My Stranger

Seraya's POV

It was really happening. I curled up in my bed under my sheets, shivering lightly and trying to block out the excited chatter of the pack as they prepared for the mating ceremony in two days. It has been hours since I discovered Cairh's betrayal and the only times I left my bed was to run to the bathroom to throw up.

How quickly everyone adapted to the bride swap. I was not the one Cairh would be claiming under the moon in two nights, it was not my shoulder that he would leave his mark, it would be Anya's.

My stomach heaved and I thought I would be sick again. How long was this deception? How long have they made a fool of me? I threw the sheets off me and sat up, startling Van. I needed answers.

"Raya?" He said gently and I shook my head.

"I need to see Cairh." I said, hurrying for the door. "There must be an explanation for this."

"Raya!" Van grabbed my arm and I wrenched it free. "That won't help anything!" He said, exasperated. "He has chosen his mate, you have to let him go."

I sent him a withering glare. "You don't know what you're talking about." I replied. How would he? He had never been in love. He would never understand that a mate is not someone I could so easily give up on. "Maybe it's something I did... something I said." My thoughts whirred furiously. "I'll apologize and beg him for forgiveness. He will forgive me and we'll put this whole ugly business behind us. I know Cairh, Van. He would never ever let me go."

I hurried to the door and threw it open, surprised to find Alyssa, Cairh's mother about to knock. She gave me a weak smile and bustled into the room without bothering to be invited in.

"You, get out." She pointed to Van and his lips thinned as he made his way out.

My heart thudded a loud rhythmic beat as I watched her perch herself on the edge of my bed.

"Come, sit with me." She patted the bed beside her but I just stared at her, unable to move a muscle. She sighed.

"Seraya my dear, you never should have found out like this. We should have called it off officially before the engagement with Anya."

"Called it off?" I whispered, approaching her slowly. "Why? What did I do wrong? Just let me know and I will never do it again. I'm sorry. I can't-" My voice broke. "I can't lose Cairh."

"Oh my poor girl, you did nothing wrong." She gushed. "The new arrangements were necessary. Alpha Zed has left a huge hole with his death, a hole that has to be filled by somebody. Our Cairh doesn't stand a chance alone but standing together with Anya? There is no one else more qualified for that role than him. He will be entering The Alpha Haul, Seraya and he may be our next Alpha. You wouldn't stand in the way of his greatness would you?"

"For power." I sounded it out, unable to believe my ears. "He broke my heart for a stupid title? You broke our betrothal of eleven years! Just for some stupid title?!"

Her lips tightened and she stood. "Enough!" She snarled. "I thought you would understand. If you truly loved Cairh, if you wanted the best for him you'd see that there is no other way but I was mistaken."

"Loved him?" I hissed. "I would have laid down my life for Cairh!"

"Nobody is asking you to do that!" She said, exasperated. She fished in her purse and pulled out a golden, embossed envelope. "Here, this is an invitation to the mating ceremony as a guest of honor. You will be presenting the rings. If you would do anything for Cairh, prove it. You must attend the mating ceremony and give him your blessings. The entire pack must see that there are no grudges between you two."

I stared at the letter, bile rising to my throat. It was clearly written on it, Cairh and Anya. The man I loved and a girl that hated my guts.

Alyssa sighed and dropped the envelope on the bed. "See that you are there." She said and turned to

leave.

"Since when?" I whispered and she frowned. "Since when have you been planning this engagement?"

"Since the Alpha died. It's been over a week. Get rested, Seraya."

I stared sightlessly as she closed the door and my feet gave way as I slowly sank to the floor. Cairh knew about this for over a week? I saw him every night since then and he never showed an inkling-

My hand flew to my throat when I remembered "No way..."

This past week that Cairh had become more insistent, more needy. He nearly took off my bra three nights ago and last night... he had nearly convinced me to give my body to him. I'd nearly caved, I felt so empowered by his admitting he wanted me so much but I remained adamant that I would keep myself for him on our mating night. It was supposed to be just two nights away. After nearly eighteen years of keeping my virginity for him, I wanted it to be special when he finally took it.

"Oh goddess!"

Bile rushed up to my throat and I ran for the bathroom again and threw up nothing but stomach acid. My hands shook as I stared at my haggard face in the mirror, the pronounced dark circles under my eyes giving an inkling of the battle I was fighting within myself. He knew! He knew he was getting engaged to another and he'd tried to take my body anyway.

My fists clenched tighter and tighter, his smug little face appearing in front of me. I screamed and crashed my fist into the mirror and pain flashed through my knuckles but it felt good. I wished it was his face in front of me.

