Chapter 3

***POV:Trent***

I spent entirely too much time at Amara’s today, but damn if I just can’t get enough of her. I rushed around speaking to as many Alpha heirs as I could in the 2 hours of daylight I had left to make it look like I had at least attempted to have a productive day. I finished up talking to Alpha Peter and his son and future heir Pablo and headed home. Looking over the petition paperwork, I realized that somehow, I managed to get enough signatures for approval today.

I head back home after a long day, looking forward to relaxing a bit. I needed another shower after spending more time enjoying Amara after our shower this afternoon. I jump in and immediately start to relax, letting my mind go blank. I get dressed in sweats and a t-shirt and get ready to settle in for the night with some leftovers and good movie. I warm up some lasagna and sit down ready to watch a classic action flick. As I finish my meal, my best friend and future beta, Cyrus mind-links me.

“Hey, uh what are you doing?” he asks.

“Nothing just relaxing after a long day with Amara, she wore me out if you know what I mean.”

“Well bro I don’t know how to tell you this, but you must not have worn her out because she is on fire at the club right now.” Cyrus says carefully.

“Cyrus, what the hell are you talking about?” I say getting agitated.

“Nothing man, she’s just looking REALLY good and dancing with Tobias like she’s ready to combine their packs right now if you know what I mean”

“I’ll be right there, don’t let her out of your sight.” I say and cut off the mind-link, anger rolling off me in waves.

What is she thinking? She is mine and should behave as such. I run into my room and throw some jeans on, shoes and black button up over my tee. I don’t have time to worry about what I look like; I have to get down to the club before she makes a fool out of herself or allows someone to touch what is mine.

As I jog my way through the colony and across platforms, I wish I was in wolf form, or would have had the forethought to travel on the water, it would be so much faster. I finally arrive at Club Moonlight, one of the few places in the colony where all the different species come together and just have a good time. I nod at the bouncer, a vampire I vaguely recognize, as I walk through the door. I walk onto the platform and look down to start scanning the dance floor for her. It doesn’t take long for me to spot Amara. She is stunning, dressed in a rose gold sequined cami dress that is leaving nothing to the imagination and hugging all her very familiar curves. Her beautiful, tanned skin and long golden-brown curls writhing around Tobias are more than I can handle. I grip the handrail, my knuckles turning white, as I resolve to get down there and take back what’s mine. As soon as I turn around and start storming in that direction, Cyrus intercepts me.

“What do you think you are about to do? This is a very public place for you to cause a scene over a girl you don’t want people to know you are involved with.” He says trying to talk some sense into me.

I grit my teeth, realizing my hands are in fists at my side. I breathe in and out trying to calm myself. Of course, Cyrus is right, but what am I going to do? I turn around and look back at her, throwing her head back laughing as Tobias dips her playfully.

“Trent, what are you doing man? Do you want this girl? You have to make a decision my friend, you can’t keep going this way. It’s not fair to you and it’s definitely not fair to Amara.”

I know he is right, but my father would never approve. Our packs were lifelong enemies before the collapse. Tobias on the other hand was obviously a more than suitable choice for her. He was a little older than us, and at 26 he was already the Alpha of his pack, the Sierra pack, which also happened to be an ally of Amara’s pack.  I stare in her direction, willing her to look at me.

“Alright man, I hear you, but I can’t let her be out there like that with him.”

I keep looking her way when suddenly, I feel arms wrap around me from behind. Thinking Cyrus lost his mind, I turn around only to come face to face with Heather. Of course, it had to be her.

“Looking for me handsome?” She says as she flashes her best seductive smile. She stares up at me expecting an answer. I look her over trying to contain my contempt. Heather is hot by all standards, but she was too done up for my taste. I stand at 6’3, while Heather is at 5’5, thin but stacked, sleek blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Once long ago she had interested me for a time, and there was a slight overlap between my dalliances with her and in my on again off again relationship with Amara.  Now she just repulses me, even though she was good to have as a backup.

“Definitely not” I respond curtly.

She pretends to be hurt and pouts “Ouch baby, why so harsh? Come on, dance with me, I know you want to.”

Cyrus mind-links me “Dance with her man, it will get you out there and it’s a much better option than whatever confrontation you were thinking about having with Amara.”

I groan inwardly, knowing that ultimately, he is right.

“Alright then, let’s go out there, for old times’ sake or whatever” I say begrudgingly.

