5

~Lexia

No. It's not possible.

Jasper stares at me, waiting for some sort of reaction, but I keep my expression impassive. Because it can't be true. He has to be lying to me. Because mind readers don't exist...

"We do exist, quite frankly," Jasper murmurs casually, raising a darkened eyebrow at me.

I flinch.

"Listen, I have many powers, and the reason why is something I can't discuss with you right now. Which is why-"

"You're a Phantom Wolf?" I blurt out.

Instantly Jasper's face darkens. I don't know why I mentioned it, but it seemed to be the only possible way to get a reaction out of him. And my reasoning behind it, wasn't just the mind reading business.

"I said, we can't talk about it here," Jasper repeats, his jaw clenched.

So I was right? And no matter how hard my conscious, realistic thoughts tried to tell me that they don't exist, something in the back of my mind hinted the opposite. Like I was supposed to feel that way...

"I know it's hard to believe, but trust me, you need to take this drink," he mutters, suddenly sliding a glass of red wine across the table top. Where had that come from, because I don't remembering seeing the bartender conjure it up...

I hold the stem warily between my fingertips.

"After what you've just told me, I think I won't take this drink from you," I tell him shakily, slowly, without breaking the relentless eye contact we hold.

This man is either telling the truth, which is on the high ends of the spectrum, or he's absolutely crazy, and wants any reason to get away with spiking my drink.

"Drink, it's not spiked," Jasper insists, the wine finding its way back into my hand.

I stare at the inside of the glass, as swirls red with foreign wine. It looks so tempting, but I still don't trust Jasper.

"You're not really a Phantom Wolf though...They are deformed creatures, that only come out at night," I tell him, glancing around for my nearest escape route.

Jasper suddenly holds his hand up, showing me something I never noticed before. A silver ring, practically burning into his skin. It looked so familiar, aside from the markings engraved in it...Commander of the Night.

"If you drink this, I'll explain everything," Jasper promises.

My mind swirls with unanswered questions and crazy, delusional men. He claims to read my mind, and has done a fairly good job of it thus far. Although, my mind doesn't seem to grasp the impossible idea.

And alcohol does seem like the way to soothe it. As I take a sip of the cool liquid, I wonder if that's his plan. Give me alcohol so I'm calmer when he breaks it to me that he's a mass murdering Phantom or something.

Instead, as I lower the glass, the wine is gone, and it is replaced with a thick, black liquid.

My glass falls from my hand in a fright, the glass shattering on the table top, while the liquid vanishes into thin air.

"Did you poison me?" I growl, stumbling off my chair. Jasper stands, looking slightly solemn with his choices, but still grasps my arm firmly.

"No, it's not poison. Just stay here and wait for the effects to set in," he says softly, but I rip away from him.

"You're crazy..." I mutter, the effects of whatever I took starting to form a haze around the edges of my vision. Jasper again, makes a reach for me, but I dodge him.

He sighs. "Please, Lexia, it's in your best interest..."

His words carry away, as I find myself stumbling across the dance floor, hardly controlling my own feet anymore. I can't leave here until I have completed the mission, which means I need to find Noah.

Emerging from the crowd, my eyes land on Noah, the man I came here for, and I realise the opportunity to approach him is perfect. No one near him, he just stares out that the wide window at the end of the room, observing the night.

"Alpha Noah," I slur, a stupid smile on my face.

He turns, green eyes sorting out my own. He doesn't recognise me, which doesn't surprise me. I would be worried if he did.

His eyes seem to light up when he sees me, obviously somewhat interested in what I have to say. Although, I'm sure he's used to woman coming up to him all the time. Or maybe...He has his mate. No, he can't. He wouldn't be wearing gloves otherwise.

"Yes?" Noah says, turning to face me. He looks clean cut and not drugged up on some unknown substance like I am.

"You're very attractive," I stutter, everyone around us seeming to vanish with the haze surrounding the edge of my vision. All I see, is him, and the confusion in his eyes.

Complete the mission. Get out of here before the drugs render me useless.

Before I can stop myself, the part of my brain suddenly controlled by whatever magic Jasper welds, I fall into Noah, who catches me aptly.

