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What caught Violet’s attention most, however, was a small, framed photo on the table, showing a younger Alaric, his white hair less wild but his eyes just as sharp. He looked really cute and it unknowingly brought a smile to her lips.

She continued looking around, acutely aware of the faint hum in the air, a tangible energy that made her hair stand on end. In this place, the air felt alive, as if charged with the unmistakable presence of lightning.

"Well," Alaric asked, "what do you think?"

Violet hesitated, unsure how to put her amazement into words. "It’s... impressive. You... built all this?"

"Most of it," Alaric replied, walking over to the workbench to pick up one of the papers without a purpose.

He was shy, Violet noticed but didn’t say a word. It was kind of cute to be honest. Dealing with Asher’s unsettling energy all day was tiring, hence being with Alaric’s less intimidating energy made it breathable.

He confessed, "This is where I come to think. And work. And get away from people."

"Hmmm," Violet admitted. "I guess I underestimated you."

"Don’t worry, I get that a lot. People look at me, and all they see is the cute nerd."

Violet watched his every move as he drew closer. The air between them seemed to crackle faintly, as though electricity was building up around him.

Alaric stopped just a step away from her, leaning in slightly as if sharing a conspiracy. "Can I tell you a secret?" he asked.

Then, without waiting for a response, he continued in a rambling manner, "Not that it’s a secret or anything, but most people don’t know. Neither do they ask. They just assume that the Alphas are trained on how to control to use our powers."

He paused, taking a deep breath as if to steady himself. Then, in a quieter voice, he said, "But the truth is I was not trained, I learnt it all by myself. It took a lot of practice, and sometimes... you need to push the boundaries to truly understand what you’re capable of."

Violet blinked, a nervous laugh escaping her lips. "Okay, that’s a nice sentiment, but what does this have to do with—"

Before she could finish, Alaric began to tug at the fingers of his gloves, pulling them off one by one.

Oh boy. She didn’t like this.

The sight sent warning bells ringing in Violet’s head. She instinctively took a step back, her pulse quickening as she recalled the sheer destructive power he wielded. The air in the room felt heavier, charged with invisible tension.

"Don’t move," Alaric said, his tone commanding yet calm.

Though his words lacked the eerie compulsion Asher’s voice carried, Violet found herself rooted to the spot, as if her body refused to disobey. Her breath hitched, and her eyes flicked between his now-exposed hands and his unreadable expression.

"I keep thinking about that incident over and over again and it doesn’t make sense. But I know what I saw and now, I want to confirm it. Are you really immune to my lightning, Violet Purple?"

His bare hands radiated faint sparks, small tendrils of electricity dancing across his skin. The faint hum of energy grew louder, filling the room. It was mesmerizing and terrifying all at once.

"Alaric," Violet said cautiously, her voice trembling despite her best efforts to remain calm. "What are you doing? I’m not immune to lightning. I’m human, remember?"

"I know but I know what I saw. But don’t worry, I won’t use much, just little of my power. I just need to be sure of it. Trust me." he replied, his tone almost soothing.

Trust him? Was he kidding her right now?Violet thought, but the words never made it past her lips. Her body refused to budge, and her mind was screaming at her to run. Yet, there was something in Alaric’s gaze that held her in place.

The sparks in his hands intensified as he brought them closer to her, the energy crackling audibly now. Violet could feel the static in the air, raising the tiny hairs on her arms and making her heart pound in her chest.

"Just stay still," Alaric murmured, his voice low and almost hypnotic. "This won’t hurt... I think."

"You think?" Violet hissed, but before she could say anything else, his hands hovered just inches away from her skin.

Alaric’s hands finally made contact with her skin, and Violet gasped as the electricity rushed through her.

She braced herself for the searing pain she expected, but it never came.

Instead, the sensation was exhilarating, sending a thrill through her entire body.

It was as though the energy wasn’t hurting her but flowing into her, dancing along her nerves like a pulse of life.

Her wide eyes snapped up to meet Alaric’s, and for the first time, he looked utterly stunned. His normally composed expression was replaced with one of pure disbelief as sparks flickered and crackled around them, illuminating the space in an otherworldly glow.

"This... this shouldn’t be possible," Alaric said with disbelief. His hands tightened on her arms as if testing her reaction, but Violet didn’t flinch. She stood still, her body warm and buzzing with the current, yet there was no pain, only an incredible, unexplainable connection.

"What... what is this?" Violet asked breathlessly, staring at their joined hands as the lightning wrapped around them like ribbons of light, illuminating the workshop in a surreal brilliance. The static hummed around them, filling the air with a charged stillness that seemed to suspend time itself.

"I don’t know," Alaric admitted, his voice shaky with awe. "No one has ever... no one can withstand this. Not like this. I’ve even burned people by accident before." His brows furrowed, and he looked at her with something between amazement and suspicion.

It didn’t make sense yet Violet still asked.

"Alaric, is this... normal?"

"No," he said bluntly, his eyes glued to the display of energy. His grip on her arms tightened, and he leaned closer, searching her face for answers she couldn’t provide. "This is anything but normal."