1. Stranger Danger

“What do you mean there is no reservation under that name?!” Thalia’s voice grows louder and I feel my heart sink into my stomach when she grabs the man by his shirt, giving him a good shake, cursing at him in such a rush I have no idea what she just told him. 

“Miss-” the man blabbers, trying to get the hang of the brunette woman who was ready to claw his eyes out for us to get inside. “-There is nothing I can do-” he tries to shake her off in a polite way, but I am not sure this will ever work with her right now.

“Listen here you punk!” Thalia hisses, leaning up, on her toes, her face nearing the blonde man’s face, her nose almost touching his. “This is future MRS. Koen, and if he finds out you’ve been keeping us, here, in the fucking cold, he will have your head on a golden platter!” 

That's right! Everyone must have heard the news of Koen's new deal. Truly, the only reason I have accepted this in the first place, was to get away from my pack. From my untolerable father and pretentious mother. From my duties and my status as an useless omega. 

I feel myself grow even more embarrassed when she speaks his name and my heart skips a beat when the man’s brown eyes move to me, his eyes scanning me from head to toe. I am more than sure I look nothing like I was supposed to look. I usually get these kinds of silly remarks when people find out who my fiancee is.

Mister Koen was one of the most influencing people in the whole damn world, one who was wrapped in utter and complete mystery. No one knew who he was. No one knew his face, no one knew his identity. They just knew a name that might not even be real. And I found myself into the weirdest business deal ever. 

My father, Cassian Malvak was another very influential name, one that could get me easily into any restaurant, club, bar, place in the city. Not as if my own name did not have power. When you bring home gold medals, you sure do have a certain power. But not everyone knew such a name, much less when your name was labeled with the omega status. 

And my father's empire was built with the help of the Koen family. Who had come to demand a terribly odd thing. A wife. One to solidify my father’s ties to them, one to bring the two families together. Or at least, this is what they told me. I was unsure this was truly needed, and I was also sure that this was one big lie, and the real reason for this arranged marriage. 

A man like Koen could have had any woman. Why demand for me? Why demand such proof of loyalty from my father? 

The brown eyes move back to Thalia, who smirks with a hint of superiority as she pulls back from the man, digging her hands into the pockets of her coat. The man fixes his white shirt slowly and scans the notebook in front of him. He takes a note and he nods slowly. 

“Right this way miss-” he bows gently and gestures for us to follow him. 

Thalia turns to me with a triumphant smile, hooking an arm around mine and dragging me along. I sigh gently and roll my eyes at her, following after the young blonde man without another word, into the obscenely big and luxurious building, our heels muffled by the soft carpet. 

Madelaine Malvak. Maddy for friend and Miss. M. for those who worked for me and with me. A twenty one years old young gold medalist. A ballet dancer, that is. Sounds like a lot, doesn’t it? Sounds a bit too pretentious, but it is a childhood dream come true. 

Now, coming back to our ties with the Koen family, that was also a very off business. I have grown hearing about this Koen, I have heard my parents use his name in too many arguments and despite my father’s closeness to him, I was not sure who this man was. He could be some old punk ass, older than my father and I was simply being offered as a peace offering. Or a trophy. Many wealthy men like trophy wives, don’t they?

We enter the restaurant and the man leads us to a private table for two that apparently was ours. I know Thalia loved to use my fiance’s name to mess with people and get her way into fancy and exclusive places, but it felt wrong for me. I rarely used my father’s name. I’d usually present myself as Madelaine Luelle, for I consider that a name should not hold as much power as these two had. People should not behave differently just because my name was one or the other!

As we sit down and settle, Thalia smiles to herself and looks around while I pick up the menu and scan it with my eyes.

“You know~” she purrs out, her red painted lips curling into a playful smile before her eyes settle on me. “You have to learn how to use this power you are given!” She teases me and I decide to ignore her.

“How about we start off with a cocktail?” I propose, looking up at her with a playful smile.

Thalia’s smile widened and she seemed genuinely happy that I was on board with our small celebration. 

“If that’s what will get you smiling, darling! I’m all for it!” she laughs and grabs her menu, opening it and scanning the items.

Drink after drink, and after a short dinner, we found ourselves in the bar area of the region, a VIP reserved room, where we had gotten by flirting our way inside and using my Amex which was engraved with my full name in silver letters. The place was filled with rich bastards, all wearing designer clothes, not at all different from us right now.

While Thalia was wearing an off shoulder red dress, paired with black heels and a coat that costed more than your average car, I chose a Long sleeved black dress, with turtle neck, hugging my body all the way to my knees, while my feet were uncomfortably confined in a pair of black, classic Louboutins. 

