CHAPTER FIVE

“Probably,” Talia chuckled, already swinging one leg over the sill while Nessa watched in sheer shock.

How had she ended up with a friend this chaotic?

They climbed down carefully, dropping onto the damp grass of the yard, only to find Marcus standing near the hedge line with his arms crossed over his chest.

He shook his head, folding his arms. “You two are unbelievable.”

Talia let out a dramatic sigh. “How much, Marcus?”

Marcus smirked, his eyes sweeping over Nessa, taking in how the dark dress fit her before he murmured smoothly, “Fifty.”

Talia shoved the cash directly into his palm. “You saw nothing.”

Marcus pocketed the bills and stepped aside. “Have fun, delinquents. Talia, make sure she stays safe!”

The girls bolted toward Talia’s car, laughing under their breath.

By the time they pulled up near the venue where the Mouth Riders were hosting their private gathering, heavy bass was vibrating through the outer stone walls.

The Mouth Riders' party was absolute chaos, flashing lights, roaring engines in the courtyard, and bodies packed shoulder-to-shoulder.

The music was loud enough for Nessa to feel it throbbing deep within her chest. Talia grabbed her wrist and pulled her right into the center of it.

For once, no one stepped in to push Nessa aside. She wasn't just a target or an outcast; she was just another body moving in the crowd.

They danced together, breathless and laughing.

Nessa had never experienced anything like it. People were loud, careless, and completely alive, and Talia fit into the atmosphere without the slightest effort.

Eventually, Talia steered her toward the bar area, where they perched on high stools, sipping drinks and talking over the music.

Nessa drank slowly, taking in her surroundings in quiet amazement.

Then Talia suddenly gasped, dropping her cup onto the counter. “Oh, my Goddess.”

“What is it?”

“That guy...the Black Wolf from the track team last term.”

Before Nessa could even answer, Talia slid off her stool. “I’m going over there.”

Nessa laughed softly. “Go on.”

Talia grinned and vanished into the sea of wolves.

Left by herself, Nessa sat quietly, taking small sips of her drink as she watched Talia move onto the dance floor.

Talia looked so unbothered, so fearless, without a single doubt about her place in the world.

Nessa smiled gently to herself, happy for her friend.

But then the room began to blur, and she blinked heavily.

The flashing lights suddenly felt far too intense, the music deafeningly loud.

She tried to push herself up off the stool to steady her footing, but her body swayed dangerously.

What did she just take? Did they put something in her drink? What is it? What did they put in there?

Something was terribly wrong. She took a sluggish step toward the crowd to find Talia.

The floor tilted beneath her feet, and just as her knees gave out, strong arms caught her from behind.

A stranger's overwhelming scent wrapped around her senses.

Her fingers clutched instinctively at a firm, broad chest as a violent dizziness washed over her. She tried to lift her head to see who was holding her, but the room spun out of control.

The last thing she registered was the heat of massive, unfamiliar arms lifting her completely off the ground.

Then everything went black.

Slowly, lingering sensations began to seep back into her consciousness, hands moving against her skin.

They were warm, possessive touches, and every press of fingers sent heat coursing through her body like liquid fire.

Her lips were pressed against someone else's, soft gasps escaping her as fingers traced a path across her waist, her spine, her thighs.

Her mind was completely submerged in a hazy, warm fog, floating between intense pleasure and sheer confusion.

*Is this Adrian?* her heart pleaded with her clouded mind, but she couldn't process a single coherent thought.

*It has to be Adrian.* That was the only single point of logic she could hold onto.

It had to be him. He was the only boy from that high-born circle who had ever shown her kindness, the only one who had ever stood close enough to touch her.

She had secretly wanted him for so long.

His gentle smile had made her heart race for months, making him the only person she had ever dreamed of kissing, the only one she would ever willingly trust with herself.

If she was losing her virginity tonight, it was worth it because it was him.

Then she felt heavy hands pressing over her chest, a sharp, lingering bite against the side of her neck, her toes curling as her fingers dug into broad, muscular shoulders.

Was this really happening? Was her impossible dream actually coming true?

A quiet whimpering sound escaped her lips as she felt herself laid gently across thick, heavy sheets.

The room around them was pitch black, her thoughts slipping in and out like fleeting shadows.

She tried to open her eyes, tried to focus through the dark to see his face, but her vision remained a blur, and all she could register was the overwhelming intensity of his touch.

Then came a sharp, sudden wave of pain that made her gasp out loud, her nails digging into his shoulders.

For a fraction of a second, panic surged through her and she tried to pull back, but his mouth found hers again, consuming her completely.

The pain melted beneath an intense, rushing wave of warmth, and she gave in entirely, wrapping her arms around his neck as if she had been waiting for this her entire life.

As if this was where she had always belonged. And somewhere deep in the darkness, she whispered the name she had guarded in the most secret corner of her heart.

“Adrian...”

The powerful body hovering over hers went rigidly still for a brief heartbeat.

"Adrian...slow...it..." Hurts.

Then the dark, consuming heat swallowed everything once more.

Nessa woke slowly, her head pounding with a dull ache and her entire body feeling sore and bruised.

She lay motionless, staring up at an unfamiliar vaulted ceiling, unable to comprehend where she was or how she had gotten there.

Then fragmented pieces of the night came flooding back, the noise of the party, the heavy drinks, the intense heat, the hands.

Her breath caught in her throat as she sat up far too quickly, clutching the heavy sheet to her chest.

There was a dark crimson stain on the white fabric beneath her.

Panic surged through her chest like ice water.

The room was completely silent.

The space beside her was cold and empty. Her torn clothes were scattered across the floorboards.

She was entirely alone.

"What happened?"