"Are you okay?" He asked, his voice rough and husky, obviously confirming he is a born and raised Harmony Pack member. An Alpha, especially one of Harmony would jump at any occasion to assist someone.

His hands feel strange on my arms, as he tries to steady my shaking legs. If I had control over myself right now, I would have turned around and ran off in the opposite direction. But this mission needs to be completed, or I don't think I'll be able to look Adrian in the eye again.

"I think I like you." The words come out of my mouth before I can stop them.

He smiles, showing me he is rather handsome. "Someone's drunk."

I raise my hand, my finger brushing against his chin. To my dismay, he doesn't object. Is this what Jasper wanted? At least I can confirm Alpha Noah is not my mate.

His hands are on my waist, as if he's having a hard time controlling himself too, despite being completely sober. Suddenly, he leans down, mouth by my ear.

"I want to take you to bed," he whispers. He wanted it, I didn't particularly want it, but I have no choice. For him to be so eager, he has probably not been approached by anyone yet.

Usually girls throw themselves at other Alphas, such as Malik, the Alpha of Love, and Isaiah, the Alpha of Passion. They don't want the Alpha of Loyalty, or Harmony in bed with them.

This night is about fun.

Complete the mission. Get out of here before the drugs render me useless.

But everything is spinning, and my eyes feel like they want to close....

He grabs my hand, turning toward the exit, but stops abruptly at the sight of another Alpha in front of him. Unsure of what he's doing, I tilt my head around his body to see through the cloudy haze of swirling drunkenness, to see Grayson standing there.

"Where are you going?" He question Noah, as if I don't exist. When did he get here?

I can't really see him properly, but I know it's him. The dark suit, disheveled hair, and silver eyes blur together in colour, but the aura he seems to admit makes sense to my body. I hate that fact.

"Grayson...I was...ah-"

Is Noah terrified of Grayson, or am I imagining things? Jasper did a good job with this drug.

"Sorry to interrupt you. Were you two going somewhere?" Grayson asked, looking straight at me. I rub my eyes, wishing I didn't feel like vomiting straight onto the floor was a good idea.

"Just upstairs."

Upstairs. Everyone throughout this party knows what upstairs means. Upstairs, to the bedroom. And if my eyes don't deceive me, Grayson's face seems to shadow at the utterance of the word.

"I don't think that's a good idea," he says darkly, making me swallow. Is he seriously trying to make me feel bad about this? Has a sudden vendetta against me appeared after I said no?

"Why not?" Noah questions, sounding a little frustrated at Grayson's interference.

Noah goes to push past him, dragging me along with him, but Grayson pushes his shoulder back. Hard.

"I said, I don't think that's a good idea," Grayson repeats.

Like a switch, my vision seems to have repaired itself enough to witness that anger on Grayson's face. I've never seen him like this before, even after I declined his offer. Such a dark, menacing expression directed at Noah.

"What's your problem?" Noah questions, his voice raising in annoyance. He's not one to back down, even to Grayson.

"I warned you, and you didn't listen," Grayson says lowly.

What is he doing? It's none of Grayson's business what I do, and at this point, he's ruining my mission. So I step up, right between two threatening Alphas bodies.

"Grayson, back off," I growl.

Something sparks in his eyes. Something that expresses his rank as Alpha better than I could ever explain.

"Yeah man, or show this entire place what you really are," Noah says, his voice taunting. What he really is?

Noah pushes me out of the way gently, but the movement is devastating with my drunken feet. I stumble away, giving the two Alphas the perfect space to confront each other.

Complete the mission. Get out of here before the drugs render me useless.

"I don't think you understand the mistake you're making," Grayson says. Despite the obvious anger radiating under his skin, he's as impassive as ever, facing the situation like a true Alpha.

And it scares me. Because I know a fight is about to ensue...

"Stop, I yell over the music. Not many people take notice, but the two men do.

And at that exact moment, the drugs hit me like a truck, and I stumble a little on my feet. "I think I'm going to pass out..."

I don't know who's arms I land in, until I force my heavy lids open to see a pair of frightened silver eyes look straight back at me.