Page 20

H azel

I pace the length of my room, the steady thud of my boots against the wooden floor the only sound breaking the silence. The past few days have torn me in ways that I’d hoped never to face in my life. This isn’t how Mate bonds are supposed to go.

For the longest time, while I was wolfless, I begged, literally prayed for some kind of miracle from our Moon Goddess to grant me the gift of a Mate, or a wolf, or both. I believed it would fix the problems I thought I had. But now, all I can pray for is for this Mate bond to be severed.

Nothing good has come out of it ever since we met.

His blue eyes held me hostage and I would have drowned freely in them if he had not pushed me away.

I hate the dreams I have of him. I can’t stand how my senses evaporate whenever I’m even remotely close to him.

And now, he’s declared me his Mate. Just like Eldon did.

I’m sick and tired of no one asking my permission to do things that affect my life. For once, let someone care enough to ask me. Ask me what I want!

The tears sting my eyes, but a rap on the door draws me out. I open it, and it is the guard that I stole a phone from before. I freeze. Has he found out?

Instead of accusations, he hands me a box. It’s wrapped in simple brown paper.

“Alpha sent this to you for your needs.”

He leaves, and I lock the door. I take a breath, trying to stifle the curses directed at Kieran. I peel the brown wrapping to reveal a phone box.

Kieran got me a phone?

I almost can’t believe it, but I turn it on and it has everything on it that was on my old phone.

Other than the urge to smash the phone against a wall, I want to call Ayana.

“You need to breathe, Hazel. Just one night. Let me remind you what it feels like to live.”

A part of me wants to say no, to stay put where I know I’m safe—if only barely. But the rest of me craves that freedom, even if it’s fleeting. The idea of losing myself in a crowd, the music drowning out my thoughts, is tempting.

The knock on my door is sharp, and I whip around to see Sylvia stepping in, her face calm as always.

“It’s arranged,” she says simply, her voice soft but firm. “The Alpha has approved your request to leave for the night.”

I blink, suspicion creeping in. “He approved what?” When did I ask? I search my brain for answers. How could I have forgotten something of that sort?

“Yes,” Sylvia confirms, her lips twitching as if she’s holding back a smirk. “On the condition that you’re supervised. Ian will accompany you.”

My jaw tightens. Of course, there’s a catch. Kieran wouldn’t just let me roam freely without strings attached. “And where exactly am I allowed to go?”

“The club,” Sylvia replies. “The one he owns. ”

I snort. “So even my so-called freedom is still under his control.”

Sylvia doesn’t respond, her calm expression unwavering.

I sigh, running a hand through my hair. “Fine. Let Ian know I’ll be ready in ten minutes.”

I glared at Ayana’s face on my screen.

“I know this is you’re doing.”

She chuckles and I know it’s the truth.

“I’m innocent,” she says when she’s no longer choking on air. “He called to ask and trust me to have your back baby girl.”

The club is nothing like I imagined. The second I step inside, the air shifts, heavy with the bass of the music thrumming through the walls.

The scent of sweat, alcohol, and something sweet fills my lungs.

The flashing lights bounce off glossy surfaces, casting vibrant streaks of red and blue across the crowd.

It’s chaos. And for the first time in days, I welcome it.

Ayana is already there, leaning casually against the bar.

I slow down and get a peek of her face. She looks tired, strained, stressed.

She turns around with wide eyes, with that paranoid look on her face.

She’s watching her back. But then when she spots me, a mischievous grin lifts those worry lines.

Her curls frame her face, and her dress clings to her in all the right places, making sure she draws more than a few admiring glances.

More than being in awe at how stunning she always is, I am awash with relief to see her.

She’s the only other person that counts as my family. Losing her means losing everything.

And because of these wolves, I almost did. I run to her as fast as I can through dancing bodies and columns.

“You made it,” she squeals, pulling me into a quick hug. “And you look...better than I expected.”

“Courtesy of Kieran and his staff, I guess.” I roll my eyes as I say this, even though my cheeks warm up at the thought. “But forget about me, so do you!” I can’t help but smile.

“I know I’m broke, barely making it by, but I had to pull out my best dress. ”

“What? You saved for months to get this. I thought you would wear it at your Mating ceremony!”

We both burst into laughter. It’s so good to see her. To laugh with her.

Her eyes flick to Ian, who stands a few feet away, his gaze scanning the room like a hawk. His presence is as subtle as a brick wall, and I know he won’t let me out of his sight for a second.

