Chapter 4:

Lucius POV

A strong smell of moonflowers and night jasmine struck my nostrils, as the bitter bourbon lingered on my tongue. 

My head immediately shot up looking for the source of the smell, but when Aeric pointed out that he smelled it too my mind went into a whirlwind of emotions. Possessiveness, jealousy, protective instincts, and every bubble of belonging burst in me. It felt like someone was snatching something that was mine. 

I am usually a composed person, and nothing so far has driven these emotions in me. And besides emotions, I have never felt an eager urge to act on them as well.

When Aeric asked me whether I smelled my mate, I said No. Well, it wasn't a lie, but the question also told me that, the someone we smelled is neither his mate. An immediate relief flushed along my nerves at the realization, but when the smell grew stronger and unbearable my head snapped towards the right. 

There she was standing, the source of the enticing smell. The smell that particularly left me panting like a small pup in search of some attention, but the moment my eyes looked at her they froze. 

Unparallel beauty unfurled on her face, every part of her disgorging a shine that lit up the room. Fine moon dances across her eyes, like the night of the bonding, and I fell under the spell of them. 

Every unsaid promise I had made to my mate just broke in my mind. I always promised the moon goddess that the only person I will give my soul and body to will be my mate. I always promised that the only person that my heart will beat for, or my body will feel possessive for will be my mate. But the moment I saw her before me, it was like my mind decided to be insolent. 

It rebelled against every promise, wanting to make the girl before me mine. 

Fuck, what was that? A small dime of diamond shone as she jumped on the pole spreading her legs to the front, and I choked on my saliva. Tucked over her clit was the luckiest piece of diamond in the world, and for some reason, I even felt a wave of jealousy over that defunct diamond. 

The crowd hooted and cheered, and my insides rumbled with annoyance and that is when I heard the possessive growl that echoed beside me. 

Aeric growled like he could rip the heads of people around us. The impact of his growl ranked so high that I could feel the submission that ran through the air, and even though I am his twin I felt that very shudder course across my body. 

Possessiveness sprinkled his skin, his eyes flush on the figure that I was admiring. His eyes peeked with the massacre they imagined, and for the first time in years, I could see something beyond his playful demeanor. It was as if he wanted to own her as she belonged to him. 

Slowly trailing my eyes to the stage, I calmed my overdriven heart. Though reluctant, I have learned how to keep it under control, and that is when my eyes fell on something much more different on her body. 

The shackle. Her right leg was shackled with a silver metal that reflected little to no light under hundreds of lights that danced across us. 

Why was she shackled? 

The question just jumped through my mind, only for it to die down when another shackled leg surfaced near her. My eyes flashed across the room, taking in every other girl present and that is when I saw it. Every girl had a shackle around her leg, like an embellishment, or rather a mark that they worked here.

But then again, every other shackle was different from hers. How, why? I don't know. It was just different. Maybe it was the lights that played the trick on my eyes. 

The little bubble of my thoughts burst to sprinkle as numbers flew across the room. They kept getting higher, the music around me slowly dwindling as if about to end, when my mind caught up to the happenings. 

My lips parted on an instinct to shout out anything that was much higher than anyone's reach in this club, only to be beaten when Aeric croaked “Ten million”.

Holy Motherfucker! The words spilled out of my mouth at the lost opportunity when Aeric walked forward splitting the crowd in two. 

Her icy blue eyes stared at him like he was the only thing she could see in the club and when I looked deeper into them, I could see the black in them dilate. 

My skin prickled with invisible needles, every point pricking my insides at her gaze on him. Aeric held her hand, guiding her towards another beaded curtain at the left and they suddenly disappeared under the neon purple lights. 

Fuck! My mind raced with situations, excuses, and reasons for which I could hold either Aeric or her out in front of my gaze. The only option I could see was to follow them, but that didn't seem like the smartest option and so I pulled the next girl that stood in line and entered the beaded curtain behind them. 

The neon purple engulfed my body as I walked in through the curtains pulling whoever was behind me. I could hear her heels click haphazardly behind me, but I couldn't care less to not drag her along. 

After about a two-minute walk, ok maybe two seconds I could see the silhouette of Aeric standing outside a tacky colored door that spilled pink, blue, and reds in neon tones. 

My feet rushed towards the two figures standing there, and as my legs drew me closer I could hear the incoherent cursing leaving Aric’s lips. He stood in front of the door, stupidly tapping his gold at the card reader on the door. 

A smirk pulled on my lips looking at him desperately searching for his other card in his pocket, but given that Aeric rarely carries his black card, I know I could use this situation. 

“Brother, is there any problem?”, My voice boomed with an undertone of pride, when those very icy blue eyes snapped towards me. The pink flesh on her face pressed in a straight line, only for them to part seconds later and quiver along her skin. 

“Lucius thank god. Oh never mind!”, Aeric’s voice pulled me out of my stare game. A black card was tucked between his fingers, and when he tapped it on the reader the door opened. 

Damm! How did he remember it today? 

As soon as they entered, the light on the fourth cubicle button went on and I guessed it was the room they entered. 

Remembering the girl clinging to my hands, I pulled her towards the door. She entered her details, and after tapping the card I entered the cubicle right next to them. 

A trance of melody blared to life as we entered the cubicle. The girl in my hand swung around, pushing me on the chair beginning to sway her hips to the sound. But however good of a dancer she was, I couldn't focus my mind and so I pressed the chair flush to the wall, pressing my ears against it to hear anything that was happening in the room next door. 

From the corner of my eyes, I could see the girl in the room hell confused. Eyebrows raised she looked at me almost in disbelief before her eyes glinted to life. 

A notorious expression crossed her face. Drawing her hand behind her neck, she unhooked the little piece of cloth she was wearing revealing her breasts.

“Alpha, let me satisfy you”. Her voice reached me with a sultry slur and she kneeled before me, placing a hand on my cock. 

I swat her hands away, and she climbed over my lap. 

“What the fuck do you think you are doing?”, I say gritting my teeth and tuning my voice low. 

“Just doing what you paid for”. Her body trembled under my gaze. Standing before me, I could see the little shudder that passed her spine at the tone of my voice. 

“Aren't you supposed to give just a private dance?”

“Yeah, but people usually have…”, she fell silent her eyes staring at the floor, as her heels dug in semi-circles along the tile.

“Speak”. My irritated voice ricocheted inside the room. 

“I mean… Al...Alphas, usually bring us here to have….have…”, she closed her eyes hands folded near her tummy, “Sex”. 

The stammer in her voice told me she was afraid, and so I puffed out a long breath. 

“Leave now”

“But…”

“I said leave, I don't care what you do with every Alpha, and don't worry I won't revoke the payment. Just leave…”, I say, pressing my ears against the wall.

“Fuck this music”, I growl, when the girl presses a small button in the corner of the room shutting down the music. Bending at her hip, she bows and screeches “Please don't complain about me to Alpha Damon”, before flashing out of the room. 

Once she is out, I press myself closer to the wall as if it was magically gonna transfer me to the other end, when I realize the music in the other room is also shut down. There was no sound, only small whispers here and there. 

“Alphas usually bring us here to have sex”

The small voice echoed inside me and my eyes widened. 

Are they doing it? 

No, it can't happen. 

And I run out of the room, banging open the door to the fourth cubicle.