CHAPTER THREE

Flora’s POV 

The other man scowled but quickly backed off when he saw the pure-blood’s expression.

I was frozen, caught in the stranger’s piercing gaze. He held out a hand, his lips curving into a faint, confident smile.

“Care to dance?” he asked, his voice low and commanding.

“No, I don’t want to dance with you."

He paused at my words, clearly not expecting my answer. His brows furrowed, and the intensity in his eyes burned into me, a mixture of challenge and curiosity.

“Are you sure about that?” he murmured, stepping just a little closer. “Because you sound like you’re trying to convince yourself, not me.”

I swallowed hard, caught off guard for a split second before regaining my composure. A slow smirk tugged at my lips as I tilted my head slightly, "Instead, how about we ditch this dance floor and you take me somewhere else?"

The moment I took his hand, I pulled him away from the pulsing lights and the crowd lost in the music. As we stepped away, I stole a glance at him.

His presence was intoxicating, his scent laced with something undeniably alluring.

When we reached the stairway leading to the bar’s upper floors, he finally spoke.

"You’re drunk."

I met his gaze with a forced smile, "Nope, I'm not."

His eyes darkened slightly, studying me. I held his gaze, refusing to look away, silently daring him to see through me.

"Take me somewhere else," I whispered, my voice softer than I intended. My fingers grazed his wrist, hesitant yet deliberate, as if testing his reaction.

"Be careful what you ask for," he mutters, his voice low, dangerous. 

The way his gaze lingered made my breath hitch, heat pricking my skin. Without a word, he pulled me upstairs.

As we ascended, a voice floated up from below. "I see you have company tonight, Sir."

A woman stood behind the bar, her tone light yet courteous. The man gave her a nod and she offered a knowing smile, chuckling softly as she stared at me before dipping her head slightly. "The VIP room upstairs is prepared for you, as always, Sir."

"Who is she?" My voice was steadier than I expected as we reached the upper floor.

“Just no one.”

He pushed open the door to a dimly lit VIP room, leading me inside. The atmosphere shifted—no flashing lights, no deafening music. Just silence, thick and heavy.

The moment he released me, I felt the absence of his touch like a sudden drop in temperature. He stepped back, unreadable, his presence still filling the space.

I hesitated before lowering myself onto the plush couch, my fingers twisting in my lap. My nerves coiled tight. 

“I’ll leave you here for rest.”

Panic surged through me as he turned to leave.

"What? Where are you going?"

He stopped, looking down at me with sharp eyes. "Did something go wrong for you?" His voice was calm, but it carried a weight that made my breath catch. "You look young, and you shouldn’t be in a place like this."

"No, I'm not new here. I've been here before, like a lot." I said smoothly, forcing a confident smile as I met his gaze.

"Please, stay here with me." My voice was low and deliberately sensual. Why did this feel so forced? Why did my own words sound hollow?

I needed this. I had to do this. And yet, a strange hesitation clawed at the back of my mind.

“You don’t need to lie to me,” he suddenly turned around, this time looking me straight in the eyes. At that moment, I suddenly became afraid of him.

I hesitated, the truth clawing at my throat. I had planned to seduce him, not spill my vulnerabilities, yet the way he looked at me made it impossible to lie.

"My boyfriend," I whispered, the words escaping my lips with an almost painful slowness, as if each syllable carried the weight of years of disbelief.

"He… he cheated on me, on our fifth anniversary, saying he found his true mate and laughed at me—like I was nothing. Like I wasn’t the love he swore I’d be. He said I wasn’t good enough, and…" My voice cracked, shame tightening around my throat. 

The words felt raw, exposed, and I hated that I had let them slip. But he didn’t react the way I expected. He didn’t sneer, didn’t show pity. He simply studied me in silence.

Then, finally, he spoke. "You should be resting."

He turned again, ready to leave.

Panic hit me hard. I grabbed his wrist again, tightening my grip and pulling him closer.

"I came here for a one-night stand with you."

That made him pause. His dark eyes narrowed slightly.

"Because you’re a pure-blood wolf."

A shadow flickered across his face. "Do you think you can trust a pure-blood wolf?" he asked, his voice quiet yet laced with suspicion.

"Aren’t you worried I might be a bad guy? Oh wait, is this some kind of setup from Viki?"

"Viki?" I repeated, confused. "Who’s Viki? I don’t know anyone by that name."

His expression shifted slightly, though skepticism still lingered in his gaze. "But, you don’t want to find your true mate? To be marked by your mate?"

The weight of his words pressed against me. I swallowed hard. "I don’t have time for that," I admitted, shaking my head.

Something in his demeanor softened, though it was barely noticeable. "Don’t say that. Don’t do something you’ll regret," he said quietly.

I tightened my grip on his arm, my whole body trembling. "I won’t regret it," I whispered, the words tasting like a lie even as they left my lips.

Tears burned at the edges of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.

"Because tonight, you’re the perfect one for me."

And before I could second-guess myself, I grabbed him and pulled him toward me. The sudden movement caught him off guard, and he lost his balance, falling forward—right on top of me.

His body pressed against mine, heat radiating between us. My breath hitched as his dark eyes bore into mine—something fierce, something unreadable swirling within them. He didn’t move. Neither did I.

Then, his voice, low and firm. “You don’t know what you’re asking for.”

My heart pounded, my throat dry. “Then show me.”

And then, I leaned in—my breath hot against his skin.