Fallen 5

Fallen 5 Summary

Meadow finds herself caught in a tense and confusing moment with Alaric, who unexpectedly holds her wrist and expresses a desire to feel her. Despite warnings from her own mind about his dangerous nature, she is strangely drawn to him, captivated by his intensity and the attention he gives her—something she has never experienced before. As she touches his chest and notices his tattoos, a complex mix of emotions stirs within her, including a deep longing and a sense of being claimed by him.

 

Their conversation reveals Meadow’s vulnerability as she admits to being hurt and manipulated by her sister Juniper and Tyler, the latter having deceived her for years. Overwhelmed by emotion, she breaks down in Alaric’s arms, who comforts her and offers help in seeking revenge against those who have wronged her. Alaric’s presence is magnetic and commanding, and he challenges her to admit her true desires, which include power, revenge, and a new identity free from her painful past.

 

Alaric’s proposal to marry Meadow shocks her, especially since they barely know each other, but he insists that liking her is irrelevant—he simply wants to possess her. He promises to make those who have hurt her pay, demanding that she belong to him in return. This proposition stirs a mix of fear, desire, and confusion in Meadow, who feels herself drawn irresistibly closer to him despite the whirlwind of emotions and uncertainty.

 

In the midst of this charged exchange, Meadow makes a bold and intimate request to Alaric: she wants him to take her virginity. This moment underscores her desperation to reclaim control and experience the same connection she witnessed between Juniper and Tyler, even as she grapples with the implications of surrendering herself to a man she barely knows. The chapter ends on this vulnerable and intense note, highlighting Meadow’s complex emotional state and the dangerous allure of Alaric.

 

Fallen 5 Summary

 

Meadow finds herself caught in a tense and confusing moment with Alaric, who unexpectedly holds her wrist and expresses a desire to feel her. Despite warnings from her own mind about his dangerous nature, she is strangely drawn to him, captivated by his intensity and the attention he gives her—something she has never experienced before. As she touches his chest and notices his tattoos, a complex mix of emotions stirs within her, including a deep longing and a sense of being claimed by him.

 

Their conversation reveals Meadow’s vulnerability as she admits to being hurt and manipulated by her sister Juniper and Tyler, the latter having deceived her for years. Overwhelmed by emotion, she breaks down in Alaric’s arms, who comforts her and offers help in seeking revenge against those who have wronged her. Alaric’s presence is magnetic and commanding, and he challenges her to admit her true desires, which include power, revenge, and a new identity free from her painful past.

 

Alaric’s proposal to marry Meadow shocks her, especially since they barely know each other, but he insists that liking her is irrelevant—he simply wants to possess her. He promises to make those who have hurt her pay, demanding that she belong to him in return. This proposition stirs a mix of fear, desire, and confusion in Meadow, who feels herself drawn irresistibly closer to him despite the whirlwind of emotions and uncertainty.

 

In the midst of this charged exchange, Meadow makes a bold and intimate request to Alaric: she wants him to take her virginity. This moment underscores her desperation to reclaim control and experience the same connection she witnessed between Juniper and Tyler, even as she grapples with the implications of surrendering herself to a man she barely knows. The chapter ends on this vulnerable and intense note, highlighting Meadow’s complex emotional state and the dangerous allure of Alaric.

Meadow’s Perspective:

My breath caught sharply in my throat. “What?” I began to pull my hand away once more, but his grip tightened around my wrist, holding me firmly in place.

Oddly enough, I wasn’t sure I even wanted to pull away.

“Don’t,” he murmured, his voice low and steady. “I want to feel you.”

I swallowed hard, my gaze drifting down to where my palm pressed against his chest. He was warm beneath my touch, his muscles subtly flexing as he exhaled sharply.

Then he released my wrist. Most people would have snatched their hand back immediately and fled.

But I was far from ordinary. My mind was clouded, a chaotic storm of warnings screaming that this man was dangerous—but I chose to ignore them.

Because, in this moment, in this strange, suspended reality—I found the idea of danger strangely enticing.

“Why are you doing this?” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “You say you know everything about your employees, but no boss could be crazy enough to memorize every single face their employees have interacted with.”

He remained silent, offering no response.

I pressed on. “You somehow know I have a sister. You know Tyler was with her. How?”

Still, he didn’t move or speak.

So I kept tracing small, hesitant circles on his chest with my fingertips. I was pushing my luck, but I didn’t care.

The alcohol coursing through me had dulled my fear, loosened my self-control, and shattered my usual restraint.

I caught sight of a tattoo peeking out from beneath the left collar of his shirt—black ink forming sharp, connected lines, possibly linked to the one I glimpsed earlier on his wrist.

I wanted to see more.

God, I wanted to understand it.

Every gentle stroke of my fingers over Alaric’s chest deepened the darkness in his eyes and made his muscles tense, as if he was fighting the urge to touch me back.

He wanted me.

No, it was more than that—he looked at me as though he intended to claim me.

