Chapter 1 - Marry Me

~SERAPHINA's POV~

I balanced the server tray in my hands and watched from the corner of my eyes as Reed Knight walked into the charity function. I couldn't see his face from the distance, but from the way the ambiance in the room changed after his entrance, I could tell he had a commanding presence.

Reed Knight was the acting CEO of the Knight Corporation and Riverton City's most eligible bachelor. With his power, he ruled the city, and with his looks, he ruled the hearts of women.

All that didn't matter because tonight, I would kill him.

"Seraphina, the guests at table six need their glasses refilled. Take your tray over there," I heard my coworker Mary say. We had only been working together for three weeks, but she had been good to me. If I hadn't gotten this job as a banquet waiter just to get to Reed at this event, she was someone I would have loved to be friends with.

"On it," I replied curtly as I began to make my way towards table six while keeping my eyes on Reed, who was now preoccupied by a few businessmen and women that surrounded him the moment he got here.

I still couldn't see his face clearly, but I observed his physique was larger than I anticipated. This meant it might be harder for me to take him down, but I could do it. I was a werewolf, after all - although I couldn't shift, I still had the strength - and he was just a human.

This was my last chance. I couldn't afford to fail.

On getting to table six, I noticed four young men seated at a table of five; it seemed their last seatmate was running a bit late. I started to refill the glasses of those that signaled while trying not to lose sight of Reed, who was breaking away from the group he was talking to earlier.

"What the hell?" I suddenly heard one of the guys I was refilling his glass for yell, successfully calling my attention back to the table.

Oh no, while distracted, I had overfilled his cup, and the drink had spilled over on his shirt and trousers.

"I am so sorry." I wasn't a real waiter, but I did feel bad for ruining his clothes.

"Fuck being sorry, look at what you've done. The cost of this suit alone can feed your entire family for years," he replied, and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at him.

"Like I said, I'm really sorry, sir. I'll find a way to make things right," I apologized again, making sure to put on my best remorseful expression. I couldn't afford to get kicked out before achieving my mission, so I had to lay it on thick.

A sly smile immediately made its way to his face at my words. "Make things right, eh?" His eyes scanned me crudely from head to toe before he continued, "How?" He asked, glancing down at his crotch where the drink had stained and then giving me a suggestive wink. The other three men at the table laughed, and the little remorse I felt disappeared.

Humans - especially males - were just too predictable.

"I don't think..." I started to say but was cut off by a deep voice coming from directly behind me.

"Is there a problem here?" The formidable aura emanating from the person made me know who the voice belonged to without turning. It was Reed.

I took a deep breath as I turned, only for my face to meet his chest. It seemed he wasn't only bigger than I imagined, he was taller too. I slowly glanced up, and the moment our eyes met, the breath I just took got caught in my throat. I found myself momentarily hypnotized by the intensity in the dark eyes of the handsome man staring down at me.

His eyes held me down in my spot and made me unable to do anything but blatantly stare. I felt drawn in; an overwhelming urge to be in his arms taking over me.

I had seen pictures and videos of him as I prepared for my mission, but none of them did him any justice. He was ridiculously good-looking. He had sharp and symmetrical facial features that were complemented by his luscious dark hair and the stubble framing his face. His well-tailored suit accentuated his broad shoulders, and his cologne infiltrated my nose, making me feel light-headed.

"Wow." I didn't know when it escaped my mouth, and I saw his lips curl up in a small smile in response. The smile disappeared as soon as it appeared, though; it was almost as if I imagined it.

"No problem here, Mr. Knight. It's just this bitch who can't do her job right causing trouble," the guy I spilled the drink on spoke up, and I got snapped out of my daze.

What the hell was I doing?

Why on earth was I ogling someone whose heart I was going to drive a knife through in a few hours?

"I see," Reed replied, taking his eyes off me and moving forward to take the unoccupied seat at the table.

Of course, he was one of them. That wasn't surprising; he was single-handedly wiping out the werewolf population in Riverton City afterall. He was going to cause the death of everyone I loved, and tonight, I would make him pay.

"She's just an ordinary waiter, Jackson. Let her be," he remarked.

"Alright," Jackson responded to Reed before addressing me, "Go tell your manager to send a more competent server over," he barked, making me wish he was my target instead.

