Chapter 3

Elara's POV

When I woke up, my body felt heavy. My limbs ached as if they had been taken apart and put back together wrong. Even breathing came with a dull, lingering soreness.

The room was completely dark, too quiet to feel real. I couldn't tell if it was day or night until I reached for my phone.

The screen lit up and showed it was 6:35 a.m.

I had slept for barely half an hour.

I turned my head and looked at the man beside me.

He was sleeping deeply, his breathing steady. In the low light, the sharp line of his shoulders cut a dangerous silhouette.

This was insane.

We had made love until dawn.

At first, we could still manage a few words between us, broken and scattered. But after... I lost count of how many times, I stopped even trying to think.

At some point, words stopped mattering. Everything was stripped down to breath, pressure, and instincts I couldn't reason with or control.

I remembered clinging to his shoulders, my fingers tightening, my chest rising and falling too fast to keep up. I was no longer thinking, only being driven forward, again and again.

"This isn't right."

He spoke quietly, hesitation threading through his voice. It was as if he were savoring the memory while judging it at the same time.

"Are your clients always like this?"

I had no idea what he meant.

I simply played along and brushed it off casually. "Yeah. More or less."

"Really?"

He snorted, sounding some part amused. "Then I suppose you're very good at your job."

I covered the brief stiffness in my body with a smile that was a little too natural. "Of course. I'm always good at what I do."

He was silent for a moment, then asked, "What's your name?"

I paused for a second and chose a safe lie.

"Cora," I said. "My name is Cora."

After that, neither of us spoke again.

The silence felt like a shared understanding. Desire took over, pulling us back into each other, over and over.

The absurd part was that a thought actually crossed my mind. I might be the first werewolf in history to die from having sex too recklessly in bed.

Fortunately, I survived the night.

A faint cramp twisted low in my abdomen, snapping me back to reality. I held my breath, then let it out slowly, careful not to make a sound. My hand rested over my stomach, feeling the lingering heat still trapped beneath my skin.

I had just spent an entire night with a complete stranger.

Inside my head, I was screaming while clutching my belly.

I needed to get out of here!

I rolled off the bed and braced myself against the wall as I pulled my clothes on. Damn it, my legs wouldn't stop shaking. My whole body hurt like I had been trampled by a migrating herd of wild beasts.

I crept to the door and pressed my ear against it. There was no movement outside. Thank the Moon Goddess.

I eased it open.

Four werewolves dressed in black stood in the hallway.

A whole night had passed, yet they were exactly the same as yesterday. Same posture, same rigid stillness, and the same cold, expressionless faces.

Had they really been standing there all night?

My heart skipped a beat. I felt a bit awkward. "G-good morning."

None of them answered. They simply stepped aside, opening a path for me.

When I reached the first floor, the Cerulean Club was already closed.

I pulled out my phone and saw there were thirty missed calls from Cora. I called her back immediately.

"Elara, you lunatic, where the hell did you disappear to last night?!"

I pressed a hand to my forehead. "I, uh... I slept with a stranger."

Dead silence on the other end.

Two seconds later, Cora screamed, "What the fuck?"

"It's true," I said, words tumbling out. "Golden eyes. Ridiculously handsome. I swear, next to him Adrian looks like a hyena."

Cora burst out laughing. "Exactly, Elara. Men need comparison. So the reason you didn't reply all night is that you two were... hmm?"

I closed my eyes. "...Yes."

"Oh my god. You two are insane. All night long?"

My face burned, but deep inside, a wave of despair and sadness surged up without warning.

No matter what I did, I couldn't erase the memory.

My Alpha had abandoned me.

My voice dropped. "Maybe. Can we not talk about this?"

Cora's laughter floated through the phone. "Why not? Today is the day I should be drinking with you and celebrating your rebirth!"

Bitterness welled up in my chest. "Cora, my head's a mess right now."

She sighed softly. "Alright. Just remember, if anything comes up, call me anytime."

I nodded. "Thanks for being there for me, Cora."

By the time I returned to Adrian's estate, dusk had settled in. The sun was slipping behind the hills, and lights glowed throughout the manor.

I pushed the door open, and the sound in the air froze me where I stood.

Sharp, unrestrained moans echoed from the dining room, and I recognized the voice instantly.

It was Marielle.

She was bent forward by the table while Adrian moved behind her, thrusting into her hips like a wild beast. The sounds of their bodies colliding and the wetness of their thrusting echoed in the room.

I could even smell the sweat on them, the raw, tangled scent of beasts.

Marielle noticed me first.

Her eyes were unfocused, and her makeup was smeared. She flashed me a slow, deliberate smile full of provocation.

She moaned loudly and asked, "Adrian, ah... darling, tell me... am I better, or is she better?"

Adrian's breathing was rough, like a bull in rut. "You. It's always you, baby. No one feels better than you."

Marielle looked at me triumphantly. She deliberately pressed her chest against the table, rolling her shoulders as she stuck her tongue out at me and cried out, "Oh Alpha... my Alpha. Fuck, oh yes... fuck... no one is better than you."

I was surprised by how calm I felt. Maybe too many shocks in one day had already dulled my mind.

I walked into the kitchen and poured myself a glass of water.

Behind me, Adrian casually pulled his pants up and walked over.

He placed his hand on my shoulder and said, "Elara, this is the first time you've stayed out all night before coming back to apologize. But I've decided to be generous and forgive you."

His touch made my skin crawl. I slapped his hand away.

He shrugged, completely unconcerned, motioning for me to move. "Go make Marielle some herbal tea."

Then he turned back to her, his tone softening. "Baby, drink some herbal tea and rest."

Marielle looked at me and said sweetly, "Thank you, Elara."

I lifted my gaze to meet hers. "No need, because I won't be doing it."

I turned to leave.

Adrian grabbed my wrist, his grip closing like iron.

I looked back to see that his expression had gone dark.

"I told you to do it."

His voice dropped low, like he was ordering a dog.

"I said no."

I turned back to face him.

Slap!

Pain exploded across my face as Adrian struck me. I staggered, lost my balance, and collapsed onto the floor. My vision went dark.

I never expected him to make a move. My whole body froze in place.

Marielle screamed, terrified, "Oh my gosh! Adrian, you're so violent!"

"Not with you." Adrian wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close. He brushed a kiss against the corner of her lips. "My violence will never be for you, sweetheart."

Marielle melted against him, their bodies pressing closer together as if I no longer existed.

Then Adrian's phone rang.

He answered immediately. "What? The Alpha King... appeared?"

I felt his cold gaze land on me.

"I understand," he said into the phone. "Let me know if there's any new information."

He hung up.

Then he started walking toward me, slow and deliberate. The air seemed to grow heavier with every step. My stomach twisted, and I dropped forward, retching against the floor.

"Elara, this is all because of you."

He spoke in a low voice as he closed in on me, moving like a demon out of a nightmare. His hand fisted in my hair, and pain exploded through my scalp.

"Ah!"

I thrashed and fought, but it was useless. His strength completely overwhelmed mine.

"This is all your fault," he snarled. "Because you can't give me an heir. You're a useless defect dragging me down!"