“Is that really what you want to know, Meadow?” he asked, his voice low but edged with a commanding tone.

My eyes fluttered at the sound of my name on his lips—soft yet sharp, almost like an order. I had a feeling that if he told me to sit down and stay put, I would obey without hesitation.

My mouth suddenly felt dry, and I swallowed hard before answering honestly, “No,” I whispered, shaking my head.

Because deep down, I didn’t want to know. Somewhere amidst the chaos, a realization had dawned on me.

I wanted him too.

Not because he was handsome. Not because he was wealthy. Not even because he was Tyler’s boss.

But because, for the first time in my life, someone was truly paying attention.

Not to Juniper.

To me.

Pathetic, I know.

I pulled my hand away with a heavy sigh. “I don’t know why I’m acting like this. I don’t even know you.”

His gaze locked onto mine. “But you want to.”

I hated how painfully accurate he was.

I shrugged, my voice bitter as I laughed softly, tears threatening to spill. “I’m not in the right state of mind right now, Alaric. I was played.”

I didn’t know why I was confessing this to him, but the words poured out like a flood.

“Tyler, my sister… they’ve been playing me for years, and I didn’t even realize it. I was so stupid. I thought… I thought he loved me.”

I fought hard to keep my tears from falling in front of this stranger, but the moment he pulled me against his chest, I froze.

“Don’t hold back,” he whispered into my hair, his voice deep and rough. “Let it out.”

I hadn’t planned to. I really hadn’t.

But I broke.

One moment I was blinking back tears, and the next I was sobbing against his chest, my fists clutching the fabric of his shirt, my body trembling as if finally given permission to unravel.

Alaric’s hand moved slowly up and down my spine in soothing circles, offering quiet comfort.

“Just say the word,” he said suddenly.

I pulled back, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand. “What?”

His hand reached up to tuck stray strands of hair behind my ears, and my heart hammered wildly in my chest. The gesture was gentle, but the fire in his eyes was anything but.

Murderous.

“Say the word, and I’ll help you get the revenge you crave.”

I blinked, furrowing my brows in confusion. “Who says I want revenge?” A nervous laugh escaped me.

He exhaled slowly, a smirk curling his lips. “You can’t deny it, Meadow. You want revenge. On Tyler. On your sister. You want them to pay for everything they did to you.”

He stepped closer, and I instinctively took a step back—not because I wanted distance, but because I wanted him to chase me.

Soon, my back was pressed against the wall, and Alaric leaned in, his hand braced beside my head, trapping me.

Everything about him was undeniably magnetic. Every word he spoke carried a dangerous edge.

More than dangerous.

But he was right. I did want payback. Juniper had destroyed my life long before tonight, and now she’d taken the one thing I thought I still had left.

“Why would you want to help me?” I asked, my voice barely steady.

His eyes drifted to my lips, and I watched as his tongue flicked out to moisten them. I wished it would wet mine instead.

“Because you looked at me like I could break you,” he said quietly. “And you touched me like you wanted me to own you.”

He leaned in closer, his breath warm against my face, his lips just inches from mine. I struggled to breathe. “I don’t feel, Meadow,” he whispered. “I can’t feel anyone’s touch. But I felt yours.”

His lips brushed mine lightly, and I gasped, but he didn’t wait for a response.

No questions. Even though I had a million.

“I can give you what you want,” he murmured. “All of it. Revenge. Power. A new name. One they’ll never touch. One they’ll choke on when they realize who you belong to.”

I tried to step back, but there was nowhere to run. No escape. ‘Yes,’ I wanted to say. ‘I want it all.’

His next words came slowly, deliberately, and they knocked the breath right out of me.

“Marry me.”

I blinked, my mind scrambling for a reply. “You’re joking.”

He shook his head once. “No.”

He stepped away, and I finally drew a breath.

“How can you… h-how… you don’t even know me. We don’t even like each o—”

“I don’t need to like you, Meadow,” he interrupted, his jaw tightening. “I just need to have you.”

The air left my lungs again. “Alaric—” I breathed.

He didn’t break eye contact. “I can make them pay,” he promised. “All of them. Anyone who’s ever made you feel small.”

“And in return?” I asked, though I already knew the answer.

“You’ll be mine.” His voice dropped, deep and low, almost a growl on the word ‘mine.’

A shiver ran down my spine, and warmth blossomed deep in my stomach once more.

Not that the warmth ever truly left.

I swallowed hard, my mind spinning, my heart pounding as the weight of everything crashed down on me. I didn’t even realize I was moving until I was mere centimeters from him.

“I have one last request,” I murmured, lifting my hand to his chest again, this time focusing only on the buttons of his shirt.

“Anything you want,” he whispered hoarsely, nostrils flaring at my touch.

I tried to talk myself out of it.

I really did.

But in my drunken haze, there was only one thing on my mind.

The desperate need to feel what Juniper had felt with Tyler when I caught them.

So, heart pounding and eyes locked on Alaric’s, I made my request.

“I want you to take my virginity.”