The music was a living thing, a heartbeat that matched the pulse of our desire. The whispers grew louder, the air thick with the scent of lust. I could feel the eyes on us, watching, hungering for the moment when we would finally give in. And as the music reached its peak, so did our passion. Alex's hand slid from my neck down to my breasts, his thumbs teasing my nipples through the fabric of my dress. I moaned, arching into his touch, my own hand sliding down to cup his hardness through his pants.With a snarl that was more animal than human, Alex pulled me closer, our bodies melding together in a dance that was now a prelude to sex. His cock was hot and heavy in my hand, and I stroked it with an urgency that mirrored his own. The crowd watched, their breaths hitching in anticipation, as we gave into the full moon's call.Our clothes fell away, a discarded barrier that no longer served us. Alex's naked body was a sculpture of power and beauty, the moonlight glinting off his muscles a
I awoke the next morning to the soft light of dawn filtering through the curtains, my body feeling both exhausted and alive in a way that was unfamiliar. The sheets were tangled around me, the night seeming more like a feverish dream than reality. The events played out in my mind, vivid and intense, yet tinged with a sense of unreality. Did I really make love with Alex in such a carnally charged way? In front of everyone?Slightly embarrassed, I blinked away the last vestiges of sleep, and sat up, looking around my apartment. My clothes from last night were scattered across the floor, a silent testament to the tumultuous evening. I was about to get up when the door to my room creaked open, and Lila poked her head in."Good morning," she murmured her voice hushed."Morning, " I returned, still trying to piece together the fragments of memory that swirl in my head. "I don't... I can't remember coming home," I admited, the words feeling foreign on my tongue.Lila nodded, stepping into the
At Alex's words, I took a step back, confused. "But you said it never happened!" I exclaimed.Alex nodded. "I did," he admitted."Then why are you now saying it did?" I shook my head. "I don't understand."His face took on a ting of red, and I didn't know whether it was from embarrassment or anger as he hissed, "Because, I didn't know it did."I stared at him, trying to understand what he was saying. "What do you mean?"Alex sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping. "We were drugged."The words hit me like a punch to the gut. "What?""Someone slipped a potent Lycan pheromone into our drinks. It amplified our connection, made it unbearable for both of us." His eyes searched mine, seeking understanding."But who would do something like that?" I was reeling. The implications were vast and frightening. Someone had manipulated us, played with our emotions like a puppeteer."I suspect it was Hartwell," Alex said, his voice grim."Wait," I gasped, "Hartwell knows you're a-—"Before I could fin
I heard the jingle of the bell above the bookstore's door behind me, and I looked at Lila. Rolling my eyes, I hissed, "I don't want to see him," then hurried into the backroom of the store. The smell of old books surrounded me, and plopping down in a chair, I lowered my head in my hands. This couldn't be real! None of this could be real. From the moment I had broken into the Landry Estate, my world had taken on this surreal tint.From the other room, I heard the mumble of Lila and Alex's voices, then the jingle of the bell again as he left. I was torn between relief and anger, my thoughts racing. The bookstore felt smaller and more suffocating than ever before."Elysia, honey, are you okay?" Lila's voice was soft as she entered the backroom, her eyes filled with concern.I looked up at her, feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders. "What the hell have I gotten myself into?" I whispered, the question more rhetorical than anything.Lila sighed, sitting down opposite me. "You've
The next morning brought an end to the weekend and the beginning of another work day at Bayou Accounting. As I got ready for work, Mac chattered at me from the corner of the room. "You're not helping," I murmured, trying to find the missing match to the pumps I wanted to wear.Lila's words from the night before played on a loop in my mind. A bond. A lifetime commitment. Being connected to Alex, a creature from a world I'd only ever read about and never knew truly existed until recent events.As I opened the door to my room, and headed down the stairs into the bookstore, I was greeted by the essence of freshly brewed coffee. Lila was already there, setting up the shop for the day. She gave me a knowing smile. "You look like you've got a lot on your mind," she said, her voice gentle.I nodded, taking a deep breath. "I've decided," I confessed, the words feeling like a weight lifted from my chest.Lila handed me a steaming cup of coffee. "Sit," she said, gesturing to the chair beside her
Alex's words echoing around us, I glared at him. "You can't do this," I protested, trying to pull away from him. But his strength was unyielding."Watch me," he growled, as picking me up in his arms, he carried me through the mansion's grand halls, each step echoing through the cavernous space. The chandeliers cast flickering shadows on the walls, and I felt like a ragdoll in the grip of a furious giant.The room he brought me to was unfamiliar, a stark contrast to the opulence of the rest of the mansion. It was sparse, with only a single bed and a small table with two chairs. "This is where you'll stay," he said, his voice a mix of anger and determination. "Until you come to your senses."Panic rose within me, my heart hammering in my chest. "You can't keep me here," I protested, trying to pull away.Alex's eyes were like twin pools of molten lava, his jaw clenched. "You're my mate, Elysia," he repeated, his voice a low rumble. "I will do whatever it takes to protect you, even from y
I threw myself off the bed, pacing the room. The need to be with him was overwhelming, a physical ache that I couldn't ignore. But I had to find a way out of this, to break free from the fate that had been forced upon me.As I moved to the window, the full moon cast a silvery glow over the grounds, illuminating the path that led to the mansion's gates. The bars of the window were thick and solid, but I had to try. I had to escape.With trembling hands, I searched the room for anything that could help me. But the space was bare. The bond was like a cage, a prison that I hadn't signed up for.The sound of the lock turning had me spinning around, my heart racing. Alex entered the room, his eyes glowing with the light of the moon. "You're not going anywhere," he said, his voice a low growl."Why are you doing this?" I demanded, trying to keep the tremor from my voice.He stalked towards me, his eyes never leaving mine. "Because you're mine," he said, his voice a mix of anger and desperati
The day passed in a blur of fear and anger. I tried to ignore the ache in my chest, the inexplicable pull towards him that grew stronger with each passing hour. The room felt like it was closing in on me, the walls suffocating.As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the room in a warm orange glow, the door opened again. Alex walked in, his eyes glowing faintly in the dusk. He looked at me with a mix of hunger and frustration, and something else I couldn't quite place. "You can't keep running from this," he said, his voice a low rumble that sent a shiver down my spine.I stood, my fists clenched at my sides. "I'm not running," I said, my voice stronger than I felt. "I'm fighting for my life."He took a step closer, his gaze intense. "Our life," he corrected, his voice a caress that sent heat pooling in my belly despite my anger.The air crackled with tension, and I could feel the bond pulsing between us. It was like a living entity, demanding to be acknowledged, demanding I give