เข้าสู่ระบบKYLA'S POV"His name is Lowell," I answered, and the second the name left my lips, Atlas began to cough furiously like he had just swallowed a fly. I jumped slightly, my heart skipping a beat. "Goddess, are you alright?" I asked, my voice filled with worry."Yes. Yes, I'm fine," he finally said, coming up for air as his face returned to its normal color. He cleared his throat and looked at me with an unreadable expression. "Lowell. That is a very strong name.""Yeah, I guess it is," I shrugged, looking down at my lap and thinking about the man in the woods who had saved me. "So, does this Lowell know that you like him?" Atlas asked, his voice dropping back into that smooth, low rumble.I felt my cheeks get even hotter under my scarf. "I didn't say that I like him, Atlas. I just like how I feel when I'm around him. It's different." I shifted on the silk sheets, feeling a bit frustrated that we were talking about other people. "Look, I came here to spend a passionate evening with you,
KYLA'S POVWe were still in the taxi, heading to the vampire hotel as the locals called it, and my nerves were shot. Werewolves normally steered clear of that place, even though they had a strict no-violence policy that was enforced by some pretty scary ancient vampires, but still, the packs and even the rogues were known to keep away from that area.Why would Atlas want to go there? It just dawned on me as I watched the streetlights flicker past that I didn't actually know his rank. Was he an omega like me, a beta, or even an Alpha? He certainly moved like an Alpha, with that heavy, commanding presence that made me feel so small, but for some reason, my wolf couldn't tell.A part of me had been tempted to ask him a million questions, but then I realized that none of it really mattered. We were simply going to spend an evening together and never see each other again. This was a clean break, a way to wash Tormund out of my hair and my heart for good.The taxi stopped in front of the ee
LOWELL'S POV"Your scarf," I said, tipping my chin toward the silk fabric. "Why are you hiding such a pretty face behind it?"She laughed, a nervous but pretty sound. "Maybe I'm a wanted assassin and I have to hide my face so I won't get caught by the law."I threw my head back and laughed loudly. "You're funny. I really like that about you.""Thanks," she said. "So, why did you choose this place today? It doesn't exactly seem like your scene either.""The same reason you did, I think," I said. "It's not exactly up to my usual standards, but I like the fact that people here are actually having fun. They're minding their own business instead of sitting around getting drunk and gossiping about their neighbors. It feels more real."The bartender returned with her water. I watched as she carefully shifted the scarf just enough to show her mouth, her lips were full and pink and looked so soft. She put the cup to her lips and drank, and I found myself staring at the way her throat moved whe
LOWELL'S POV"She's attractive, isn't she?" Sofia asked me quietly."Quite attractive," I admitted. My eyes raked over her. That body-con dress was hugging every single curve of her body in a way that made my mouth go dry. She looked incredible, even with the mystery of the scarf over her face. I was dying to know what she truly looked like. I bet she looked like an angel. "She will recognize your voice when you speak, you know that," Sofia warned. "She's smart.""Not if I borrow my beast's voice," I replied.Sofia just looked at me and shook her head, clearly thinking I was playing a very dangerous game."Sofia," Kyla said as she finally reached us. Her voice was like music even in this loud bar. "Are you okay? You looked a little uncomfortable from where I was sitting. Is this man bothering you?"I took a long sip of my drink, looking at her over the rim of my glass, and grinned."No, Kyla. This is just an old friend from... well, from back when I was a kid," Sofia half-lied, thoug
LOWELL'S POVI couldn't stop thinking about Kyla. It was like a loop playing in my head that I couldn't pause. Every time I closed my eyes, I felt that spark again, that electric jolt that happened those few times our skin accidentally brushed. It was driving me crazy. I sat there at the bar, swirling the ice in my glass, trying to figure out how a man in his right mind could ever choose a woman like Vivica over someone as wonderful and pure as Kyla. Tormund was a fool, and honestly, he didn't deserve the air she breathed. I was sitting at the bar at the Moonshine Tavern, a place I had actually come to appreciate way more than those other fancy drinking spots I'd been to since I arrived in this territory.This place was different. Nobody watched you here. Nobody whispered behind their hands or gossiped about who was sleeping with who. In this bar, you were anonymous. You either came for the heavy drinking potions, to lose yourself on the dance floor, or to pick up someone you wanted
KYLA'S POVThe moment we stepped inside, everything hit me at once. It was like walking into another dimension. The noise was a physical wall. The heat was thick and humid. The bodies were everywhere.The tavern was packed wall to wall, and I felt like a sardine shoved into a can that smelled like armpits, cigarette smoke, expensive leather, and unadulterated sex. There was no other way to describe the scent; it was heavy and primal. The music was loud enough to vibrate in my very bones, and the bass thudded through the floor like the aftershock of a massive earthquake.Sofia gagged immediately, covering her nose with her hand. "This is definitely a wolf bar. The pheromones in here are giving me a headache already."I laughed, because even through my scarf and with my limited senses, I could tell she was right. There were wolves everywhere. I could feel the power levels shifting as we moved. There were weak ones, powerful ones, and everything in between, all mixed together without any







