My Alpha My Witch

Easy Whispers

Chapter Six

Amy’s POV

Mel’s house was always a safe haven for me, a place where I could unwind, be myself, and not worry about the expectations that came with being Amy Brassfield. Today, though, as I lounged on Mel’s bed, I couldn’t stop talking about the one thing that had been on my mind all day, Austin.

“And the way he walked into the party,” I started, my voice bubbling with excitement. “It was like he owned the place, but not in a cocky way. More like... I don’t know, like he just belonged there. And did you notice how he smells? It’s this mix of something fresh, like cedar or pine, but with this underlying warmth. And that broad chest of his….ugh, I swear, it could be in a magazine.”

Mel sighed, not even looking up from the wardrobe she was organizing. “Amy, hold on. You’re rattling.”

I paused, catching my breath, then grinned sheepishly. “Sorry, I just can’t get him out of my head. I know you don’t like him, but I’m telling you, Mel, I’m going to make you two friends. You’ll see, he’s not as bad as you think.”

Mel closed the wardrobe with a soft thud and turned to face me, her expression weary.

“Amy, I’m not interested in being friends with Austin, or anyone for that matter. I just want to be alone right now.”

I tilted my head, studying her face. The sadness that lingered in her eyes, the same sadness that had been there ever since her mom passed away, tugged at my heart.

But I couldn’t help the playful smile that tugged at my lips. “Oh, come on, Mel. You need to cool off a bit. I’m sure Austin’s a good guy underneath all that jerkiness. And let’s be real, he’s hot.”

Mel sighed again, this time with a hint of exasperation, and crossed the room to sit beside me.

“You’re impossible, you know that?”

“Yeah, but you love me anyway,” I teased, nudging her with my shoulder.

Before Mel could respond, a knock sounded at the door. Mel called out for whoever it was to come in, and the door creaked open to reveal David. He stepped inside, his smile broadening when he saw me.

“Hey, Mel,” he greeted before turning to me.

He leaned in and pressed a kiss to my cheek, a gesture that made my skin crawl, though I tried my best not to show it.

“David,” I replied, forcing a smile. My parents had made it clear that they expected me to be with David.

His family was as influential as mine, and they believed we were a perfect match. But every time he was near, I felt this overwhelming irritation, like my skin was too tight and I just wanted to escape. Still, I did my best to hide it. Disappointing my parents was not an option.

“I brought some takeout for you guys,” David said, holding up the bags in his hand.

Mel smiled politely. “Thanks, David, that’s sweet of you.”

But I couldn’t stop myself. “You really shouldn’t have,” I said, my tone a little too sharp. “We’ve had more than enough takeout lately.”

Mel shot me a look, her eyes silently pleading for me to keep it together, but I just shrugged. I wasn’t in the mood to pretend today.

“No worries. I just thought you might like it. Anyway, Amy, you should get ready. I’m taking you out tonight.”

The thought of spending more time with David made my stomach twist. “I’m not interested, David. I have a lot on my mind. And I just said no takeouts, right?”

I stood up and left the room before he could respond, feeling the tension radiate off of Mel as I walked out. I knew I wasn’t being fair to her, or to David, for that matter, but I just couldn’t pretend anymore. I needed space, and I needed to figure out why Austin had gotten under my skin so easily.

I made my way down the path toward my car, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw that it was my mom calling. With a sigh, I answered.

“Amy, darling,” her voice came through, warm but firm. “I need you to come home soon. As soon as you can make it.”

“I’ll be there in a bit,” I replied, trying to keep my tone neutral. “Just heading to the car now.”

As I ended the call and slipped my phone back into my pocket, I looked up and froze. There, leaning casually against a tree near the edge of the parking lot, was Austin. His arms were crossed, and his eyes were fixed on me with that same unreadable expression I’d seen in class.

For a moment, neither of us moved. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. Why does it always have to happen?

“Fancy meeting you here,” he said, his voice smooth, like he was really amused to see me.

I swallowed, trying to keep my cool. “What are you doing here?”

Austin shrugged, pushing off the tree and walking toward me. “Just taking a walk. Clear my head. And I live closeby”

I raised an eyebrow, not buying it for a second. “Right. Sure you didn’t follow me?”

He stopped a few feet away, his eyes locking onto mine. “Would it matter if I did?”

The directness of his question caught me off guard, and I found myself at a loss for words. He had this way of disarming me, of making me feel exposed even when I was trying to keep my guard up.

“Look,” I finally said, crossing my arms defensively. “I don’t know what your deal is, but I don’t have time for games, Austin.”

He smiled, not a full grin but a small, knowing smile that made me feel like he was in on some secret. “Who says I’m playing games?”

I opened my mouth to retort, but nothing came out. I hated how easily he got under my skin, how he made me feel things I didn’t want to feel.

“I need to go,” I said, breaking the silence. “My mom’s expecting me.”