Chapter 3 – The night I lost everything

Chapter 3 – The night I lost everything 

Selene’s POV

“Who the hell are you?” a deep, dangerous voice growled from the shadows.

“I…” The word stuck in my throat, tangled in the fog of my brain. My limbs felt heavy, my thoughts slow. I couldn’t form a sentence if my life depended on it. The room was almost pitch-black, save for a faint sliver of moonlight cutting in through the window.

I could barely make out the silhouette of a man...tall, broad, and radiating tension like a drawn bowstring.

“I said, who the hell are you? And what the hell are you doing in my room?”

I wanted to tell him this was my room...or at least, the room Rhiannon gave me the key for...but my legs buckled, and I stumbled into him instead.

That’s when I saw them.

His eyes.

Crystal Grey. Sharp. Ice-cold.

Him.

The man from the crowd. The one who didn’t smile. The one who looked like heartbreak wrapped in royalty.

He looked down at me, unreadable. No warmth, no welcome. Just restraint. He wore nothing but a towel slung around his waist, and gods help me, my brain went blank at the sight of his bare chest...taut muscles and coiled strength just inches away.

“You…” he leaned forward, inhaling deeply, his nose grazing my skin. “Isolde?” he whispered like he couldn’t believe it. “Isolde…”

Who the fuck is Isolde? I tried to speak, to correct him, but my mouth wouldn’t move. The name sounded familiar...too familiar. Why was he calling me that?

He pressed his nose to my neck and inhaled again, slower this time.

“You smell…” he murmured, his voice dark and velvety. “God, you smell perfect. Just like her.”

I couldn’t explain it, but his words sent a shiver down my spine. Then I remembered...the perfume. My signature blend. The one I wore tonight.

He wasn’t smelling me.

He was smelling that.

He scooped me up effortlessly, carrying me to the bed like I weighed nothing. His breath was hot against my cheek, soaked in alcohol. Lycans had strong resistance to getting drunk, so for him to smell this plastered? He had to be trying really fucking hard to forget something.

I blinked hard, trying to focus. Our faces were inches apart. And his eyes...up close...were even colder. Dead, almost. But there was heat behind them now. Hunger. His gaze roamed my face, and then lower. His fingers brushed my thigh and the moan that slipped out of me was low and involuntary.

Damn.

I couldn’t think straight. I didn’t want to think.

His hand ran along my legs, climbing higher. I felt a jolt of something wild...lust, maybe. Or desperation. My body arched toward him even as my mind screamed that this was wrong.

He was a stranger.

I was still reeling from heartbreak.

But every time his hands moved, that logic faded into static.

“I shouldn’t do this,” I whispered, or maybe just thought it. But I was already melting under his touch.

He leaned in, his voice thick and guttural. “Why did you leave me, Isolde?”

Again with that name. It wasn’t mine, but it didn’t matter right now. His hand wrapped around my throat...not choking, not hurting...just firm. Possessive.

His lips moved to my neck, then trailed lower. When his tongue ran along my skin and found the gold pendant hanging at my throat, I shivered.

He went to rip it off.

“No,” I gasped. “Don’t...please. It was my mom’s.”

Something shifted in his eyes. They softened...just for a second. And then his mouth claimed mine.

Holy hell.

The kiss was explosive. Hungry. Full of something I didn’t understand. I responded without thinking, my hands clawing at his back, his towel sliding dangerously low on his hips.

“I’m not her,” I wanted to say.

But all that came out was, “Just kiss me.”

And gods, he did.

With a low growl, he peeled the dress from my body. My breath hitched in anticipation. My mind knew this was reckless...but my body was already his. Heat swirled in my core, wiping out any doubt that tried to rise.

I couldn’t fight him. I didn’t want to.

“I...” I started to speak, but the words crumbled into a moan as his body aligned with mine and...

Pain.

And pleasure.

They slammed into me together, stealing the air from my lungs. My head tossed back as sensations ripped through me, leaving me breathless and shaking. With every thrust, the pain ebbed, replaced by something deeper, hotter, addictive.

By the time I surrendered to the tide, I didn’t care who the fuck he thought I was.

I just knew I didn’t want him to stop.

Rhiannon’s POV

“Where the fuck is this idiot?”

I leaned against the wall outside the hotel, checking my phone for the millionth time. The plan was airtight...well, almost.

I’d spiked Selene’s drink with the strongest aphrodisiac I could find and slipped her the keycard for room 320. That sleazy old noble...the one with more money than dignity...was supposed to be waiting for her, ready to rape her.

Gross, yeah. But necessary.

Selene wasn’t even supposed to show up at Corwin’s earlier. That dumbass assured me she wouldn’t. She nearly caught us screwing, which would’ve screwed everything.

I needed her to look like the cheater. Not the victim.

Corwin couldn’t break up with her out of nowhere. That would tank his image. But if we caught her in the act? Game over. I’d walk in with Corwin, we’d snap some pics, spread the story, and boom...Corwin’s free to be with me. And me? I'd be that much closer to becoming Luna.

Selene was going to get exactly what she deserved.

“She better still be unconscious,” I muttered.

“You lookin’ for me?” Corwin appeared behind me, all smug and grinning, arms wrapping around my waist like we were some cute couple.

I shoved him off. “Do I need to remind you again? No touching in public until that bitch is out of the picture.”

“Sorry, sorry,” he chuckled. “Got carried away.”

“Yeah, well. Save the charm for the other Elders’ daughters.”

“You have the camera?”

He nodded, pulling it from his coat pocket. His smile dimmed just a bit. “You sure about this?”

My eyes narrowed. “You’re seriously hesitating now?”

“It’s just…I never even got to sleep with her. And you know she's...”

“She’s nothing.” I snapped. “She’s a powerless little omega who never belonged with someone like you. Me? I’m the Alpha’s legitimate daughter. I’m your fucking future.”

He swallowed hard.

“Besides,” I added, pulling an envelope from my purse and slamming it against his chest. “This is an invite to the charity gala in the Capital. Only big-name wolves and pack heirs get in. You want to be Alpha someday? These are the people you need to be seen with.”

His fingers closed around the envelope like it was dipped in gold. “Damn…”

“You don’t get this if you’re with her,” I said flatly. “Only I get you there.”

He stared at the invitation, eyes gleaming.

“I’m in,” he grinned. “I’m all in.”

“You say that now but if you get cold feet again, Corwin, I swear to God…”

“No, no. I'm in. For real this time,” 

“Good.” I turned toward the elevator. “Now let’s go. Selene’s about to get fucked over harder than she ever imagined.”