they were staying here longer. She needed clothes, and a few personal essentials.
The sa went for the others, and they were all ready to go shopping as soon as Violet joined them downstairs in the lounge.
"Do you have a car here? Because ours is wrecked, thanks to the thunderstorm you summoned hours ago," Asher added with dry sarcasm. "And, you know, Griffin’s size."
"That’s body shaming, asshole." Griffin flipped him off.
Alaric scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, sorry about that. And yes, I do have a ride."
As usual, Asher drove with Griffin seated beside him. Violet was sandwiched between Alaric and Roman, who held both of her hands. Although it was clingy, it was also sweet and sent butterflies fluttering in her stomach, especially with the way Roman stroked the top of her palm at intervals. That guy was too much.
Although Alaric’s rain had disrupted most of the day’s activities, now that it was over, people were up and about. They arrived at the boutique’s parking space, but none made any effort to move.
"We’re going to cause a stir in there," Asher pointed out. Their goal was to remain low-key. That was the whole reason they were on vacation in the first place.
Unlike District One, where the cardinal alphas might not be easily recognized, this was Aster City, and her n were practically celebrities. It wasn’t until now that it hit Violet how way beyond her league these n were, and how lucky she was to be dating them.
"I’ll handle it," Roman said, already slipping out of the car with the kind of confidence that should be illegal.
Violet watched as he strolled toward the store like it belonged to him already.
"What’s he going to do? Charm them into compliance with his sex appeal?" she joked, although a pang of jealousy hit her at the thought of him flirting with other won.
"That, and eventually buying out the whole store for the duration of the ti we’d spend there," Alaric explained to her.
Violet lifted a brow. "You guys do have a lot of money to spend. Perks of having rich parents, I guess?"
Alaric shrugged, "That, and the fact we make our own money. For instance, I’m the richest," he said proudly.
"Alaric Storm..." Violet leaned in closer to him, purring, "Aren’t you afraid I’m dating you because of your money?"
But Alaric let out a deep masculine chuckle that made her tingle in places a lady shouldn’t ntion.
"What’s the point of being rich if my woman doesn’t get to spend it?"
Violet stared at him, thrown. "Okay, who is this and what have you done with Alaric Storm?" Violet couldn’t help but laugh. Roman was usually the one who did the flirting, not him.
Alaric laughed too, but then his eyes flicked to her lips, and the sound halted, his gaze darkening.
The air changed at once, and like magnets drawn to each other, their lips crashed together. Asher and Griffin in the front seat knew what was going on, but ignored them, giving them their ti together.
Alaric kissed her with an intensity that practically had her pants lting off. She didn’t object when he grabbed her waist and made her sit astride him. They kissed once. Twice. She suckled on his bottom lip, tugging at it while her hips ground slowly against him.
The door was opened as Roman arrived. "I have—" He froze at the scene.
"Seriously, who started a party without ?!"
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