"Raya!" Van came running into the bathroom and I collapsed against him and sobbed. "What the hell have you done to yourself?"

"I hate him." I choked out, gasping for breath. "I hate him so much."

Van wrapped a towel around my bleeding fist and swept my legs out from under me, carrying me back into the bedroom. I clung to him as I wept, my heart shattering all over again.

~~~

Two days later, celebrations were in full swing. The sun was setting, the moon would soon be high and it would be my most dreaded hour soon.

"Are you ready?" Marisse asked me and I nodded. 

"Ice... ice. I feel only ice. I can do this." I told myself and squared my shoulder.

"Remember, we'll leave once you present the rings. You don't have to witness everything." Marisse said and I squeezed her hand appreciatively.

Outside, the stares were no better than before. This was my first public appearance since that the engagement day. No doubt, the gossip mill had wrung and wrung my story over and over and now they were eager for more but I would never let them see me broken again. I squared my shoulder and headed for Amnesty Hall where the ceremony would take place.

A figure slid in front of me and I looked up into Lisa's grinning face. Ugh! The night was already starting off terribly.

"Seraya dear, how are you?" She asked with fake sympathy. "I heard you've been too heartbroken to even have a meal. It shows, you look like shit."

I pasted a smile on my face and took a fortifying breath. "I'm fine now. As you can see."

I took a step around her but she quickly blocked my path again.

"Oh but how tragic it was, what Cairh did to you. You were so in love with him, and you were so sure you were meant to be together right? In fact, you've spent the last eleven years preparing to be nothing more than his perfect little mate. What are you going to do without him?" She gushed.

My nails dug into my hands and I suppressed the urge to run them down her smug little face with a scream. Ice, that's what I needed to feel. My smile was beginning to fray at the edges.

"Well, the goddess had other plans. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm getting late-"

"But today is your birthday isn't it?" She persisted, a smug little smile spreading over her lips. "What's going to happen to you if you never find a mate? What if you never ever get your wolf then?"

My steps faltered, my heart beating hard as terror clawed at my throat. I'd tried not to think about that but this fear was never too far from the surface. I'd imprinted on Cairh since I was seven, he was supposed to trigger my first shift tonight on my eighteenth birthday but now he'd rejected me and took someone else... what if my wolf was lost to me forever?!

Seeing me dumbfounded, Lisa finally let out a winning smile. There was none of that loathing that used to be in her eyes when she looked at me. She may have lost Cairh to her friend, but she was happy as long as it wasn't to me.

"Get the fuck out of her way!" Marisse snarled and Lisa laughed as she slid to the side.

"Hurry along. You have a front row seat to Cairh's mating ceremony."

"Don't let anything she said get to you." Marisse said. "You'll find another mate soon, males will be lining up to have you."

I didn't say anything because we both knew that was a lie. I was tainted now, rejected. The only thing bigger than a werewolf's lust was their pride. There isn't a wolf in the world you could convince to have Cairh's unwanted leftovers. We were at the threshold to the hall and even from here, I had an unobstructed view to the raised pew at the front where Cairh and Anya stared into each other's eyes lovingly. My heart twisted with pain and I felt lightheaded and weak.

"Raya?" Marisse's concerned face filtered into my view. "Are you okay?"

No, I wasn't. Tonight was supposed to be my big night. It was supposed to be me on that altar, staring into Cairh's eyes.

"Raya? Do you need a minute? We can go back." Van asked.

"Yes..." I said, my thoughts clarifying. "No... I need a night." I backed away from the hall, becoming surer and surer of my decision. "I'm not going in there."

"Raya... Alyssa will not be pleased." Marisse said worriedly.

"I don't give a fuck." I said and I laughed when I realized how true that was. I sounded deranged. "Fuck her, fuck Cairh and fuck Anya. Fuck the entire pack. Go, you two must be present. Cover for me."

"But where are you going?" Van called after me.

"Don't worry about me!" I called back.

I was going to get wasted and I knew just the right place.

"Taxi!" I hailed the first one and slipped into the back.

Cairh ruined me, Alyssa betrayed me. The entire pack betrayed me. I didn't owe them shit. Tonight was my birthday and I would do whatever the fuck I wanted.

"Where to?" The cabbie asked.

"Sinners." I replied and he peered at me through the rear view mirror. The adult club that forbid anyone underage, the club that werewolves whispered about, that I didn't dare breathe its name before now. I grinned at the skeptical cabbie. "I turned eighteen today."

I got into Sinners alright but after my first step in, I had a quick rethink of my impulsive decision. The interior was smoky and dim, a whiff of something in the air loosened my body and right beside me on a chair that was groaning for its dear life were two werewolves fucking loudly. I took a shocked step back but a drunk couple shoved me forward.

