CHAPTER 002

—DAPHNE

The sharp burn of vodka hit my head instantly, making everything feel lighter for a moment. I reached for another drink, then another. By the fourth shot, the loud music behind me had become unbearable. The flashing neon lights hurt my eyes, and everyone around me seemed lost in their own world.

Some people danced wildly while others kissed like nothing else existed. A few were just as drunk as I was. I couldn’t even remember how I ended up at the bar. All I knew was that the vodka in my hand felt like the only thing keeping me together.

Daphne—the unwanted one, the outcast of the pack. That’s what I had been called since childhood. My mother had abandoned me at the doorstep of the Vermont Pack. At that time, Alpha Bellamy, Roth’s father, had kindly taken me in. But the rest of the pack never accepted me. Only Alpha Bellamy stood by me.

Their hatred only grew because of the special treatment I received from him. So when Roth lied and they immediately pointed fingers at me, I wasn’t shocked. I swallowed another shot of vodka. I had spent my entire life trying to earn their acceptance, trying to prove I belonged there and it was never enough.

 That was why Roth’s betrayal hurt so deeply. He was one of the few people who ever made me feel wanted besides his father. Every woman in the pack desired him, yet somehow he had chosen me. Or at least, that was what I foolishly believed.

The ache in my chest worsened as the echo of their words haunted my mind.

“Slut.”

“Ingrate.”

I dragged my fingers through my hair roughly.The alcohol wasn’t helping anymore. The thought of living without the pack terrified me. It was all I had ever known. Even their hatred felt less painful than being completely alone.

Roth said he cheated because I kept refusing him. There had always been rumors about him sleeping around, but nobody ever proved anything and because i was foolishly inlove, i trusted him, and I had made him wait years before giving myself to him.

Maybe that really was unfair. This was my fault. If I apologized enough, if I finally gave him what he waited five years for, he would forgive me and take me back. Everything could return to normal. Before I realized it, I was standing outside the Vermont Pack house. The familiar sight made my chest ache. I slipped inside quietly through the back entrance, careful not to be seen. The pack house was silent, most people probably asleep already.

My feet carried me toward Roth’s room automatically. Luckily, the door was unlocked. Inside, someone lay alone on the bed beneath the dim light. My heart twisted painfully. This was my chance to fix everything.

With trembling hands, I removed my dress and climbed onto the bed. The alcohol clouded my thoughts, drowning out the small voice telling me this was wrong. The scent in the room felt stronger somehow, very different but I ignored it. I pressed myself against his body and guided his hands onto my breastsAlmost immediately, his eyes snapped open.

“You can have me, this is what you’ve always wanted,” I said, moving my hips slowly. I could feel his arousal.

“You shouldn’t be—”

“Shhh.” I placed my hand over his mouth before he could continue. He didn’t need to say anything.

I leaned closer, kissing him slowly. My thoughts were blurry, my emotions completely tangled. All I wanted was to stop hurting, even if only for one night. His body tensed beneath mine at first, like he was fighting himself. But when my fingers curled against his chest, something inside him finally gave in.

His lips crashed against mine, rough and desperate, stealing the breath from my lungs. The kiss felt nothing like Roth’s soft kisses. This was rougher, deeper, and possessive, like he was trying to consume every broken piece of me. Our breaths mingled as his mouth took control. Heat flooded my body as his hand slid down my spine, pulling me closer until there was no space left between us.

I should have noticed then. I should have realized then that something was wrong. That this wasn’t Roth.

But heartbreak and alcohol had numbed every instinct I had left. For the first time since the rejection ceremony, I didn’t feel unwanted anymore. His lips brushed along my jaw before finding the sensitive spot beneath my ear, drawing a shaky breath from me. A soft sound escaped my lips as he suddenly rolled over, pinning me gently beneath him. His large body pressed against mine while his mouth claimed mine again.

I clung to him helplessly, losing myself in the warmth of his touch. His hand slid slowly along my waist and down my thigh, sending heat through my entire body. My breathing turned uneven as I moaned, rubbing myself against his thick thighs.

The sheet around him had slipped and his hard cock pressed between my thighs. I ached to reach for it but he had my hands pinned over my head as his mouth left mine and trailed down my neck. I whined, bucking into his touch. I wanted him to bite me, wanted his mark, but he didn’t give in. Instead, he bit down on one of my hardened nipples and I screamed as pleasure shot through me. His fingers parted my legs open, rubbing my clit and spreading my slick.

I groaned, wanting more of him, my chest rising in anticipation as he positioned himself at my entrance and thrust in at once. My back arched as my mouth opened in a silent scream of pleasure, my walls spasms around his thick length as he let out a low groan. One hand tightened on my hips while the other wrapped around my neck.

His big hands spanned the width of my waist as he pounded into me like a rag doll. I moaned, until I was practically a mess. I screamed as the orgasm crashed over me, sobbing as pleasure ran through me in waves. I felt it then. That fire and hunger, our wolves surged toward each other, a sense of rightness like no other as they molded into one.

My whole body went limp, and before I could even realize it, I collapsed against his chest. His warm embrace enveloped me as my vision faded. The next morning, sunlight pressing against my eyelids felt overwhelmingly irritating. I clenched my eyes shut, hoping the brightness would fade away. When it didn’t, I reluctantly opened them.

The first thing that reached me was a scent, both unfamiliar yet strangely familiar as I took in my surroundings slowly. A large room adorned with black marble walls, lacking any personal touches. But that wasn’t what made my heart race.

It was the scent—the one I had grown almost fond of. My head snapped to the side and there he was, peacefully asleep. His chest was bare, an image that captivated my gaze, and as for his pants? They were nowhere to be seen. Naked, he lay peacefully, sleeping beside me. Alpha Bellamy. Roth’s father.

OMG! I shot upright, scrambling to find my clothes. Despite the pounding in my head, the memories became clearer. I had barged into his room, not Roth’s. His.

And we had — “Oh God,” I whispered, scrambling for my clothes.

“Daph?” His rough voice stopped me mid-movement.

Daph—the name he always used for me sounded completely different now. Especially with the echoes still vivid in my mind: his grunts, the forceful thrusts, the ragged breath that followed his release. Why hadn’t he stopped me?

 His handsome jaw was creased with worry, his usually sleek dark hair messy. The thought of how completely his thickness had filled and stretched me surged through my body again.

My eyes landed on the red stain on the white bedsheet. I felt my heart drop to my stomach. “I’m sorry,” I murmured, already dressed, turning toward the door.

“Wait,” he called out.

I didn’t. I ran out of his room as fast as I could, vowing never to return to the pack again.