Chapter 2

Freesia’s POV

I hurried back to my room, anxious to hide beneath my bedsheets. My heart raced as I heard footsteps approaching.

“Freesia,” His voice floated from the doorway. “What are you doing up at this hour?” His tone showed no signs of unease, which only added to my own feelings of discomfort.

“I was just hungry.” My voice came out shaky. “I grabbed a midnight snack, that’s all.”

“That’s all?” Zarek pressed. He stepped into the room, staring down at me with that expression I could never make sense of. I sank further into my bed, wishing I could just disappear. “Why are you so jumpy, then? Did you see something? Hear something?”

He paused at the foot of my bed, hands resting in his pockets like he already had the answers.

I shook my head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I just didn’t want to be caught by stepfather.” This was true; Zarek’s father had been urging me to lose weight. But it also served as a good excuse.

Zarek held my gaze for a long moment and spoke, “Alright. It’s late, go to sleep.” I exhaled, relieved that he was willing to let this go. “And stop eating so late at night. You’ll only get even bigger.”

His words stung, but I was preoccupied thinking about what I just witnessed. My legs grew warm as I remembered the way he touched himself so urgently. And for whatever reason, he did so while thinking about me.

Could he really find me attractive? That’s absurd. Just two years ago, he threw my torn-up diary in my face because of what I had written. He’s spared me nothing but insults and vile words ever since. Get a grip, Freesia.

Zarek was just a jerk of a stepbrother, nothing more. I pushed the ridiculous thoughts from my mind and tried to get some sleep.

–

It was the evening of the Mating Ball. By now, the pack was assuredly scrambling to look their best in hopes of finding their mate. I, however, was riddled with anxiety, knowing the chance of me attracting anyone was slim.

I crossed into the fitting closet to see the gown my foster father had prepared for me. Despite my unfavorable size, he was always encouraging me to look my best and find a mate.

The dress he chose was stunning–a soft pink floor-length dress with thin straps and a cream front-tie bodice with lace embroidery.

I stripped down all the way to my underwear, hoping this would help me fit into the dress. As I glared at my reflection in the mirror, the fitting room curtain suddenly slid open.

It was Zarek. Holy crap. His undershirt was unbuttoned, leaving his bare chest exposed. My face turned hot, and I scrambled to cover my body with whatever clothing I could find.

“What are you covering yourself for?” Zarek snickered. “You’re the one getting a peep show.”

Honestly, he was right–Zarek’s body was deadly. I couldn’t peel my eyes away from his chiseled abs, sculpted pecs, and the badass tattoo that wrapped around his shoulder. My gaze fell to his waistline, where his branded boxer briefs peeked over his dress pants…

What was I thinking? I snapped out of my daze and rushed to throw on my gown, desperate to put some distance between us. As I hurried out of the cramped fitting room, a sharp tug jerked me backwards.

Zarek placed a hand on my waist to steady my balance. I looked down to see the string of my corset snagged around his shirt button. Shit. My chest was pressed against his, and I could feel the warmth scorching from his tanned skin. I avoided Zarek’s eyes, fearing that he’d see how red my face had become.

“What’s the matter, Freesia?” His hot breath tickled my ear. “You’re acting as if you’ve never seen a man naked before.”

“As if,” I retorted. I couldn’t let Zarek know that he was right. “My ex’s body wasn’t too bad either.”

Zarek paused. Suddenly, I heard my stepfather’s voice from outside calling for me. “Freesia dear, how do you like the dress?”

I panicked, frantically trying to untangle the mess. “Um…I love it!” I managed to reply. I looked up at Zarek, who appeared to be amused by my struggle. “It-It’s beautiful!”

“I’m glad you like it! Why don’t you come out and show me?”

I grappled with the knotted lace, but my efforts only seemed to tangle it further. “Just a second!” I shoved at Zarek’s chest, but it was like pushing against stone. He wouldn’t budge an inch. He pulled me in closer, firmly seizing my lower back.

My face was level with his protruding chest, and the memory of him touching himself the other night popped into my head.

He lifted my chin with one hand and gradually dragged his other from my back. His fingers crept around my waist, leaving electric currents in their wake before landing on the tangled string of my bodice. Without breaking eye contact, he slowly began to untie the string. His leisurely pace only heightened my anxiety.

“Freesia, are you alright? What’s going on in there?” I froze. If stepfather were to see us in this position…

Zarek flashed a smug grin and nodded at the curtain, urging me to respond. “I-I’m just having a little trouble.”

“Do you need some help?”

“No!” I yelled back. I shot daggers at Zarek. His superior attitude was irritating; he acted as if this predicament did not affect him in the slightest.

“Okay, honey. I’ve got to get ready, so I’ll leave you be. Have fun tonight!”

I listened and waited as the footsteps sounded further and further away. I turned to Zarek to find him focused on my chest now. My cheeks grew hot, and then I felt the pressure finally release from my waist. Zarek had succeeded in untangling my corset string.

With an arrogant smirk, he said, “You’re welcome,” and exited the fitting room.

I stared blankly at the swaying curtain. Even though Zarek was gone, his presence remained. I could still feel the heat radiating from my body in all the places he touched as I wondered if I’d ever feel steady around Zarek Thorne.

–

The ballroom echoed with chatter amongst the pack. Everyone was dressed in their finest attire–the men all donned fresh 3-piece suits, while the women wore dresses of every color paired with lavish jewelry.

But despite everybody looking their best, Zarek and Isabella were the center of attention. He wore a dashing black tuxedo with a yellow tie to match her sleek satin gown. I recognized his pants as the same ones from the fitting room and blushed.

The couple danced in the center of the room, commanding the entire pack’s gaze. Even I couldn’t look away. Zarek’s usual messy hair was slicked back, surrounding him with a refined air befitting of a future Alpha.

Two girls next to me seemed especially captivated.

“Once Zarek succeeds as Alpha, Isabella will become his Luna!” One girl squealed.

The other responded, “I know, right! They look perfect together!”

A wave of disappointment washed over me. They were right. I could never be Zarek’s Luna, but that didn’t mean I would torture myself all night.

I hurried to leave when one of the girls’ heels stepped on my dress. I felt a sharp tug before the fabric suddenly tore up my legs, exposing my backside to the entire room. The girls gasped and scurried away.

I was mortified. I rushed to pull the disconnected ends of my dress together to hide my back. As I was doing so, a man approached me and tapped my shoulder.

He removed the brooch from his suit. “Young lady, may I use this to pin your dress?” His breath reeked of alcohol.

The man ogled my body with prying eyes. I didn’t recognize him, but I didn’t care who he was as long as he could save me from this embarrassment. “Thank you, sir. I’ll–”

A moment later, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed throughout the room. An arm reached through the gathered crowd and landed on the man’s shoulder. In what felt like an instant, the man was hurled to the side, stumbling before falling on his behind.

The sea of people parted to reveal Zarek, his face dark and eyes blazing with fury. I had never seen him look so angry before.