"Get out of the way!" The female snarled.

"Okay!" I squeaked and melted into the shadows.

"Drinks?" A waitress offered me a shot of some glistening drink. "On the house!"

"Uhmm why not?" I said and took it, downing it in one go. It burned all the way down. "Holy shit!"

I dissolved into a coughing fit. Never had I ever taken something so darn strong! My vision swimming, I staggered back and collided into a hard male chest.

"Watch it!" The very annoyed, husky baritone voice from behind me sent a tingle of warning down my spine.

I straightened up and looked into the most beautiful face the goddess ever blessed a man with. My jaw dropped and I stared like a fool. He had the kind of face that didn't look real, too symmetrical, too flawless. With cheekbones sharp enough to cut and full lips that begged to be kissed, this stranger didn't beg for attention, he commanded it. I met his soul-black eyes and felt like I was sucked into two bottomless pits of sin. My mouth dried up, opening and closing like a fish. Warmth raced up my cheeks and I knew they were a blazing red.

"Gosh, another idiot." He said and my spine straightened indignantly. He slammed his Samsung fold closed with a bang and grabbed another shot off a waitress, offering it to me. "Here. Get wasted somewhere else."

My cheeks were blazing even more but this time, all I felt was hot anger.

"Excuse you?!" My voice came out too high. "Did your Mama not teach you anything about being polite to strangers?"

His eyes blazed and narrowed at me. Danger screamed at the back of my mind but it was drowned out by my anger.

"Say one more word and you'll see just how polite I can be to mouthy drunken strangers." He said softly.

I glared up at him and he glared back at me and I scoffed. The worst of them really came in the most beautiful packages didn't they?

"Go eat shit. Asshole." I said and spun away from him. I felt his glare blazing into my back as I left.

Just my luck, I ran away from one bastard only to bump into another but I refused to let one encounter ruin my evening. My absence would affect Cairh's race for Alpha because everyone would know him as an oath breaker. Alyssa would never forgive me but I found myself laughing. My rebellion felt good, Cairh could go and suck a donkey's balls.

"Want a shot?" Another waitress asked and I grinned.

"Why the hell not?" I asked and grabbed it, downing it in one go. It didn't go down easier but the effects were immediate. I felt my limbs loosen, my worries float over my shoulders and I raised my hands in the air and moved my body to the beat. My nape suddenly prickled and I looked into the shadows to find two glowing points watching me from the depths of the room. I startled and peered into those shadows and I saw him, the asshole from earlier. He was still scowling as he watched me dance. I tossed him the middle finger and turned away- smack into a waitress with drinks.

"Whoaaa!" I started as the drinks soaked the front of my dress... and turned it see through.

"Oops. Sorry." The waitress said and disappeared and I stared at my dress now clinging to my figure.

"Oh for fuck's sake." I muttered. Talk about a night going horribly wrong. A growl raised the fine hairs on my nape and I looked up to find... at least five werewolves staring at me... no, they were staring at my peaked nipple through my now see-through dress.

"Uhhh.." I raised my hands slowly and backed up. "Guys, I'll go change." I said with a slow step backwards.

They followed, their eyes suddenly starting to glow, their features darkening as their wolves surged. What? They were going into heat right here in the middle of the dance floor and damn it all to hells, I was dinner.

"Control yourselves you assholes!" I snarled. "I'm not on the table."

"But baby you are." One of them smiled and I shivered, chilled. "She is mine!"

I looked around frantically for help... a bouncer... or the club owner to save me but I should have known better. This was Sinners, where werewolves came to lose all inhibitions.

"Fuck!" I cursed, my heart pounding loudly as I tasted real fear. A male's hand grabbed my waist and I flinched away. Someone cupped my ass and squeezed and I cried out in outrage. "Get the fuck away from me!"

Suddenly, I felt a dark looming presence rise up behind me and all the eager werewolves froze. A huge jacket slid over my shoulders, smelling of leather and sandalwood and money.

"You heard her." The dark, smokey voice said softly, daring any of the men to challenge him. To my surprise, they raised their hands and backed off hastily. That voice was so familiar... I spun around and gaped at the rude, handsome stranger.

"Didn't anyone tell you, Little girl?" His voice was barely over a growl. "If you can't take the heat, best keep your hands off the fire."

In one sudden move, he swept my legs from under me and then he was crossing the room in long strides. My words of indignation died on my lips and I wrapped my arms around his strong neck. I hated that I needed his help but I'd rather him than the room of horny werewolves in heat.