Chapter two

Ariadne POV, 

I immediately ran looking for a boulder to brush myself from his sight. What the heck was he doing here?

I least expected to run into him, Oak Borough was a big city I believe and it meant the chances of running into someone were not high.

He turned to leave. My heart calmed, hopefully, he didn't see me.

I am now tip-toeing. Scared for myself, but with no personal feelings to hold me back, I have been very careful. Whatever happened last night ends where it should.

I Followed behind him, he walked past the general lounge and up the stair leading to a room.

He opened the door which had been left unlocked and walked inside.

I flushed, to my left there were emulsions and a larger proportion was scattered about, beside it stood men dressed in overalls and had a brush slapping the wall. That could be a good thing though, it would mix my smell with several other things and help to obscure it. 

I didn't want to ruin my chances.

Peering through the door I got to see other shifters along with the wolves standing up as he stepped inside—ideally Alpha wolves.

Confusion etched on my forehead as I puzzled things out. What was Bryson doing here? That question ran through my head, I couldn't believe it there is no way he was the head Alpha, the Alpha of the Ember-moon pack I was sent to scout on was Henry and not Bryson, the possibility was far from clicking. 

As I surveyed the room my heart bulged into the back of my throat, and the voice boomed through.

"The Ember Moon Pack received your invitation, Lucas." My one-night stand said.

"Alpha Henry, you've finally decided to join us for the meeting, it must have been a less troublesome night, we all know how you usually escape sending your right-hand man instead." One of the men says I was pretty sure it's Lucas, they didn't look friendly towards each other.

My breath shortened and my leg stuck heavily to the ground. I had felt nervous from the moment I heard the voice calling him 'Alpha Henry,' none of my usual methods for releasing tension had worked.

It was time to get the hell out of here. I was so mad that I bumped into a man, and happened to break the flower vase sitting on the bar courting attention. That was a wave of anger so out of the ordinary that it surprised even me.

    

Bryson, that is my name. I could almost hear his voice.

Almost and my heart fractured. Focus, I chastise myself.

    His eyes hovered and I met his. His silver eyes were now so cold, so much the colour had faded into steel.

Almost collapsing my hand stuck to the wall supporting my weight. 

"Are you okay, miss?" A male voice asked. The tone used is low and sultry. My eyebrow shot upward and we saw a grin. 

Together with my wolf, we're scared for ourselves. I sniffled, all I could smell was him. Bryson.

I hate myself now. This was the least I expected. Who would tell me he is my target and I would believe? 

"Yeah, I'm okay." I swallowed hard, looking up at his eyes. 

    

    "I think this fell off your hand." Bryson's voice hummed in my heart. And I closed my eyes.

    

    "Yes, thank you." I ran outside, his gaze still hovering.

"How the hell did he get there?" I questioned myself.

          

I confirmed the truth that hurt me the most. From my distance, I could see Bryson's jaw clenching hard. He went back inside, not taking a chance to explain himself, of course, I didn't need that yet I feel like he owes me. He wasn't interested in whatever they were discussing. 

In a town with humans, I thought creatures will be discreet but why hold a meeting in public? I guess they're too powerful for them to be secretive about their nature.

    He was still looking through the glass. Damn it! Does this stranger find me intriguing? Or does he still want to fuck me?

I thought he was another person and that our paths won't have to cross again. But now I'm stuck up, he looks too handsome and innocent for his blood to sleek up my hand.

    "Would you mind having a tour? A lot of people come here just to have a glance around."

    

"No, I'm okay. If you would excuse me."

On the contrary, I felt broken. It has to be him. My head was spinning. I rushed out of the resort not very sure where to be at the moment. Just yesterday he made me forget about Chris, he gave me new hope, I'm serious and anxious over again.

I arrived at my apartment, which was a beautiful verandah across Den Street.

I entered the lobby with a long face, a scream cut through the air, I looked around and saw an excited face.

"Ariadne!" I blew out a breath and turned. "Don't act as if you didn't see me." 

Bitch!

Hannah's holla made everyone's attention drift to me.

I shook my head "Fine," I mumbled,  "What are you doing here?" I ask. 

 I stared around the bar, Hannah was stubborn, talked too much and she's the one person that gets easily freaked out, she's weird I would say.

"You couldn't remember last night. Oh, poor besotted you were drunker than me. I believe."

 I happened to meet her during one of my many missions, she was nothing like me – a trained abyss. It was nice having someone to talk to, but the novelty wore off as I saw an odd person glaring at us from afar. It was the bleakness of my journey.

"Last night, wait where?"

"Where else, I came for the festival, I heard different kinds of shifters would be here, at least I thought I could find myself a mate, unfortunately, I only got to drink and meet up with the most useless set of rogues." She said, I chuckled. 

She gestured to the seat.

"I know, you were so engrossed with your charming prince yesterday that you didn't notice me."

Her hand ran her hands through her head as she carefully perused the menu she had picked from the table.

"I'm sorry about that, my head was heated up." I rubbed my forehead.

"With what?"

Screw me. I pray to the moon goddess she doesn't dig much now, it might turn cold.

The high-pitched chime of my phone didn't hide less, it was Alpha Creed trying to get information out regarding the Alpha. I pressed the button, drowning the soundings off.

It would not be funny if he finds out that I ran out and didn't do anything.

Again! Messing up.

