Transmigrated as the Crown Prince's Mate
Chapter 28: Messing with Him...

Chapter 28: Messing with Him...

Evelina nodded, her smile widening into a grin that mirrored his own mischievousness. "If you’re so insistent on being comfortable, then I won’t stop you. Do whatever you want."

For the first time that evening, Damian looked genuinely surprised. He pushed off the bedpost, narrowing his eyes at her. "What’s your game?"

"No game," Evelina said sweetly, turning her back to him as she began fluffing the pillows on the right side of the bed. "You’re the one who invited me here, remember? I’m just being a gracious guest."

Damian stared at her for a moment longer, suspicion showing in his eyes. He couldn’t tell whether she was genuinely conceding or setting him up for a trap.

Either way, her sudden shift in demeanor left him slightly off balance—a feeling he wasn’t accustomed to.

For a moment, the only sound he could hear was the frantic drumming of his own heart. Was this a joke? Was she really agreeing to him sleeping naked on the same bed with her?

Storm’s voice rumbled in his mind, full of smug amusement. "She’s smarter than you thought, huh?"

"Shut it, Storm," Damian growled inwardly, earning a low chuckle from his wolf.

Evelina raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence as the silence between them stretched on. "Cat got your tongue, Your Highness? Or are you not comfortable with the arrangement anymore?" she teased, her smile widening as the playful glint in her eyes dared him to respond.

Damian opened his mouth to retort, but no words came out.

Her unexpected agreement had thrown him off, and the suspicion that she was teasing him made his head race. Was this her way of calling my bluff? he wondered, unsettled but intrigued.

"Don’t worry," Evelina continued. "You’ll be fine. And I’ll be fine. After all, there’s not much for you to hide, is there?"

Damian’s lips parted, a sharp comeback at the ready. "Excuse me?" he managed to say, his voice laced with disbelief. "Do you need proof?"

Eve folded her arms, walking toward him with exaggerated confidence. "Well?" she pressed, tilting her head to the side as though daring him to back out.

Damian cleared his throat, fighting to regain his composure. "Look," he began, running a hand through his hair, "we both know this is a bad idea."

"Why?" Evelina challenged, her eyes glinting with curiosity and defiance. "Scared you won’t be able to control yourself, Mr. Alpha?"

His jaw clenched, the words hitting a nerve. He hated how she could so easily rattle him, see right through his carefully constructed calm.

But he wouldn’t back down from a challenge—especially not one issued by this fiery woman who had an uncanny knack for upending his world.

"Not at all," Damian retorted smoothly, forcing a slow smile to his lips. "In fact, I think it could be... stimulating."

Evelina’s chest tightened at his words, her carefully crafted confidence slipping for a fraction of a second. His tone, his expression, and the unmistakable double meaning of his words sent an involuntary shiver down her spine.

Suddenly, the room felt smaller.

"We can’t," she whispered, more to herself than to him.

"Why not?" Damian’s voice was low, almost a growl, as he took a step closer.

His presence was overwhelming, the heat of his body drawing her in despite the logical protests screaming in her mind.

Evelina stammered, her voice betraying her growing fluster. "Because... this is crazy. We barely know each other."

"Maybe not," Damian murmured, stopping just in front of her, his silver eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made her pulse race. "But sometimes, the best connections start with a leap of faith."

She stared up at him, her heart hammering against her ribs.

For a moment, it felt as though time had stopped, the world narrowing to just the two of them. There was a part of her—a reckless, impulsive part—that wanted to take that leap, to see where this undeniable pull between them would lead.

But her rational side, the one that clung to logic and caution, whispered a warning. This is dangerous. Don’t let him get too close.

Evelina broke the silence with a smirk, determined to regain control of the situation. "Well, I also can’t sleep in this," she said, gesturing to her current attire. "I need something... lighter. Freer."

Damian raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching into an amused smile. "Is that so?" He moved to a nearby wardrobe, pulling out a neatly folded nightgown and holding it up for her to see.

The fabric shimmered in the dim light, and Evelina’s stomach dropped as she realized it was almost translucent.

"You’ve got to be kidding me," she muttered, her voice flat as she eyed the garment.

"Nope." Damian’s grin widened. "It’s all I’ve got."

Evelina snatched the gown from his hands, her eyes narrowing. "You’re enjoying this way too much."

"Who, me?" Damian said innocently, though his expression betrayed his amusement. He leaned against the wardrobe, watching her with barely concealed curiosity. "Feel free to change right here. I won’t look... much."

"Out," Evelina said firmly, pointing to the door. Her cheeks burned as she added, "And turn around while you’re at it."

Damian chuckled but obeyed, turning his back to her. "Fine. I’ll be a gentleman. For now."

Evelina quickly slipped into the nightgown, the cool fabric brushing against her skin. She frowned, realizing it was even thinner than she’d anticipated. The light material clung to her in a way that made her feel far too exposed, but she refused to let Damian see her discomfort.

"All right," she said finally in a steady voice despite her nerves. "You can turn around."

Damian turned and blinked, his eyes slowly roaming over her form. A long moment passed, his silence making her even more self-conscious.

The nightgown was thin and revealing, her curves visible under the translucent fabric. Eve tugged on the hem, trying to cover her cleavage, but there was only so much the gown would allow.

She tried to ignore the way Damian was staring at her, the intensity in his gaze sending a wave of warmth across her skin, the heat converging in between her legs.

Finally, he cleared his throat, his voice a low rasp.

"You’re stunning."

His words were so unexpected, his tone so earnest, that she couldn’t help the small, pleased smile that spread across her face.

"Thank you," she murmured, suddenly shy.

Damian’s smile grew, his eyes lingering on hers. Then, as though remembering himself, he abruptly looked away. "Okay. Um, so let’s do this."

Evelina’s cheeks heated. "Let’s do what?"

"Get your mind out of the gutter." He flashed a grin. "I meant, let’s get into bed. You’re the one who was so keen on doing so earlier."

Evelina rolled her eyes, climbing into bed and pulling the covers over herself. "Oh, shut up. Are we done with the theatrics? Or do you have more tricks up your sleeve?"

Damian smirked as he walked to his side of the bed, sliding in with deliberate ease. "No tricks. I’m perfectly content."

Evelina snuggled into the bed, her body tense despite her outwardly calm demeanor. She kept her back to Damian, determined to act as though his presence mere inches away wasn’t affecting her at all.

Damian shifted beside her, the rustle of the sheets breaking the silence. "Comfortable?" he asked in a low, slightly rough voice.

"Perfectly," Evelina replied. "And you?"

"Never better," Damian said smoothly, though the edge of amusement in his voice suggested otherwise.

Evelina resisted the urge to roll her eyes, tugging the blanket up a little higher. She willed her racing heart to calm down, determined not to let him get the better of her.

But the warmth of his body radiating through the thin space between them was impossible to ignore.

Then, Relia, who’s been quiet all evening, broke the silence in Evelina’s mind.

"Nice handling so far," her wolf said, her tone dripping with subtle sarcasm. "Wasn’t going to say anything before, but... this is just the beginning."

Evelina stiffened, her lips pressing into a thin line as she mentally addressed her wolf. What do you mean by that?

Relia’s response was laced with dry amusement. "Look out the window."

A pang of confusion shot through Evelina, her brows furrowing. The window? Why?

"It’s a full moon," Relia replied simply.

Evelina’s confusion deepened. And that matters because...?

Relia’s chuckle echoed through her mind. "You’re about to find out."