“Babysitter included, I see,” Ayana teases.

“Don’t remind me,” I mutter.

She grabs my hand, pulling me toward the dance floor. “Come on. Let’s make the most of it.”

The music vibrates through my chest as we weave through the crowd. The energy is infectious. Ayana starts moving to the beat, her body swaying effortlessly. It takes me a moment to loosen up, but soon I let the rhythm take over, my worries slipping away with each beat.

For the first time in what feels like forever, I feel alive.

Ayana leans in close, her voice barely audible over the music. “See? This isn’t so bad.”

I laugh, the sound surprising even me. “Don’t get used to it.”

She rolls her eyes but grins, her hand tightening on mine as the crowd surges around us.

I don’t notice him at first.

I’m too lost in the music, the heat of the crowd, and the rare sense of freedom that’s settled in my chest. I’m starting to feel like my arms and legs are mine again.

Like the thumping in my chest is mine. Like my life is mine and yet not at the same time.

Ayana gets me drink after drink after drink.

I’ve never had this much in my life. But it feels so fucking good! I never want it to end.

“Someone’s having the time of their life.” Ayanna giggles as she pressed up against me with the next song.

“I feel so alive! Why haven’t I done this before?”

But then the air shifts, a presence cutting through the chaos like a blade. I know who it is, because even in a crowd of sex-driven, adrenaline-pumping, high, sweating bodies, his will stand out like the moon in the sky among the stars.

I turn, my gaze scanning the room until it lands on him. Kieran.

He stands near the entrance, his sharp blue eyes locked on me.

The flashing lights cast shadows across his face, highlighting the tension in his jaw and the rigid set of his shoulders.

But my Goddess, it’s like his face is carved from the finest porcelain.

That’s the only way it would be fair to look as effortlessly hot as he does.

With the thumping music and the alcohol fermenting in my brain, I want to dance with him. I wonder what that would feel like. Grinding up against him. Feeling him get hard for me. Feeling his possessive arms encircle me because no other male dares sniff me without smelling him.

I notice other females looking in his direction and my wolf bares her fangs, ready to slash into them and tear them limb from limb.

For a moment, the crowd fades away, the music dulling to a low hum. My chest tightens, and my pulse quickens—not from fear, but from something far more infuriating.

He doesn’t belong here. Not in this chaos, this reprieve I’ve carved out for myself. And yet, he’s magnetic, impossible to ignore.

Ayana follows my gaze, her brows shooting up. “Well, well. Look who couldn’t stay away.”

I grit my teeth, my fists clenching at my sides. “What the hell is he doing here?”

Ian steps forward, his posture tense. “The Alpha doesn’t need permission to check in.”

I whirl on him, my voice low and sharp. “This was supposed to be my night.”

Ian shrugs, his expression unreadable. “It still is. Just...with supervision.”

Kieran begins to move through the crowd, his steps purposeful and his gaze never leaving mine. The people around him part instinctively, sensing the authority he carries like a second skin.

Ayana squeezes my arm. “Good luck, babe.”

She disappears into the crowd, leaving me standing there as Kieran stops a few feet away .

“What are you doing here?” I demand, crossing my arms over my chest.

He doesn’t answer immediately, his eyes sweeping over me before meeting my gaze. “You’re supposed to be under supervision. I’m making sure that’s enforced.”

I laugh, the sound bitter. “Ian’s doing just fine. You didn’t need to show up.”

His jaw tightens, but he doesn’t take the bait. “I can be wherever I want to be without your permission.”

“What’s the point of letting me out if you’re just going to follow me around like a shadow?”

“Because I don’t trust you,” he says simply, his voice low but firm.

“I don’t care if you trust me,” I say, stepping closer. “I’m not yours to control, Kieran.”

His eyes darken, the bond between us humming with tension. “You’re in my territory. That means you follow my rules.”

I glare at him, my hands curling into fists. “And what if I don’t?”

There’s a tease in my voice, and I know he can sense it. I smile wickedly, watching him react to me.

He steps back, his presence still lingering like a storm cloud as he disappears into the crowd. Ayana reappears behind me and I jump, startled.

She raises an eyebrow, sipping her drink. “You’ve got him wound up tight.”

I exhale, the tension in my chest easing slightly. “I didn’t ask him to come.”

She grins. “Maybe not. But he’s here, and that says a lot.”

I shake my head, the chaos of the club feeling less like freedom and more like a cage.