"You're never the type to come to public gatherings, it's been three years since I last saw you. Was it in Vancouver? Remind me again and you never bothered to visit me, after all, you acted like I was a total freak stalking you. It pained me."

"I had urgent matters to tend to. I'm sorry about that. How did you find me? Was it a coincidence?"

"You didn't tell me you'd be here too. So I improvised."

With a chuckle, she gave numerous smirks. She had changed over the years; her eyes were brighter and the shade of her hair was bleached, one of the numerous trends this year.

I fished my phone out of my pocket, as I stepped to the horizon to answer it. The constant buzzing irks me.

"You should have met him by now, he is smart and can easily find out about you, you are smarter that's why I picked you for this job. Don't let him get under your skin." Alpha Creed cautioned and the line went dead.

"Who was that, you've found yourself a mate?"

"Far from that," I replied and she chuckled, her infectious laugh twisting in my stomach. This beautiful long leg and slim girl's features were under yet another scrutiny. It drew men, toxic men, to her path. I had made friends with her when she was almost raped in the hallway, I didn't know but I felt connected to her, she is always cheerful.

 She gave me smouldering looks as she stuck her spoon into the whipped ice cream before her.

"Oh, the guy from last night. . ."

"Stop it," I warned.

"Has he told you you're his mate yet?"

I couldn't deny that today would be rough while I was sneaky and patient, Hannah was snarky and stubborn prying at most.

"No. Not him, he can't be my mate." I sigh, falling into the seat.

"Not a perfect place for a relationship, but sure it is one for a one-night stand if you're looking for one." Hannah grinned. She does remember seeing me last night.

"It isn't what you think. It is as you call it 'dump and out'."

"You're driving me nuts, we're both here for the flings." She shouted, directing the attention of everyone along our path, I shook my head. "That look yesterday is more than a fling." She hit it hard.

Shooting Hannah a grimace, I pulled on my sunshade and stood to my feet.

"I'm not halfway interested in the one-time fling to happily ever after the advice you bore." 

    

    She shook her head, a dreamy gaze covering her face, I only have one thing in mind and flings and relationships weren't part of it, not when Alpha Creed got his network situated. Or when I'm about to be a reason for another massacre.

    

    "I'm new here but so good with fetching information. The Alpha." My heart thuds in my chest at the mention of that.

    

    Hannah shoots up. "Your eyes say I should feed you more." She winks and bites her strawberry.

    

    “He didn't show up." That wasn't true. I know for sure. She continues. "He is the only Alpha I’m certain in this entire oak Borough that never bothers with decorum, yet he gets it more than anyone else. None of the girls wants to offend him so their attention is on him and his work is always rapt, while the boys I guess don’t want to offend the girls for being rowdy, so they keep their lips zipped, they are scared of him.”

    

I sighed again. “So, no one is paying attention because he knows his beans? That isn't new.” 

    

“Oh, I'm telling you this as a heads-up. He knows more than his beans. He is the head Alpha. Heard he is a rare breed that runs the petrol company and also a partnership that provides cyber security protection for the biggest companies in the world."

“If he has such a successful business, then why does he chop wood at early hours? In the woods by himself instead of a pack run and other activities, he is odd to have such massive success.” 

    

“Who knows?” she shrugged. “Perhaps he doesn’t like running a business. I’ve heard his partner is the one at the helm of things, but he owns about 65% of it. Perhaps he brought the funding? Or is he the brain? Wait, have you met him before?" I blink and blink.

    

    "Of course not, I heard, he spends his time doing that." 

    I thought of Alpha Bryson or Henry and how screwed I am. He was smart as they said, but sexy when he does that thing with his brow and his voice when he speaks slowly, I could have had him have his leeway that instant. That is how screwed I am.

    "Oh I see, I didn't know of that. It's not that you're hitting on him but snooping." She narrowed her eyes. "Don't worry you can have him." 

    

    I sigh, stand on my feet and turn to face her.

    

"Where are you going, I'm barely halfway through with the dessert."

"I will call you when I'm done, it's been a long time since we've hung around," I said and she blushed beet red.

     Hannah, in Oak Borough. Definitely long, tedious days ahead.

"Ever secretive Ariadne." She smirks, her tongue ramming the cream. "Ariadne." I shot up. "I could have come with you but this ice cream tastes like heaven." She mumbled.

I huffed, my lips twitching into an amused smile, and sauntered over to the waiter as I threw him some dollar bills.

"Don't wait and get yourself anywhere but not this apartment." Useless advice, she could do more. I might wake up to her snoring beside me.

    My gaze wasn't scanning the room instead it was most definitely on Hannah. "You're an idiot." She says and I couldn't help my smile.

    

    "You're welcome."

    

I tried my best. Maybe she brought some light to my life. I have always protected her. I wasn't allowed to keep friends and I won't forgive myself if I exposed her to danger. And I have tried hiding her from Alpha Creed.

I stopped my vibrating phone. "Tell me what have you discovered about him? What are his weaknesses? These things are essential! Fuck don't you dare tell me you didn't go!" I inhaled deeply. And put the phone back inside my purse, rolling my eyes irritated.

My head spins and I hold my hand to it, still, those eyes from earlier were staring at me. The phone fell off my hand and I found myself in a strong grip. "What is going on? Where are you taking me?" I mumbled, staring at the tattooed man.

No, he'd promised he would let me through with the mission.