She takes my hand, giggling, and pulls me behind her down the metal stairs. I used to love coming to this place all the time. I don’t have as much time now that my training and pack responsibilities have kicked up a notch in preparation for me to take over as Alpha when my father steps down.

Tony, the owner, did a great job designing the club. All urban metal feel inside, but what made it special was the dance floor. When you walk down the stairs, you are actually going down below sea level. As we walk down I can’t help but smile as I look around at the top to bottom glass walls encasing the dance floor area. With the outside lights, we have the absolute best view of the ocean underwater.

I think Heather mistakes this tiny moment of joy as being inspired by her and looks at me adoringly. We move out to the center of the dance floor, within mere feet of Amara and Tobias. She has not noticed us yet. We start dancing, Heather gyrating around me, moving perfectly to the sultry beats. Her black cut out dress barely holding together by some very thin straps across the front.

My wolf Asher comes forward, obviously starting to get excited by Heather. “Calm down” I growl at him. I am naturally a good dancer and enjoy the music, so before long I start to have a good time. As I spin Heather around me, I look up and catch Amara at the precise moment she spots us. I can tell because her face goes slack in the middle of laughing with Tobias. Serves her right. Two can play at this game.

I grab Heather’s hands and put them around my neck while bringing our foreheads together, dancing closer and closer. Tobias notices that Amara is now distracted and follows her gaze, trying to figure out what is happening. She turns to him and says something, snapping out of her awkward trance, and they quickly walk off the dance floor and over to the bar. I instantly feel better. And then Heather opens her mouth.

“Trent, what happened with us baby. We feel so good together, why won’t you give us another chance?”

Hell, now what. This is what I get for playing with fire. Asher chuckles inside my head and waits patiently for what my next move will be. I keep dancing, trying to think out my words carefully, and all of a sudden Heather’s lips are on mine.

“What do you think you are doing?” I growl at her while pulling her off me.

“I thought you wanted me too. We are having a good time and it’s bringing up old feelings, it just felt right.”

I stare at her in disbelief. I catch hurried movement out of the corner of my eye and see Amara working her way through the throng of dancers as she heads up the stairs. I pull Heather’s hands off me and glare at her.

“Look I don’t know what you think was happening here, but I was just dancing with you, nothing else. Get a hold of yourself.” I spit the words out at her and walk away. I start up the stairs trying to see which way Amara headed. I catch a glimpse of her working her way up past the lobby level and up to the rooftop terrace. I quickly follow, not knowing what I will do when I catch her.

I come out to the rooftop terrace shortly after her. She’s off in the corner, sitting on the edge of the building, tears flowing out of her eyes. And now I feel like the world’s biggest ass.

“Hey” I say weakly.

She looks up at me, tear filled eyes, makeup staring to run, and still as beautiful as ever.

“What do you want from me?” She accuses.

I sigh. I know what she means, and I know she is right. I walk over and sit next to her, slowly testing the boundaries to see how close she will let me get to her. I am aching to touch her.

“What were you doing with him?” I ask.

“Who? Tobias? What did it look like I was doing? I was just dancing with him.”

“But why? Why him? You were just with me all day, was that not enough for you? Was I not enough for you?” I hate how needy I sound.

“You mean your usual ‘Wham Bam Thank you Ma’am’ visit? Yeah, sure that was just lovely.” She says to me, stinging me with her truth.

We stare at each other in silence absorbing the words that we just spit at each other.

I shake my head. I know what she wants, I just can’t give it to her.

“Trent, I just don’t think I can do this anymore. I can’t be your secret hookup; it’s been 2 years and I need more. You know my parents are putting pressure on me to settle down before taking over the pack, I am sure your dad is doing the same to you. It’s time to make a move one way or another.” She says to me, squaring her shoulders, looking very much like the future alpha that she is.

I reach out and grab her hand, bringing it to my lips and kissing her fingertips.

“It’s just not that easy. So if I can’t give you more, will you just run into Tobias’ arms? I know your father would love that. Two allied alphas uniting their packs, you would be the strongest pack around”

“You are ridiculous! Look around you, what does that even matter now? We are all together in the same crappy situation, the world will never be the same and neither will the packs or anyone else from The Hidden for that matter. Don’t we owe it to ourselves to be happy, to do what makes us truly happy?”

I pull her into my arms and press my lips to hers. She immediately responds with full ardor, sliding herself into my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck, while I slide mine around her waist, holding onto her like she’s the very air I breathe.