Chapter 2

♦Raphael’s POV♦

I couldn’t keep my eyes off her, the beautiful young lady sitting at the bar and talking with an older man. There was something about her that was so… captivating.

The way she sat, the way she talked, the way she moved… She was out of place in the bar, but her confidence and grace didn’t falter… It was interesting. And distracting. Too distracting.

I had a mission. I needed to find someone. That was why I had left my territory to Shadowmere, wore an amulet that suppressed my Alpha aura, and came to the perfect place to get information. A shady bar in a lawless town.

And though the lives of my people depended on me getting the information, my attention was being stolen by a woman who didn’t even bat an eye my way. It was quite infuriating, but it also made me curious about her.

It seemed her conversation with the man was turning sour as her face crinkled with disgust. I didn’t need to earsdrop to know he was trying to get under her skirt, and she was irritated, as was I.

He placed his hand on her again, and mine clenched around my whisky glass. It would have shattered if I hadn’t controlled my strength.

“What the hell are you doing, Raphael?” I muttered, dropping the glass, and I rubbed my temples. I was way too invested in a woman I didn’t know.

My eyes flickered back to her, and she was rising from the seat. Something the old man had said had shaken her, but she hid it as well as she could, and she walked away, probably to the bathroom. Once she was out of sight, he pulled out something from his pocket and put it in her drink.

‘How low can the old fool go? As if shamelessly flirting with a girl almost two times younger than him wasn’t bad enough.’ I clicked my tongue. I wanted to confront him, but I held myself back. Shadowmere wasn’t like my home, Evercrest.

It was every man for himself, and butting in would only make it obvious that I was from around here, which I was trying to avoid since the people were wary of foreigners. The lady would have to take care of herself. She seemed smart enough to do so.

My eyes travelled through the crowd—from those dancing to others drinking and some making out and literally getting down in public—searching for someone who was most likely to spill info after a couple of drinks.

The lady walked in and stole my attention back to herself again without effort. A frown fell on my lips, and my brows creased. Just why and how was she able to do that?

She picked up her purse, ready to go, but the man held her hand and spewed some nonsense.

‘What the hell are you doing? Leave.’ I wanted to scream at her as she sat back down. After a few exchanges between them, she picked up her cup, took a small sip, and I sighed. I thought she was smart.

It didn’t take long for the effect of whatever the man slipped in her drink to kick in, and he helped her up and began leading her away. No one stopped him, most not noticing them, and the few that noticed ignored what was going on.

‘She should have suspected he would try something like that. She’s stupid.’ I shook my head and turned away from them. She wasn’t my problem. I had more important issues than playing hero for a careless girl.

From her behaviour, it wasn’t the first time he was hitting on her, so why had she gone out with him in the first place? It was her business, not mine, and so were the consequences. And since she was gone, I could finally focus on getting the information I needed. Focus on the things that really matter, not her.

‘She isn’t my business. She’s a grown woman, and she’s responsible for whatever happens to her.’

I chugged down the whisky, the liquid burning my throat, and I slammed the glass on the table, startling the people around me.

‘For moon goddess sake!” I growled, slamming some cash on the table and storming out of the bar.

I couldn’t just leave her in the arms of the devil.

~

“Hey!” I called out to the man as I trudged towards the duo walking towards a beat-down car.

“What!” He turned to me and snapped. His right arm was wrapped around her, pressing her against him as she weakly struggled, and I wanted to rip it off.

“Hand over the lady, now!” I commanded, towering over the shorter man, but his courage didn’t shake.

“And who the hell are you to tell me what to do? Do you know who I am?” He sneered.

“Do you know who I am?” I sneered back, leaning my face close to his.

My green eyes flashed gold, and I bared my pair of long, sharp canines at him. My wolf side was out, ready to bite his head off if he pissed me off.

“A-Alpha!” He choked, his eyes widened, and his face turned snow white. His confidence had disappeared, and what was left was a scared man trying not to wet his pants.

