That One Night

CHAPTER TWO

~ARIEE~

At first, I couldn’t see anything in the darkness. But I could feel it.

A terrifying presence in the room. Heavy and oppressive.

My stomach curled, my head spun, even my vision felt hazy but all I could feel was the rising temperature in the room. This heat coursing through my veins. My throat felt dry as I took a shaky step forward, excitement brewing inside of me.

Then it hit me.

A masculine scent slowly infiltrated every inch of my being. I could smell the pheromones rolling off him and gods, the euphoria it stirred inside of me was inexplicable.

Not only was there a man here, but he was in heat too.

I wasn’t sure if it was the drug or him, but there was a force compelling me to get closer. To find the man in the dark.

To taste him.

And quench his hunger with mine.

My cheeks burned in shame at the thought but I couldn’t even bring myself to recoil from embarrassment. I licked my lips, my hunger increasing with each passing second.

“How audacious!” a rich baritone rasped in the darkness, irritation seeping through. “An omega harboring such vulgar thoughts about her superior.”

My heart skipped a beat as the aura in the room flared again. I didn’t even get the chance to think when a gush of air brushed past me and in a blink, my back slammed hard against the wall, cold fingers wrapping around my throat.

“Be gone, insect,” he hissed.

I should have been afraid, hell, my body was shuddering. But a smirk played on my lips instead.

“Found you,” I whispered, throwing my arms around his shoulders. It landed perfectly and before he could react, I gripped the back of his neck, pulling him towards me as I slammed my lips against his instinctively in the dark.

Soft. Warm. A hint of cocktail on his lips.

He stiffened against me and for a second, I thought he was going to fling me across the wall or something. His other hand gripped my thighs and I instantly wrapped my legs around him.

His body was hard and solid beneath my hands.

My pulse raced. I wanted more.

I could feel him frown against my lips. Then he pulled away slightly.

“I don’t care who you are but if Damon sent you, I hope you have enough stamina to match that vulgar mind of yours.”

*****************************

A sharp pain exploded inside my head and yanked me awake. Rays of sunlight spilled in from the windows and I squeezed my eyes shut, wincing.

It felt like nails were being hammered into my skull from the inside. I groaned and tried to sit up but my body protested. My legs were wide apart, limp and burning like I had been scorched.

Then like a video tape, my mind rewound the events of last night.

Brandon. Chelsea. The Aphrodisiac. The strange scent. The stranger.

My eyes widened as the memory of my lips crashing against his replayed in my head.

Oh goddess! My upper body sprang up in panic. What… What have I done?!

As if on cue, a soft snore rolled into my ears and I whipped my head around to see the sleeping man beside me. A gasp fell off my lips as my eyes bulged, I was so startled that in my attempt to get away from him, I fell off the bed. Pain exploded in my insides and I let out a whimper.

The thud that followed should have been loud enough to wake him but he didn't even stir. Grabbing the bed for support, I slowly pulled myself up. With the light infiltrating the room now, I could get a clear view of him.

Short curly grey hair sprawled over his face. He had the palest skin I had ever had seen and strangely his brows and lashes matched with his hair. A scar ran from his left brow, past his eye to his cheek, like he was slashed.

He was every bit manly, large and thick-muscled with prominent facials, yet… something about him was so beautifully delicate at the same time.

He didn’t look like any ordinary wolf. The aura rolling off him in his sleep was even stronger than an Alpha’s. So who the hell was this man?

More memories came pouring in. His strong arms around my waist. The violent thrusts. My cries of pain mixed with the moans. He didn’t try to be gentle, even when he was fully aware it was my first time. He ravaged and pounded me like an animal until I passed out.

A cold shiver ran through my spine. All the courage from last night evaporated in the face of my cruel reality. This man was definitely someone important and I was a nobody. I broke into his room while he was in heat and kissed him. Drugged or not, I took advantage of him.

If he woke up to see me now, he would definitely skin me alive. My life was shitty enough as it was. I couldn’t afford to get myself in any more trouble.

So I grabbed the shirt lying on the floor and threw it on. I had nothing else to wear so I hoped he would just let this one slide. Moving was the most difficult part because my legs felt like jelly and down there was on fire.

After what seemed like forever, I was able to get out of the hotel and take a cab home.

By home, I mean the second hell I was forced to live in since I came to Bear pack. The mansion stood before me, huge and stunning, as expected of a Beta’s home.

The Beta had taken me in as a personal maid for his beloved daughter and inorder to ensure I served her properly, he even sponsored my education to the same school as her. That was where I met Brandon and everything went to shit.

