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I smena will like to say that she's having a nice evening, but she doesn't want to lie to herself—why bother lying to herself when she will die soon anyway?

Her evening sucks balls, and it's not as if she isn't trying to have fun. In fact, she's doing her very best.

At TAO Nightclub, the music was too high, the sounds of cheering almost being louder than the music. A man sat opposite her, making a conversation with her, lust in his eyes.

Wait. What's his name again?

"Wait, what's your name again!?" She shouted above the music.

"Taren! That's the third time you're asking!" He shouted right back.

"Forgive me for that. I have a poor brain behind these beautiful features!" She joked, but in truth, her mind is just divided. She's having a hard time trying not to think about the handsome Big Bad Wolfe she met three nights ago.

Damn, the man is spending a lot of time in her mind these days.

"Not to worry! What do you say we go to a more quiet place!?"

Taren is good-looking, she'll give it to him. He's also doing his best to be a gentleman all evening since he walked up to her and she really does wanna get laid. "Alright, let's go!"

They walked out of the club together, to the opposite side of the hotel that has 'The Bar' written in bold letters at the top of it. It was quiet inside, with a few couples spread out in the bar, drinking.

They walked to a dark side of the bar and settled down there. "One minute, please." Taren excused himself and began walking towards the counter to order them a drink.

"Please get me water only. Water or orange juice." No way she's drinking any alcohol again.

The thought of alcohol brought the image of her dark knight in frowning armor right back into her mind. Wetness pooled in between her legs, her body went hot.

"Heavens, Ismena, Jesus Christ. This kind of lust is way abnormal especially for you," she muttered to herself, squeezing her legs together. Even in high school, when every girl's libido is so high, she never lusted on any man then. "Get it together girl!" She chided herself.

Watching Taren as he ordered their drinks, her eyes followed the bartender as he poured her orange juice into a glass cup and handed it to Taren.

Too bad you stole from the man, if not you can at least cross your legs and pray for another coincidental meeting with me.

But seeing him means trouble for you, so you can't even hope on that.

Taking a deep breath, she shook her head, Anyway, you have this good-looking guy for tonight to help you forget all about him.

Wolfariane Daminor Throne picked the man up and threw him away. He landed flat on his back on the cold pavement and passed out cold.

In a dark empty alley, he stood alone once again, barely holding himself from roaring to the sky. His ring is not with this man, Ethan.

He'd hunted those two men—Aiden and Ethan—that attacked the woman in the restroom of the nightclub, but they are not in possession of his ring.

It had taken a lot of convincing for them to get him to believe that they aren't with his ring. He'd believed them too because the wolf couldn't smell it on them.

That leaves one last person. The female. His mate. She is the one that stole his ring.

Damned female! The basic rules which keeps the changelings in check in the non-changeling world stopped him from shifting forms and letting the wolf hunt her down. Rules he helped create.

So, instead he closed his eyes and allowed the memories of three nights ago wash over him. He recalled her scent—her main unique scent that isn't liquor or death—and allowed the scent to fill his nose again, after suppressing it for so long.

The scent of spice and earthy daisies. Intoxicating. Addictive.

She is near .

Wolfariane stepped out of the alley and called the first cab that drove by.

"Where to, sir?" The cab man asked.

He has no idea. "Just drive, I will direct you." His nose will direct him.

**************

"So, I... uhm, I really like you." Taren admitted an hour later, "I will like to spend some good time with you if it's okay to you?"

"Your place or mine?" Ismena drawled, taking a sip out of her orange juice.

A full-blown smile split Taren's lips. "Yours. If it's okay to you."

"Definitely okay." She returned his smile. Yeah, she's definitely crossing off 'one-night-stand' from her list tonight, and if Taren is good, she might even be crossing off 'Get A Constant Fuck Buddy' too.

"Alright, I'll just pay the bartender," he rose to his feet, "I'll be back really soon."

"I'll be waiting." After he walked off, Ismena concentrated on taking sips out of her orange juice.

Her back prickled. Why does it feel like she's being watched? Stalked?

The feeling has been there for few minutes now, and it's making her really uneasy. She looked back again, but nothing. Just couples talking and drinking.

I'll just wait for him outside. Holding that thought, she picked up her bag and walked out of the bar .

Aah, the night's air is really light and refreshing. Those stars up there are—

She walked into a wall.

Not, not a wall. A man.

This 'solid rock' does feel familiar, was her thought as she stepped away from the collision and looked up...

"Big Bad Wolfe!" She gasped, taking several steps backwards.

"Fee-male." The way he let the single word slip out of his lips told her that there's fire burning in the mountains. And he was scowling again.

These past few days she'd thought her drunken state had made him up to be so... larger than life, all stoic, cold and handsomely scary in her mind. Nope, it wasn't her drunken state, the man is all that. And more.

Her nipples hardened inside her bra, her panties soaked. Who gets scared and aroused at the same time? Jesus, what in satan's eyelashes is wrong with her!?

"W-What brings you to this part of town!?" She let out a nervous smile. Another step back.

"You know why I am here, female. Hand it over. Now." He gritted out through his teeth, outstretching his arm towards her.

Ohmygod! Ohmyjesus! ohmymary!

The calm but volcanic words did it for her. "I will just...uhm..." She pointed behind her, then, whirled around and took off in a dead run.

Wolfariane was too stunned by her reaction to react.

As she ran, her heels clicked—click click click click—on the floor so much she stopped, bend down, took them off one after another. Then, she threw him a glance behind her and continued running barefooted. This time, faster than the first time.

Prey. The predators in him stretched satisfyingly as he recognized prey.

She holds his diamond ring, he is sure of it. Why don't she want to give it back?

Doesn't matter. As far as it's in her possession, he will get it from her. If she wants to be chased, he will do so too. The thrill of the chase is exhilarating to a predator.

His mate is about to find out what it feels like to be prey to a dangerous alpha predator.

What will he do when he finds out she pawned his ring!? How did he find her!?

Ismena was breathing hard as she rushed into her hotel room, slammed the door and threw in the locks. She leaned against it, trying to catch her breath, her chest heaving.

She's in trouble. A big trouble. "He's rich or why won't he let her go because of just one ring!?" She gasped out loud, "Is it a family heirloom of some sort or what!? Dammit!"

Finding it harder than usual to catch her breath, she walked to the drawers, withdrew her meds and threw it into her mouth. She found water and downed it.

Then, she sat on the bed and waited for her breathing to regulate. At least, she'd lost him. She'd taken three different taxi rides, and she'd instructed each of them to take a different sneakier road that leads to Bagas Hotel which is her hotel .

So, yes, she knows for sure she'd lost him.

Feeling better, she walked into the bathroom, ran herself a warm bubble bath. Stepping into the bathtub, she relaxed and closed her eyes. Thoughts of him filled her head.

The man she's doing her very best to avoid is the only man her body reacts to. Not even the normal 'react' but a full brown slutty reaction that's completely abnormal for her.

She has lived and breathed her work for the past seven years, men just don't do it for her when it comes to her daily life.

Yet, these past few days she has creamed her panties—according to him—more than she has ever done her whole life.

Worst, she touching herself intimately a lot lately, another abnormality for her, and it's always the thoughts of him in her mind too whenever she indulges.

Heavens, whatever the hell is wrong with her? What is it about him that makes it all...different?

Afterward, wrapped in a towel, she walked back to the bedroom and put on her clothes.

Hours passed. She was trying so hard to sleep but couldn't.

Someone is watching her. Stalking her... Like a predator.

He is here. She can feel it.

So, she rose from the bed, making the only decision left for her.