Chapter 33: Chapter 33

Our gazes met when I turned to look towards Gray. He was so close to me, almost trapping me between his body and the windowpane in front of me. I couldn't even release my stare from his intense gray eyes that were silently fixed on me.

For some reason, it was difficult to escape Gray's gaze. Eventually, I felt his hand gently encircle my waist, and as his body pressed against mine, I could feel the warmth of his touch against my back.

"It looks beautiful," he said, causing me to blink in surprise. In the next moment, I couldn't fathom what was going through our minds. We simply drew closer, our lips meeting. I could feel the warmth of his full lips against mine as they started to move. The air around us seemed to shift, growing warmer as Gray pulled me even closer.

I instinctively wrapped my arms around Gray's neck as our kiss intensified. His lips moved faster against mine, and his tongue intertwined with mine. I felt a powerful rush with each passionate kiss, and I found myself not wanting the kiss to end. I was addicted to every sensation he was giving me. Eventually, we broke the kiss as the air grew thin.

I took a deep breath, but before I could meet his gaze again, Gray pulled me into another embrace, his lips locking onto mine. He pressed against my neck, his grip strong. My feet left the wooden floor of the treehouse as I felt myself standing on his feet. He carried me to another spot, where the bed was.

He gently laid me down on the bed without breaking our kiss, and I followed his every move. His hands caressed my neck softly, and his kisses deepened. His tongue explored my mouth, warm and gentle. We exchanged saliva, and I pulled him even closer, wrapping my body around his.

My body tensed as his hands touched my skin, slipping beneath my clothes and sending a chill down my spine. I couldn't comprehend what was happening between us. My mind went blank whenever Gray was this close to me. Until finally, I attempted to push him away gently. I didn't want to continue like this without clarity between us.

However, it wasn't as simple as our kiss coming to an end. Gray tightened his embrace, and I pushed against his large frame with both hands, causing him to reluctantly let go of our kiss. His expression showed his displeasure at the abrupt end of our kiss. Our eyes met again, and I was sure my face must have turned red, just as Gray's did. His warm breath brushed against my face, and his rapid breath indicated that he, too, felt the burning desire between us.

"Why?" he asked, his question hanging in the air. I tried to sit up, and Gray, who had been pressing against me, moved away and sat next to me.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked again when I didn't respond to his earlier question. I shook my head, trying to come up with the right words to explain our situation to Gray.

"Why?" Gray asked, reaching out his hand and gently pulling my face to meet his gaze. I remained silent for a moment, exchanging questioning gazes with his gray eyes.

"Do you like me?" I finally asked, causing Gray to fall silent. He seemed taken aback by the sudden question, and in the next moment, I saw a thin smile forming on his lips. It was rare to see this man in front of me smile so widely. He usually wore a handsome, cold expression in every situation and wherever he was.

"Do I need to answer that question?" Gray asked, and I nodded, of course, his answer was clear in my mind.

"Are my actions not enough for you?" he asked, making me pause. Of course, it wasn't the first time he had acted like this since our initial meeting, which had led me to instantly label Gray as a shameless delinquent. But his recent behavior resembled that of a man admiring a woman he liked. Still, I needed clarity. I was afraid that he treated other women around him the same way, so I needed to know. I was afraid of being lumped together with the women close to him.

Gray extended his hand again, touching the side of my face and gently caressing it.

"Are you afraid that I see you the same way I see other women who have been close to me?" Gray asked, as if he could read my thoughts.

"Yes, maybe that's what's on my mind right now," I answered, making Gray smile again, his smile broader than before.

"I'm just not sure if you like me, given how our first encounter was far from pleasant," I continued, causing Gray to stand up from his seat. He moved away from my side and now stood right in front of me, making me look up at his towering figure. Gray then took hold of my hand, bent his knee, and knelt in front of me. Our gazes met again as his face aligned with mine. He looked at me tenderly, causing my heart to race once more.

"You're not like them. That's why I've entrusted you with this important secret in my life," Gray said, and yes, I knew about his powers and his non-human nature.

"Because I believe in my feelings that I like you. Please forgive my big mistake in not recognizing you from the beginning," Gray continued, furrowing my brows in confusion.

"Recognizing me?" I asked, prompting Gray to nod.

"There's another secret I haven't told you, and I can't tell you yet. Maybe in the future, I'll slowly reveal to you about me and my life. But for now, can you get to know me gradually and accept me for who I am?" Gray's words left me unsure of how to respond.

I didn't know if I, as a human, could love the man in front of me who was clearly not human.

"Are you hesitating because the person who likes you isn't human? Are you afraid?" Gray's question once again left me shaking my head. For some reason, I was sure within myself that I didn't feel any fear. I was just afraid of the reality we would face ahead. It certainly wouldn't be easy, I thought.

"Then are you confident that you believe in me, even though my feelings for you are much greater than you imagine?" Gray said, causing me to slowly nod while looking into his gray eyes, seeing his confidence and sincerity. I couldn't lie; I could see the truth in his face as he held my hand tighter.

"If that's the case, Aurel, that's enough for me. I just need your confidence in accepting my feelings, slowly. I just want to ensure our connection and learn about myself, regardless of whether you accept me as a different being," Gray said, leaving me silent again.

"What do you want to make sure of?" I finally asked. There were too many mysteries about Gray's life that I wanted to ask about, but as Gray had mentioned, he wanted me to accept him gradually, to get to know him step by step. This time, my curiosity only grew stronger for some reason.

"It seems like I'm losing my own identity. You know, I exist in the human world when I'm not acknowledged by my own clan, like a punishment perhaps," Gray explained, widening his smile. Was it a joke? But I could see the honesty in his eyes, and it seemed painful, that he wasn't acknowledged by his own clan.

"Were you cast out?" I asked, making Gray chuckle. Was he laughing at my question or at himself?

"Yes, you could say that, but doesn't the term 'cast out' sound too hurtful? Let's just say I was given a punishment, and now I'm proving to them that I can't be underestimated. And I couldn't do it without you," he explained, making me regard him with a puzzled expression.

"With me?" I asked, prompting Gray to nod.

"Yes. I need your help because you're destined for all this. I don't know what kind of fate is in store for us, but with it, we're bound to each other. Maybe that's why my feelings for you keep growing every day, and I can't resist it. As we get closer, it's become so hard for me to hold back, especially in a situation like this, Aurel," Gray said, bringing his face closer to mine until our foreheads touched. I could once again sense Gray's strong scent, and our noses brushed against each other, allowing me to look into his gray eyes from such a close distance.

"Stop me if I do something you don't like. I've tried my best to restrain myself, and all decisions are in your hands, Aurel. If you think this is rushing things, if you think I'm shameless, you can hit me, slap me, or whatever you want. You can do anything to hurt me and stop me when I can't control myself," Gray said, and the next moment, I could feel his lips pressing against mine once more.