Chapter 3

Adrian pulls me to him and steps back with me into the room. The door clicks shut behind us. Maybe it was the finality of that sound, but an unwelcome sense of reality makes me re-examine this choice I’ve made.

This is so wrong. I’m using Julian’s father as a tool for revenge. Julian’s billionaire father with the reputation for being completely unattainable. This would be a one-night stand for him. It would mean nothing. And I’ve never been a casual sex kind of girl. This was a terrible idea. What was I thinking?

Just as I’m about to pull away completely, Adrian leans down and wraps an arm around my waist, lifting me up and tightly against him. I give an unattractive yelp and wrap my legs around his hips to keep from falling.

He just chuckles and reclaims my mouth in a deep demanding kiss. His lips move expertly against mine and his tongue sweeps into my mouth. The taste of him is intoxicating and I welcome the sensation of his attentions like a woman starved.

The heat of his body consumes me, and I can feel the evidence of his desire pressing against my thigh. It almost shuts up any doubts I have. Almost.

My common sense finally pushes through and I break my mouth away from Adrian’s. “I’m so sorry. I can’t do this.”

I shouldn’t have come here. I’m not this person.

Adrian’s expression freezes over. He isn’t shouting like some ordinary guy would, but the icy rage simmering in his eyes chills me straight through.

He lets me down to the floor. All the heat that was there is gone. "A second rejection, sweetling?" His voice drops cold and low. "You’ve got me all wrong if you think I’m patient enough to let you push me around."

I shake my head, embarrassed and guilty. I understand why he’s mad. I didn’t mean to, but it looks like I’m leading him on.

“No, of course not. I’m sorry.” I breathe deeply, trying to calm my nerves before I decide the truth is the best explanation. Omitting a few details, of course. “I just found out my boyfriend is cheating on me. I was just so angry and I wasn’t thinking. It was impulsive, but I shouldn’t use you like that. I’m so sorry.”

His jaw relaxes. After a second, a cocky grin breaks out on his face. He reaches his hand up to run the back of his fingers along my jaw and down before wrapping around the back of my neck. “Is that all? Well, if it’s revenge you want.” He leans in again, his breath hot and voice low. “Why stop now? Why not take it all the way?”

The heat of his body and the slow deep kiss that follows, silences any further argument. Before I know it, he has me backed up until my knees hit the bed and he’s unbuttoning my shirt. Any rational thought I might have had left is gone when his hands find my skin and I’m lowering myself to the bed. He crawls over me, leaving a trail of kisses up the column of my neck.

His skin against mine is intoxicating and I press into his touch, aching for more. My body is on fire and all I can focus on is the sensation of his hand as it travels down my body to the waist of my pants. I wait in dizzying anticipation for what comes next.

A rapid series of dings snaps me out of it. Adrian breaks away and groans impatiently. He places a finger against my lips. “One moment. Wait right here.” Then he reaches for a phone on the nightstand. He frowns at whatever he sees, and my blood runs cold as he answers the call with one word.

“Julian?”

Adrian

There is only one thing in the world that could possibly distract me from the stunning woman laying beneath me. One thing that could shift my immediate priorities. My one weakness.

For the first time in years, my son is calling me. I don’t remember the last time he reached out. Maybe he never had. Not since before his mother died and he had blamed me for her death.

Something had broken in him when he learned his mother was gone. Julian had cursed my name and left the werewolf society, rejecting everything we offered, and enrolled in a human university. I’ve tried everything to connect with my son again, but he refused to return.

I’m a werewolf Alpha, with extensive resources at my disposal. Yet all of the wealth and power in the world couldn’t fix the rift that had torn between us.

It’s no contest. The woman can wait. I climb off the bed and walk to the window, trying to keep my voice low. But there’s no privacy in a hotel room and I’m not about to ask her to leave in case she changes her mind again in the hallway.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, sure that only the worst of emergencies would make him speak to me.

“How dare you!” Julian yells angrily. “I told you, I want no part of your world. I don’t know what agenda you have, but I’m not marrying this woman!”

“What are you talking about?” I ask confused.

“You know what I’m talking about! You orchestrating my future like you own it. I’m not a pawn in whatever you’re planning and I’m not about to let you arrange my marriage over it.” Julian seethes.

I’ve done no such thing, but history has shown that when my son is like this, any denial won’t be believed.

I sigh heavily. Of course, the only reason Julian is calling is to fight with me. I have no interest in arguing with him. Even if he is accusing me of something I’ve had no part of.

"If you're talking about that Vanessa girl's birthday invitation—yes, I had her send it."

Vanessa, also a werewolf girl, was someone Julian used to enjoy hanging out with, loud and flashy as she is. I did instruct her family to extend the invitation to Julian, but he chose to attend on his own.

Yet Julian cuts me off, furious: "I knew it was you! You’re not controlling my feelings!"

My expression cools. "What you do out there has never been my concern."

As an Alpha, it’s my right to know where my son is and what he’s doing. I’m even aware he’s been seeing some human girl out there. But until he comes to me himself, I won’t interrupt his… self-righteous little independence.

But I do know Julian once shows up at Vanessa’s birthday party, that annoying girl is definitely gonna do everything she can to flirt with him. And knowing my son, he can’t say no when a girl throws herself at him. God knows where he got that from.

I think about my son’s girlfriend. I know nothing about her. Only that she’s human and I get a little angry on her behalf.

If he’s flirting back with Vanessa, he must not care about this girl at all. He’s just playing with her. If that’s the case and he’s just using her to avoid some political marriage he thinks I’m planning.

“So, to avoid any plans I might have made, you go and get yourself an ordinary and nobody girlfriend?” I ask, pushing as much authority as I can into the tone. “It’s time you grew up. Break up with the girl and get your priorities in order. You belong with the family and in the community you were born to.”

My son is silent for a moment. Then he snaps back. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. Stay out of my life and mind your own business.”

The line goes dead, and I know he’s hung up on me.

I’m still pissed at how Julian’s forgotten even basic manners, when the girl who was just clinging to me and making me forget everything speaks softly behind my back.

“Oh really, nobody?”