Chapter 3: Who Sent You?

ALEXANDRIA

What even prompted me to do this? 

I had never kissed anyone before, but in that moment, I was glued to his lips like I had done so plenty of times prior. It was just a mere pressing of our lips—frankly, because I had no idea how to kiss. However, the sparks that flared with that kiss felt just as intoxicating as I had read about in my favorite romance novels. 

I could feel the gazes of those inside the club boring into us, accompanied by gasps of surprise and the murmurs that rippled through the crowd. 

Whoever this man was, he seemed to carry an air of fame. Nobody batted an eye when Matt tried to assault me, but suddenly, when I kissed this mysterious stranger, everyone around us tuned in as if our moment was a live show. 

I pulled away after what felt like an eternity, though my wolf was whining inside me, begging me not to break the spell. 

But, just as quickly as I had pulled back, I found myself being pulled toward him again, and the simple pressing of our lips evolved into what felt like a full-blown make-out session. 

His lips moved against mine in a rhythm I struggled to match, as he kissed me like someone who had done this countless times before. I could even feel him smile against my lips, and for a brief moment, the world outside faded away. 

“What do we have here?” he murmured, breaking the kiss with a teasing glint in his eyes. “Another one of you desperate ones, huh? I can’t even get a moment’s peace in here.” 

“Uh, what?” I stammered. 

He placed his hand gently under my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. Despite the darkness of his pupils, his honey-brown irises still shone through, captivating me. 

“Well, you aren’t that bad to look at,” he smirked, a mischievous glint glimmering in his eyes. “So, I’ll give you what you want.” 

Before I could comprehend what was happening, he grabbed my wrist and dragged me out of the club. The man who had been with him—sporting longer brown hair and striking blue eyes—saluted and shot me a smile that bordered on mocking. 

“Good luck,” he said with a wink. 

I didn’t have the chance to process his words or behavior before I was unceremoniously shoved into the passenger seat of a car, the door slamming shut behind me.

“What are you doing—” 

My words were cut short when he suddenly revved the engine and drove away from the club, my heart racing alongside the speeding car. My eyes widened in disbelief while he focused intently on the road ahead. 

Was I really going to be killed like this? 

“Who sent you this time?” he asked, his voice low and dangerous. 

My fear came to a sudden halt, replaced by a wave of confusion as I tilted my head to the side. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I replied. 

“Classic line,” he sighed, glancing at me momentarily before shaking his head in disbelief. “They even had you ingest something to intensify your scent and heat? Do your people honestly think I’d be fooled into believing you’re my mate?” 

The car came to an abrupt stop, making my heart race, and I gasped as the seat was pushed back. 

“But I’ll give you something in return for your courage,” he chuckled deeply, and a shiver ran down my spine at the sound. Before I realized what was happening, I found myself no longer sitting in the passenger seat—I was perched on his lap. 

“I’ll make you satisfied so you won’t bother me again. Tell your people to stop pestering me, too. I don’t have anything for you.” 

After uttering those words, he placed his hand possessively on my nape, guiding me closer to him. Our teeth clashed in a painful display, but as I whimpered, he dove deeper, his tongue sweeping inside my lips and massaging the sensitive muscle. 

“Nnnghh,” I couldn’t suppress the involuntary sound that escaped me. 

He chuckled once more, the rumble vibrating through my entire body. 

“You seem to be enjoying this too much for someone who’s supposed to be pretending.” 

It felt like I was losing my mind; I had no clue what he was talking about, and my brain was turning into absolute mush. 

He claimed my lips again, exploring, and I couldn’t keep up with his pace. Soon, I was gasping for air and found myself instinctively pushing against his chest. But he only continued to claim my lips, so I bit down on that soft muscle, making him groan and finally pull away. 

Breathless and utterly bewildered, I looked up to find his lip bleeding. 

“I’m—” 

I was about to apologize but then realized that this wasn’t my fault. 

He wiped the blood from his lips, his tongue darting out to lick the area clean. My eyes followed the motion despite my best intentions, ignoring the heat radiating from my body. 

“Who even are you?” I exclaimed, frustration boiling over.  

He raised an eyebrow, shaking his head in disbelief. “Well, this is a new strategy. I never thought you would go the amnesiac route. You’re telling me you don’t know me?” 

I glared at him, even while still on his lap. “Not everyone knows a pompous, arrogant Alpha. In fact, I don’t care who you are! You dragged me out here and kissed me!” 

He shook his head, amusement flickering in his eyes. “Your strategies are changing, I see. Whatever—I’ve already given you my lips. I’m not about to hand over anything else.” 

Then, to my astonishment, he opened the car door and, without a hint of hesitation, shoved me away from his lap. I landed hard on the cold ground, my knees scraping painfully against the cement, blood rushing to the reddened area. 

I opened my mouth to unleash another tirade, but he simply tossed money over my body, leaving me speechless. 

“There,” he said, an insulting smirk stretching across his face. “Use that to get home. And do me a favor—stop playing these roles. It won’t do you any good, even for a pretty girl like you.” 

With that, he slammed the car door, returned to the driver’s seat, and peeled away, leaving a cloud of dust and dirt swirling around me. I glared at the back of the car, raising my middle finger high in the air. 

“Asshole!” I screamed into the emptiness of the deserted lot. 

I looked around, disoriented, realizing I didn’t even recognize where I was. To top it off, my body was still heated from what Matt had given me, and my wolf’s senses seemed impaired because of it—I couldn’t even reach out to her. 

Still, I stood up from the hard ground, taking a deep breath to steady myself. 

“Alphas are really the worst,” I muttered under my breath, walking away, all the while ignoring the lingering tingles on my lips.