Chapter 3

Olivia had been moving along the fringe of the ballroom, trying her best to stay inconspicuous. The grand chandelier overhead cast a dazzling light on the ballroom floor, where the most important guests and the elite of the pack danced and mingled. She sipped her drink and glanced around nervously. Juliette had disappeared with some wolves, leaving Olivia feeling a bit stranded.

She had decided it was time to get out before getting caught. Thelia's eagle eyes were likely to spot her any moment, and she had no desire to face her wrath.

Olivia quietly slipped out of the ballroom and into the quieter, empty corridors that led towards the back of the mansion. She moved swiftly, her footsteps barely making a sound on the polished marble floor. She needed to get back to the forest clearing, where she felt safer and more at home.

Just as she approached the doors that led to the back forest, a sudden, intoxicating scent assaulted her nose. It was a blend of pine and sandalwood, with a hint of something uniquely tantalising. Her wolf, which had been dormant until now, sprang to life within her, howling in recognition.

Mate! Her wolf cried.

Olivia's heart pounded in her chest, and she froze in place, her senses overwhelmed. She glanced around, trying to locate the source of the scent. It was coming from behind her. She turned slowly, her breath catching in her throat.

Standing a few feet away, emerging from the shadows of the corridor, was a tall, imposing figure. His dark hair was slightly tousled, and his piercing blue eyes locked onto hers with an intensity that sent shivers down her spine. He was dressed in a tailored suit that emphasised his broad shoulders and lean, muscular frame.

Olivia's wolf purred in satisfaction. This was her mate. She could feel the undeniable bond pulling her towards him.

Asher took a step forward, his gaze never leaving hers. "You," he said, his voice a deep, resonant rumble that sent a thrill through her. "I've been looking for you."

Olivia's throat went dry. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She could only stare, captivated by the sight of him.

She'smy mate. Mine to take.

Although wolves didn't care about looks, his human side was pleased to see such beauty in his mate. The scent of her arousal filled the air, heightening his own desire. Asher's wolf urged him to claim her and mark her as his own. With a predatory gleam in his eyes, he took another step closer, ready to fulfil his primal instincts.

"Wait!" she backed away without taking her eyes off him.

He ignored her and kept moving forward, manoeuvring her until the back of her knees touched the wall. She tried to hold him off by putting her hands in front of her, but he just grabbed them and twisted them gently at her back. His body reacted before his mind could catch up, muscles tightening and senses sharpening. The haze that had clouded his thoughts seemed to lift, replaced by an intense, primal need. He inhaled deeply, the scent of his mate driving him wild with desire.

"What is your name ?" Unfazed by the apparent shock on his mate's face, he tilted her chin so he could look at her face, taking in everything about her, from the blonde hair that framed her oval face to her large, luminous green eyes, down to her luscious, pouty lips.

"Olivia Grant," she replied breathily. She knew she should be scared, if not a little anxious.

"I am Asher Blackwood, and I am your destiny. I am the Alpha heir of North America, and I am making you mine tonight." After making the announcement, he lowered his head and covered her mouth with his.

The kiss started with a gentle taste as he licked and nipped at her bottom lips, but not for long. Hungrily, he tilted her head and gently urged her mouth to part for his tongue. Her moan was immediately smothered under his mouth as he quickly inserted his tongue the minute she opened her mouth. He was voracious in his plundering, his feral side awakened by her taste, and his tongue plunged in and out of her mouth, desiring to imprint his flavour on her too. He was relentless in his tasting of her as he sought out all the crevices and hidden depths of her delectable mouth.

He slanted his mouth, tilted her jaw to get a better angle, and continued to ravish her. He let go of her arms and let his left hand gently cradle the back of her head while his right hand freely roamed and caressed her back and hips. He cupped and squeezed her ass as he pulled her closer to him.

"Sweet and spicy. You're so addictive," he continued to whisper in her mouth.

Olivia was drowning in the surfeit of pleasure. She could hardly breathe. She could only do what he demanded, and she sucked on his nimble tongue. He continued to consume her mouth. Her freed hands found purchase on his broad shoulders, and she clung to him to anchor herself as her world reeled.

He sucked her lower lip and nipped it. He trailed kisses across her cheeks and down to her neck and the upper slope of her breast. He then licked and tongued the deep cleavage between her breasts. He went back to her neck, laved, and nipped the junction between her neck and shoulder hard.

"Wait,please." Olivia pleaded. "Asher, this can't be right," she said, her voice trembling. "There must be some mistake."

Asher's piercing blue eyes softened as he looked at her. "There's no mistake, Olivia. You're my mate."

"You're an Alpha. I... I can't be your mate."

"The mate bond doesn't lie. He lifted his head from her neck and responded in an amused voice, "You, sweet one, belong to me."

He did not give her a chance to ask more questions but proceeded to purposefully muddle her senses more. He pulled down her dress, bared her breasts to his gaze, and slowly licked the side of one, then the other, provocatively. Holding her glance intently with his seductive eyes, he licked around the right pink areole until it glistened with his saliva. He ministered to the other one, too, as she harshly panted for breath. He could smell her delicious sex and couldn't wait to lap it and savour its rich flavour.

"We shouldn't be doing this," she hesitatingly tried to reason out, "we don't even know each other." But all coherent thought flew out of her mind when he started sucking strongly on her nipple. An electric jolt of pure lust flowed from her breast straight to her core.

He sucked and bit at her nipple until she was ready to scream. She clung to him and pushed his face closer, silently urging him to draw more of her. He resisted her effort, lifted his head, looked at her, and swiftly grabbed the tip of her nipple with his teeth and pulled. The pleasure and pain were so intense that she convulsed helplessly. She felt him pick her up and carry her. She clung to him helplessly as he kicked his bedroom door shut.