Sucking in a deep breath, I prayed to the gods that everyone would still be asleep so I could sneak in.

However, the moment I stepped in, that prayer went to naught. The entire mansion was BUSY. I passed in my tracks, watching cluelessly as servants buried past me. Was there some kind of celebration?

“ARIEEEEE!” The thunderous roaring of my name caught me completely off guard. Dread curled in my stomach as I ran inside with panic, knowing that even a second delay was going to land me in big trouble.

“Coming, ma’am,” I answered in between my heavy breathing as I ran up the stairs. I pushed the double doors in the hallway to reveal the mess her room had become. Then the brunette at the center of the chaos snapped her head to me, her brown eyes burning in rage.

“WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL DAY?!” She barked. “I HAVE CALLED YOU AT LEAST FIVE TIMES THIS MORNING!” My eyes rang from the screaming but I didn’t dare cover my eyes or that would make her even more mad.

I also couldn't point out that this was only six in the morning.

Fiona was Beta Carden’s only daughter and she was spoiled rotten. If she demanded a head, her father would give her two of them. Not to mention her terrifying anger issues.

“Forgive me, princess. I was out to get some chocolate for your favourite chocolate milk. I figured it would brighten up your day but I couldn’t find any stores open,” I lied through my teeth. Coaxing was the only way to get out of this alive.

Her anger immediately mellowed down. “You should have made preparations yesterday if you were so desperate to please me.”

“You are always right, my lady,” I bowed, refusing to remind her that Chelsea and I had begged her father for weeks to get a leave yesterday.

Slowly, I picked up the clothes scattered everywhere. I was too afraid to ask her what this commotion was all about.

“Leave what you’re doing and get over here,” she snapped and I froze. “The entourage will soon be here and I… I can’t seem to find anything suitable to wear!”

“Entourage?” I echoed. Was this another one of her exaggerated statements? She turned to me with a condescending look. “Are you perhaps preparing for an event or…?”

“It’s no surprise you don’t know, considering your lowly status,” she shrugged. “But since the other maids can’t do anything right, I might have to take you with me as my personal maid.”

My eyes widened a fraction but she kept talking, ignoring my horrified expression. “The Lycan King’s bride selection process has officially begun. Usually, mere werewolves are not even considered but for some reason, the competition is inclusive this year,” her brown eyes gleamed dreamily. “Every eligible female wolf of noble background is allowed to participate. Which means, I get the chance to wrap the Lycan king around my finger as the most suitable werewoman in Bear pack..”

“Doesn’t that mean other wolf packs will be there along with the Lycan women?” I blurted, thinking aloud. “If beauty was the only criteria, I don’t think weres would be involved at all. The Lycans are far more superior to us in every way, beauty, brains, power. They have always looked down on us. So why… this doesn’t even make any sense... Is there some hidden agenda…”

“ENOUGH!” Fiona barked and flinched. “Are you trying to say I am inferior to other women? That the most beautiful woman in Bear pack doesn’t stand a chance to win the Lycan King's heart?”

Cold sweat broke out of my forehead as she stormed to me. My heart pounded in my chest as I shook my head desperately. Curse my stupid mouth!

She grabbed the collar of my shirt before I could even think of running, her figure trembling in rage.

“I’m sorry, my lady,” I pleaded desperately. “I didn’t mean it that way. I was… trying to say that other werewomen don’t stand a chance, so involving them is meaningless. Only you could go toe-to-toe with the lycan women.” I said as quickly as I could manage before she would scream for the guards to behead me.

Her grip eased up as a smile broke out of her face. I held my breath, not wanting to celebrate too quickly.

“Why didn’t you just say that from the beginning," she chuckled, the smugness returning to her features.. “Ofcourse I am the only wolf destined to be Queen.”

Just as she was letting off my collar, her eyes suddenly darted to my neck. I watched her facials furrow in confusion, then twist into an expression I couldn’t quite fathom.

“What are those strange marks on your neck?” She asked suddenly and I stiffened. Marks? On my neck? She let go of my collar and pushed my head to the other side, inspecting both sides thoroughly. “Eww, are you suicidal? You have so many claw marks on your skin. How irritating.”

She turned her back to me. “Until my coronation is finalized, I forbid you from dying.”

I let out a dejected sigh. It's not like I could tell her a man whose name I didn’t even know did this to me.

“Yes, my lady.”

For what it’s worth, at least I could escape the heart break and shame.