Chapter 5: Mate

-Anastasia-

My cousin and his friends laughed and joked around while I remained quiet between them. I knew I had a job to do tonight, but I didn’t want to alarm my family. I looked around the room, scanning all the faces and feeling as if I were surrounded by enemies. Who could I trust? Who could I not?

“Ana?” My cousin called out to me, pulling me from my thoughts.

“Yeah?” I asked.

He chuckled and shook his head. “You aren’t even listening.”

“Not really.”

His friends laughed again as I took another sip of my drink.

“Tomorrow, come with us to the lake,” he insisted.

“No.”

“Come on!”

“You know I don’t go swimming,” I reminded him.

“You don’t have to. But you came out tonight, so why not join us by the lake tomorrow?”

“You think tonight changes me?” I asked, my tone sharper than I intended. He looked a little surprised. “It doesn’t. I came, and that’s it. It’s an important night. That’s why I’m here.”

Jackson sighed, and I pushed away from the bar.

“Excuse me…”

“Come on! Ana!”

I wasn’t listening. I pushed into the crowd, determined to find those who had hurt my family. I focused on the scents in the room, subtly sniffing the air.

They’ve got to be here! my wolf urged.

I hoped they were. Maybe tonight was the night I finally got some answers. I continued moving through the room when suddenly…

What’s that?

I was picking up a scent. My nose tingled, triggering old memories that surged to the forefront of my mind, almost knocking me over. Memories I had tried to forget. I groaned and pressed a hand to my head. My mind had blocked out much of the horror from that night. I remembered enough, but tonight that scent triggered something deep within me.

It’s got to be them! Or one of them!

My wolf was right, but as I tried to follow the scent, another painful memory surged forward: my mother’s lifeless eyes staring at me. I felt dizzy and sick, and the alcohol in my stomach threatened to come back up.

“I… I need a moment.”

Wait! Don’t stop following it now!

“I’m going to be sick…” I hurried out of the room, pushing through the throngs of people. As soon as I was out of the ballroom, I started to feel better. I headed down a long hallway to find a bathroom and locked myself inside. I sighed as I leaned against the door, feeling much better.

What the hell was that?

My wolf growled loudly in my head.

“Easy!” I said, pressing a finger to my temple and rubbing it. “I needed a moment, okay?”

You let them get away!

“No, but I was about to puke on someone any second.”

Fine, get it out and let’s get it over with!

I sighed and rolled my eyes. My wolf was getting impatient, and I could barely hold her back. So I walked over to the sink, turned on the water, and took a sip before standing in front of the mirror.

Feeling better?

“I’m sure you know how I feel right now. We are one and the same, after all,” I replied.

You feel like crap.

“I do.”

And you look like it too.

I looked at myself in the mirror, noticing how pale I was, though a little color was starting to return to my cheeks. I shook my head, disappointed at how easily I had been knocked down by old memories. What would I do when I actually stood in front of the people who had hurt my loved ones?

Let’s just go out there again and try once more.

“Well, now that I’m here, I might as well pee,” I said.

No, let’s go!

“My bladder is going to burst.”

You’re just dragging things out!

“At least I’ll feel a little better afterward. Goddess, you’re getting so impatient.”

Oh, sorry, am I the only one who wants revenge now?

I rolled my eyes and finally went to the toilet, taking care of business before washing my hands. I placed them on the sink again and looked at myself. Color had definitely returned, and I felt better. I straightened my back and took a deep breath.

“Okay, let’s try again,” I told my wolf.

Sierra felt happy that I was sticking to our plan, nodding excitedly as I pushed away from the sink and headed to the door. I unlocked it and pulled it open, only to be met by a massive body blocking the exit like a wall. I slowly let my gaze travel up the impressive figure until I met two heated green eyes that watched me like I was the perfect meal.

I just stared at the big lycan in front of me. But his scent hit my nose suddenly, and I inhaled deeply, overwhelmed by the sweetness mixed with darkness—like the perfect drink. It would have knocked me over if my body hadn’t been frozen in place. As I stared into those green orbs, I felt my wolf go wild inside me, as if she were fighting something—something she didn’t want us to feel. I wanted to ask what was happening, but then she whimpered, and one word escaped her.

Mate!

What… the… fuck?

Did she just? I couldn’t react. I was too shocked and too captivated by the dark look in those hungry eyes. Why was the king here? I didn’t get a chance to ask before his hand grabbed me by the neck, and before I knew it, he pushed me back into the bathroom.

He closed the door behind us and locked it! The sound of the lock falling into place echoed in the tense silence. Shit, I thought. I wasn’t sure if I should be scared or turned on. But the look in his eyes triggered something inside me—something I had never felt before. Actual desire. I had only ever cared about revenge, but the lycan in front of me was igniting a new kind of fire within me.

Snap out of it! He’s a lycan!

He was… We hated lycans! But then why was his hand so warm? Even though he gripped my neck tightly, it felt good against my skin. I almost wanted to close my eyes and… No! Bad! I scolded myself. I had to focus.

The lycan in front of me smiled, continuing to push me back until my back met the wall. “Well, well,” he said darkly. “What do we have here?”

He leaned closer, inhaling deeply as he sniffed the air. “So you’re the one making this place smell so good and making my cock harder than ever before.”

I’m doing… WHAT?