Tipsy, with fuzzy thoughts and a very easy to influence personality, Thalia had managed to corrupt me into getting some stronger drinks while we sat at the bar. My back was turned to the room, and I feel indecent just because I can feel so many eyes on me that I want to fight my friend and get out of here.

She sips from her drink and takes a long, pensive look around. 

“You know~” She murmurs and comes closer, wrapping her bare arm around my waist. “You’re young. You’re getting married to some old stinky ass in a month. You should take the chance and have some fun. Donate your V-card~” she smirks at me, and I feel my cheeks tint, growing warmer because of the way her fingers sink into my side, suggestively.

I swallow the lump in my throat and turn my head to her, watching her amuse herself, while her eyes fall on some random man who might fall prey to her charms. 

“What are you talking about?!” I hiss at her, despite the obvious embarrassment that makes my face tint with a bright red. 

She turns to me, her bright blue eyes landing on my face, giving me an amused smile. 

“Maddy, my love.” She speaks with her lovely Russian accent and I feel cornered. “Being a virgin is not a necessary virtue. Better offer it by free will than have some old impotent man steal it by force.” her hand traveled over my stomach, under my breasts, in a suggestive way. “And I assure you, there are plenty here more than willing to be the owners of such a thing-” she smirks, her eyes scanning my body before she retrieves her hand to herself. 

Something inside me is more than ready to take her up on this. 

I take a long look around the room and a faint smell of leather and peaches catches my attention. I feel enticed by this stragely comforting and alluring scent. But as soon as Thalia’s hand smacks against my ass, everything washes away.

“Thalia?” I call out, my voice faint, while the woman downs her drink and starts walking away. “Thalia!” I whine and feel myself grow a bit fidgety. “Don’t leave me alone!” I hiss but swallow my words as I realize someone was looking my way.

A man. A man with dark eyes, a lovely elegant and oval face, that makes me think of elves, with short black hair and a short, neat beard. I see the way his lips curl when our eyes meet and I feel a surge of panic rush over me. MMM~

I turn back to my drink and ignore the man who has now replaced Thalia by my side, asking for another drink from the bartender. 

I feel his eyes on me and I feel myself grow sheepish. 

“Abandoned and alone, are we?” The man speaks, his voice low, enticing.

“Pardon?” I murmur and turn to look at him.

I am sure my face is quite funny in my confusion, because he only smirks. 

“Your friend there-” he gestures back to Thalia and the man who has been trapped in her rose scented web. “-stole mine for the night.” his lips curl in a side smirk and I feel his eyes come back to rest on me again, while I refuse to look at him, watching Thalia’s hand rest on the other man’s stomach while they dance and get awfully close.

Should I -? 

My head turns to the man that was now invading my personal space. He was so close I could feel the smell of cigars and cheap cologne on him. So close that I could feel the warmth of his body, and despite the countless thoughts of going right at it, something was holding me back. Maybe it was the slight sense of danger that was trickling down my spine… or maybe it was the disgusting way he was looking at me. 

“Now, come on.” The man chuckles and I feel his hand move slowly on the small of my back, moving up over my spine, his fingers tracing it slowly. “Don’t be shy~” he murmurs and I feel danger drip right off of his tongue. 

I suck in a sharp breath and let out a soft, embarrassed chuckle as I take my drink that's dangerously close to him, and try to slip out of my chair. 

“I think you’ve got the wrong impression -” I whisper through the chokehold embarrassment has on me. 

“Oh! Did I?” The man huffs and his fingers sink into my waist, trying to hold me from getting out of my chair, his hand lucking the glass from me again, putting it against my lips, tilting it up so the drink goes right into my mouth before I can stop it, him or myself. 

I swallow harshly and lift my hand, slap him harshly. 

"You fucking idiot-" I hiss under my breath and grab the drink from him, throwing it in his face with a disgusted look on my face, despite the redness that takes over my face and tip of my ears. 

 I slip out of my seat, half dizzy, while my confidence washes away. I find myself utterly wrapped in panic, and as I struggle to get away from the short haired man who was throning above me, I bump right into another one. 

Leather and peaches perfume suddenly wrap around me and something inside suddenly jumps awake, despite the usual sillence that holds me.

It feels like I walked right into a wall. But this one was warm and wrapped nicely in designer clothes and sinewy muscles that were not so well hidden by the tight fit white button up shirt. 

I feel like the breath is knocked right out of my lungs and I don’t dare to look up, because the strange effect this all has on myself, makes me want to duck and run. I am not supposed to mate! I am nothing but a wolfless, useless omega and -I am not supposed to find my mate now! Not when I am weeks away from getting married! 

My mind is a useless haze and I don't know what to do with myself right now.

Fuck!