༇ CHAPTER FOUR

The bass thrummed through my chest as Maya pulled me through the entrance of Midnight Den, the most exclusive club in our pack territory. 

"I still can't believe you actually wanted to come out tonight!" Maya shouted over the loud music, her dark curls bouncing as she led me toward the VIP section. "The Lyra I know would be home with a book and tea by now!"

If only she knew. The Lyra she knew had died three years from now, murdered by the family she'd loved.

This Lyra was done being that girl.

"I don’t know…I guess I just wanna be wild tonight. Stepping outside your comfort zone once in a while is healthy for your mental health.” I called back, and Maya's grin widened.

"Oh, I like this energy! Come on, the girls are already here!"

The VIP section was separated from the main floor by curtains that gave the illusion of privacy while still letting us see the writhing crowd below. Three women lounged on the curved leather couches, drinks already in hand.

"Lyra!" Sienna jumped up, her red dress glittering under the lights. "Maya said you were coming but I didn't believe her. You never come out with us!"

"Well, I'm here now," I said, accepting the drink Maya pressed into my hand. "What are we celebrating?"

"Your rebellion, apparently," drawled Jade, the pack's wildest she-wolf, her silver hair cut in a sharp bob. "Maya said something about family drama?"

I took a long sip of my drink, the alcohol burning pleasantly down my throat. "My parents found their biological daughter. She came home today."

The girls exchanged glances, clearly unsure how to respond.

"And you're... okay with that?" asked Keisha, the gentlest of the group.

I thought about Aurelia's cold smile, her whispered threats. About Jaxon's fists and the letter opener sliding between my ribs. About dying alone on the living room floor while they laughed.

"I'm fine," I said, and meant it. "Actually, I'm better than fine. It was just a…rude awakening, you know? I’ve always been grateful to them for loving me…for taking me in, and because of this I’ve made everything about me revolve around their validation. But now they have their daughter …they didn’t even bat an eye before telling me to give up my room for her.”

“Damn.”

“Yes. And that’s just the beginning. I just…I’m tired of confining myself for them because at the end of the day it doesn’t matter to them. They would still love their biological daughter more and always choose her anyways. I just want to have fun tonight for the first time in my life.”

Maya's eyes lit up. "Now that's what I'm talking about! Girls, I think our good girl is finally ready to walk on the wild side."

"Oh, this calls for a celebration!" Sienna bounced in her seat. "Let's play truth or dare!"

Jade groaned. "What are we, sixteen?"

"Come on, it'll be fun!" Sienna insisted. "And it'll help Lyra loosen up."

"I don't need to loosen up—" I started, but Maya was already pouring another round of shots.

"Truth or dare, Lyra," she challenged, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "And if you say truth, we're going to be very disappointed."

I laughed and downed my shot, feeling the liquid courage spread through my veins. "Okay…Dare."

The girls cheered, and I couldn't help but smile. This felt good. Reckless and freeing and nothing like the careful, controlled life I'd been living.

"Okay, okay," Maya said, looking around the club with a predatory gleam. "I dare you to pick the hottest man you can find in the club and kiss him.”

"That's easy," Jade scoffed. "She can just peck some random guy and come back."

Maya's grin turned wicked. "I wasn't finished. Kiss the hottest man in this club, and don't stop until it leads somewhere... interesting."

My stomach flipped. "Define interesting."

"Oh, you know." Sienna waggled her eyebrows. "Somewhere private. Somewhere horizontal."

"You want me to sleep with a stranger?" I asked, shocked.

"I want you to stop overthinking and just feel something for once," Maya said, her tone softer now. "Lyra, I love you, but you've been wound so tight for years. When was the last time you did something just because you wanted to? Not because it was expected or proper or whatever?"

Never. The answer was never.

In my previous life, I'd saved myself for Jaxon, believing our arranged marriage meant something. Believing he'd loved me. And he'd taken that gift and thrown it back in my face before killing me.

Screw being good. Screw playing by their rules.

"Fine," I said, standing up. 

The girls whistled and cheered as I downed another shot for courage, then stepped out of the VIP section.

The club was packed with bodies moving to the rhythm, the air thick with the scent of perfume, alcohol, and desire. I scanned the crowd, my heart pounding.

My eyes caught on a man standing near the bar, slightly separated from the chaos around him.

He was beautiful in a way that seemed almost dangerous—tall and broad-shouldered, with dark hair that looked like he'd run his hands through it one too many times. He wore all black, from his tailored shirt to his pants, and he held himself with the kind of quiet confidence that suggested he didn't need to prove anything to anyone.

But it was his eyes that caught me. Even from this distance, I could see they were unusual—a pale, icy gray that seemed to cut through the dim lighting and look straight into me.

He was talking to someone on his phone, his expression serious, almost cold.

Perfect.

Before I could second-guess myself, I crossed the distance between us. My pulse raced as I got closer, close enough to see the sharp line of his jaw, the fullness of his lips, the way his shirt stretched across his chest.

He glanced up as I approached, those startling gray eyes locking onto mine. 

"Can I help you?" His voice was deep, smooth like aged whiskey, and the sound of it made my stomach flip.

I didn't answer. Couldn't answer, because if I thought about this too hard, I'd lose my nerve.

Instead, I grabbed the front of his shirt, pulled him down, and kissed him.

For a heartbeat, he went completely still, shocked. I started to pull away, mortified, but then his hand came up to cup the back of my neck, and he kissed me back.