“The girl! Now!” I growled, getting fed up with the entire scenario. I wasn’t in the mood for a prolonged conversation. The sooner she was away from him and safe, the better for me.

“Y-yes, s… s-sir.” He shoved her towards me, and she crashed into my chest. My arms wrapped around her waist, stopping her from tripping on her feet.

“Listen well. You will not lay a single finger on this girl, and you will tell no one you saw me or else…” I warned, snapping my jaws at him, and he squeaked, leaping back.

“I-I s-swear, s-sir,” he croaked.

“Get out!” I said, and he ran to his car, tripping on his feet all the way till he reached it, and he zoomed off.

“Uh… l-let… me go…” A weak, soft voice reached my ears, and my eyes turned to the girl in my arms, struggling to break free from my hold. I almost laughed; if she couldn’t escape an old beta, she had no chance of escaping an Alpha.

I took a good look at the woman pressed against my chest, noticing how she somehow fit perfectly against me.

She was pretty, with light brown hair that touched her shoulders and defied gravity with how puffy it was. Caramel skin that was as soft and smooth as they looked, and curves in the right places. Though she was drugged, her amber eyes still stared at me, shining with intelligence and wisdom.

She was more than pretty. She was ethereal. I wanted to know more about the strange woman. I drew in a deep breath; more of her scent filled my nose. Plain and flavourless, like a good amount of betas, but underneath, there was an odd, nice smell that I couldn’t quite place.

“Let… go…” She slurred and hit my chest, snapping me out of my trance.

‘What the hell am I doing? I barely know her, and I’m thinking of her in such a manner.’ I cringed at my own perverted nature. From my thoughts, I wasn’t better than the man I saved her from.

“What’s your address so I can call a cab to take you home?” I said, turning my focus to the reason I had saved her. To make sure she was safe, which included her getting home.

“Cab…? Home…?” She blinked and stared at me as if her brain were processing what I had said.

“Yes, you need to go home.”

“No.”

“No?” I frowned, wondering if she really meant that or if it was the drug talking through her.

“No, go home…” She shook her head, increasing her struggle. “Money… I need him to… Money… Jake.”

‘Money? She really can’t be thinking about going back to that man because of money. Don’t tell me I wasted my time on a prostitute.’ My frown deepened, and I glared at her. ‘She doesn’t seem like one, though.’

“You still want to go back to him? He drugged you and tried to take advantage of you.”

“You… you don’t understand…” She pushed against my shoulders, but at that time her movement was far sluggish than some minutes ago. She would soon be unconscious, and I couldn’t afford that happening. If she did, our situation would become more complicated.

“Just tell me where your house is.” I said, tapping her cheek to keep her awake.

“I… I need… beg him… Money… I can’t go home… Mom need money… She’ll die…” There was panic in her scattered words.

‘Die? Her mom needed money, or else she would die? Was that why she was with Jack or Jake?’

“Is that why you went out with him? You wanted to beg him for money so your mom wouldn’t die?” I asked, trying to confirm my suspicion.

“Yesss… She sick… She di—” She crashed into me, and I held her tighter so she wouldn’t slip out of my grip.

“Hey! Hey! Wake up! You can’t sleep yet!” I tapped her arm, and her reply was her soft snoring.

‘Things have gotten more complicated than I wanted. Curse me for playing knight in shining armor.’ I berated myself, and I picked her up like she was a bride.

She wriggled in my arms, and for a moment I thought she was fighting even in her sleep, but she leaned closer and snuggled against me.

A small smile crept on my lips; despite her presence ruining my plans, I was glad I met her. She was interesting.

“So she needs money to save her mother, right? Interesting indeed.” I mumbled to myself as I strolled to my car.

An idea was forming in my head, one that would ensure she was by my side long enough for me to find out what the connection I felt between us was.

There was something strange about the woman in my arms, and I needed to find out what it was. No matter how crazy the method was.