chapter 57

“Hey baby, dance with me,” a chick said as her curvaceous body moved in a wave-like manner. Her dress hugged her torso tight and it shimmered in gold glitter and sequins, despite the low lighting. Its length ended mid-thigh, and my eyes traveled from her long legs to the promised heaven in between them. The plunging neckline exposed the top of her supple chest, enough to make a man lose his senses.

I wrapped an arm around her waist from behind, until she could feel me poke her ass. My head settled at the crook of her neck and I took in her jasmine perfume. She didn’t irk away from my hold, instead, bucked her hips against mine.

This little tease. You want this, don’t you?

My tongue flicked at her soft olive skin, tasting her.

Fuck. Her sweet arousal tastes so good.

I’ve lost count of how many women attempted to seduce me tonight, most of them intoxicated. But this little tease didn’t stink of alcohol, she smelled pleasant, just how I like it.

She suppressed a moan and cocked her head to the side, asking me to make her feel more.

I could mess you up so badly you won’t walk for days and still want more.

My hands traced her torso down and settled on the curve of her hips. I pulled her to me and she gasped as the monster pressed right at the center of her cheeks.

“Do you want this, baby?” I whispered in her ear.

“Yes,” came her breathy reply. “All of it, Alpha.”

But you don’t deserve it, baby. No woman in the world does. None of you deserve what I could give you.

I released her with a slight push and took a step back. She turned to face me, still smiling expectantly. Being the gentleman that I am, I flashed her a smile and politely said, “Sorry baby, not tonight,” then quickly made my way out of the crowd. She kept calling for me, most likely to demand an answer, but the booming music drowned out her voice.

For a birthday party, this Alpha went all out, turning his own house into a night club. The dance floor was packed with unmated werewolves, their primal need for sexual satisfaction more intense than usual with the mating ceremony drawing near. And I’m no exception.

I glanced at my trousers; the thing demanded attention. The heated atmosphere didn’t help, not when I could smell arousal from every direction.

I have to get out of here.

Taking a whole bottle of unopened champagne from the buffet table, I discreetly made my way out of the main hall, taking a swig directly from the bottle while I search for a quiet place. The problem will have to sort itself out.

“For a second there, I thought you were gonna give in,” came a voice from the back of my mind. “Do you regret it?”

“No, I don’t and you already know why,” I replied.

He smiled and said, “Will we find her tomorrow?”

“We better. Get ready to sniff her out.”

“Leave that to me. Can I count on you to be on your best behavior?” he chided.

“Asshole.”

Flashing a smirk, he retreated.

I’m running out of time, my dear. If I don’t find you tomorrow, I never will. This will be the last I get to search for you, so please, won’t you appear?

A stifled moan came from the right, followed by the sound of flesh hitting flesh, interrupting my thoughts. Looks like some already found their mate.

I continued walking, no specific destination in mind but with every intention to put as much distance between me and this lustful atmosphere. I went up a set of stairs, heard moans, went back down. I took lefts and rights only to retrace my steps back; this is one horny night.

As I walked in on more couples, I started to regret leaving the party and even considered giving in to sinful desires. Because unfortunately for me, the problem kept asking for attention and the alcohol wasn’t helping.

Fuck. Calm down. I’m not an uncontrollable sex maniac.

I took in deep breathes until it went back down. Then I picked up my pace and continued to wander until I finally came upon a corridor free of couples making out. Only then did I realize that I was completely lost.

“Idiot,” the voice said.

“Not now!”

I blocked him out before getting back to this new problem. I stood on one end of a corridor, with two more adjacent to it on each side and another straight ahead.

Where the fuck do I go now? I’ve never been to this area before.

As I contemplated which path to take, I heard a woman’s scream echo throughout the walls, immediately cut short. My fight mode switched on. A door opened from the corridor straight ahead and I hid behind the one on my right, my figure concealed by the shadows.

The sound of heavy footsteps grew louder and a man passed by stomping, his breathing heavy, and there was no mistaking the smell that hung around him – blood. I counted fifteen seconds to ensure that he was a good distance away, then carefully made my way into the room from which he came. I planted an ear on the door and heard nothing, neither labored breathing nor crying.

Fearing the worst, I hastily opened the door and scanned the room. I saw an image that I’ve seen many times before, but it doesn’t become easier to handle. It’s always an image that I could never rid my mind of and I’m not entirely sure that I want to forget.

A woman was passed out on the floor, bleeding, and the smell of blood and salt hung heavily in the air. I went to her side and checked her pulse, too weak but it was there. Turning her over slowly, I saw her the horrific state of her face – red, bruised, bleeding and tear-streaked. She needs medical attention, quick. Not wasting more time, I picked her up bridal style and carried her out of the room while mind-linking my sister.

“I need you to give me directions back to my room. Grab your things and meet me there right now. Someone needs our help.”

She guided me through this maze of a house which took longer than it should because I had to avoid getting seen and when I got there, she was on standby. Good, she’s sober – the best-case scenario.

I laid the unknown woman on my bed and nodded to my sister; she knows what to do. Then I left the room and went to hers, which was beside mine.

“The rooms have been checked for bugs,” she said in a mind-link then cut it off before I could reply.

I sat on the couch and began to make out what I can of the situation. She’s clearly a victim of abuse and the Alpha is involved. It is beyond me how an Alpha could treat any of his pack members that way when he should be a father figure, a leader, to all of them. Their strength and their protector. Not a fucking tormentor!

Getting up, I poured myself a glass of bourbon and drank in silence, downing glass after glass to keep myself from barging out the room and laying carnage on the White Lake Pack. Fuck the presence of the other packs, let them watch.

I could get her out but only if she wants to. Since my Beta isn’t with me, Lexy should do the talking. If I try to get information out of her, I might just lose it and scare her instead of gaining her trust.

Haha. Lexy would kill me if that happens.

The alcohol appeased my anger then I remembered the bottle - it got left behind in the kitchen.

Hmm… that’ll do.

After a few hours, I received a mind-link from Lexy.

“You can come back now,” she said.

I hurried to my room and saw her leaning into the bedpost, her eyes closed. Even the best healer has a limit.

“You’ve been drinking again, haven’t you? I saw you leave the party,” she said.

“That doesn’t concern you. How is she?”

She took a deep breath and said, “A couple of fractured ribs and multiple cuts and bruises. She’s fatigued. I gave her soporifics, let her sleep for now.”

“How long?”

“It could take a couple of weeks, maybe more,” she said.

My blood boiled at her words and I held back a growl.

Her wolf has weakened too much.

“And one more thing -” she said, turning to look at the sleeping woman, “- she’s wolf-less.”

To say that she’s rare would be an understatement. Throughout werewolf history, the gap between the paucity of those born without a wolf could reach centuries.

He left her to die, because of something beyond her control.

The growl escaped and it was louder than I intended. My pack was already asking for instructions via mind-link from the open channel. I’m fucking itching to massacre this pack!

And the look she gave me was silent approval.