I made my way away from the table, but I could feel eyes burning holes into my back.

When I got back to the bar, I explained what happened to Mary and told her they needed another server. While she sorted that out, my eyes involuntarily made their way back to Reed, only to find him already watching me. My pulse picked up its rate, and I tried not to squirm under his gaze.

Shit, I needed to compose myself. He would soon give a speech, and I had to figure out when to strike before he would leave the function. I couldn't miss this opportunity. There was no way I'd see him again after this. He was the elite of the elites, and I didn't have access to the spaces he frequented. Even if I did, I didn't have time on my side. It was now or never.

I distracted myself with tasks after tasks until he finished his speech.

Afterwards, I saw him heading into the garden alone for a phone call while all the guests made a toast, and I knew that was my chance.

"I'll be right back. I need to use the restroom," I said to the other servers but didn't bother waiting for their replies because it didn't matter whether I fail or succeed with my plan; that was the last time I'd see any of them.

Stealthily, I snuck out after Reed without getting detected by any of the many security guards on the ground. The moon goddess must be on my side tonight.

The garden was ethereal under the light of the full moon, but I wasn't there to admire the beauty. I removed the dagger tucked away in my boots and clutched it tightly in my trembling hands. I had never taken a life before, and a part of me wondered how I would cope after, but I tried to shake it off by telling myself that he deserved it. This was Reed Knight; if I didn't kill him, he would end up killing me and my pack.

I walked further down the path he had trailed earlier for a while before I noticed he was nowhere to be found. I could have sworn I saw him go this way.

"You're a werewolf." I heard Reed's voice come from behind me for the second time this evening, but this time, the coldness in it made a shiver travel down my spine.

Fuck it, my cover was blown.

I swung around and lunged at him, attempting to use the element of surprise in combination with my supernatural strength to my advantage, but I was the one caught by surprise instead when he swiftly caught my armed hand before it could reach him, and the dagger fell to the ground. He was strong. Unbelievably strong. I had fought with werewolves of different ranks all my life, but I had never encountered this much strength.

"Do you really think you can take down one hair on my head?" he mocked as he caught my other hand too and pulled me into his chest.

I was in danger. I knew it all too well, but my body didn't seem to get the memo because it was melting at his touch. I didn't understand why he had such an effect on me.

"Who sent you?" he questioned as I struggled to break free from his firm hold.

"Let go of me right now!"

My words were rewarded with a laugh at my expense. "You've messed with the wrong man, love," he said as he began dragging me back to the event hall.

At the garden entrance, where multiple guards that weren't there a while ago were waiting, he pushed me into their hands.

"Take her away. I'll join you soon," he ordered before making his way inside the hall and leaving me with the hefty-looking bodyguards.

I was screwed. I couldn't possibly take out all of them at once.

Against my resistance, I was dragged through the back exit into a van and driven to an unknown location where I was locked in a place that looked like a questioning room. It had a table at the center and two chairs on opposite sides.

A few hours passed with no one coming to check on or say anything to me, so I began feeling antsy.

Reed Knight would kill me, I was sure of it. He hated werewolves. Sure, most humans in Riverton City did and thought we were a nuisance but somehow, Reed was the political face of that hate.

As soon as I heard the sound of the door unlocking, my nerves shot up. I was about to face death for the third and last time.

Reed entered the room and it suddenly felt too small with his large presence.

"Sit." He commanded. The authority in his tone didn't give me any other option but to comply.

He followed suit by taking a seat at the other end of the table.

"You're Seraphina Rose, daughter to the beta and leader of the moon-ray pack." He started. He must have done his findings during the time I was held here.

"Now I understand why you were naive enough to attempt assassinating me." He continued but I doubted he really knew why. He probably thought it was because he was trying to chase us away from our ancestral land but the true reason I wanted him dead hadn't even occurred yet. I had wanted to kill him to prevent it.

I remained mute. There was nothing I could say to plead my case. It was over for me.

"As of this moment, you have two options..." His words caught my attention and I perked my ears. Was he offering me a way out?

I racked my brain for what the options possibly were but nothing could have prepared me for what came out of his mouth next.

"Either you marry me or watch me destroy everyone and everything you love."