2: Jayce

The scent hit him like a brick wall. It consumed his entire being to the point he couldn't focus on anything else. He had sent Chelsea off in a rush to find this source that was drove his Wolf mad. How was this far more compelling than Chelsea's? The brunette was one of the hottest She-Wolves in the pack and he had the luxury to bed her. She did whatever he asked of her, bending to his very will. Then this alarming smell shook his very soul. Chelsea no longer existed to him. What did this mean?

He descended the stairs, his nose lifted to the air as the smell grew stronger the closer he got to it. His feet turned and moved down the hall in a fast pace. Stronger. Stronger. He came to an abrupt halt in the doorway of his kitchen when he noticed two women sitting at the island. He recognized one as his mother instantly, but the other...

"I smell lilies." He spoke up, making the woman jump and turn on her stool. His heart stopped. She had beautiful golden blonde hair that cascaded down her back in luscious waves. Her green eyes sparkled in the sunlight that came in from the window. Her aroma overflowed his senses to the degree he thought he would crumble under the pressure. Penelope gave him an amused look for a second before it faded into an innocent smile.

"My my, nice of you to join us." She said to him, but his eyes couldn't be removed from the woman she was with. He listened to his Wolf growl possessively within him, something it had never done before. Not even for Chelsea. His eyes scanned her form. She was wearing skinny jeans and a tight red long sleeve shirt that curved her waist and hips amazingly.

"Who are you?" He demanded from her. The woman flinched from his tone, her eyes darting away from his.

A frightened child, how boring.

"This is Lily. She'll be renting one of the suites here." Penelope rested her chin in her palm, looking over to him with a sweet smile. Renting? He never discussed renting his home to anyone. He ran his fingers through his hair before he buttoned up his shirt. He had left the bed quickly to investigate the smell, and had not dressed completely.

"Escort her back out." He turned his back to them and proceeded back to the stairs, as he pulled out his phone to get ahold of Chelsea again. He needed to finish what they started. The stool squeaked against the tile and her scent filled his nose again.

"Wait!" She called out to him. He stopped mid step. Her voice was angelic to his ears. His Wolf growled again, forcing him to turn around to face her. She clutched her backpack to her chest, her eyes still unable to meet his, but there was a change in her stance. "I already agreed to pay. You won't even notice I'm here." She argued for her side. With her scent, it would be practically impossible for him to ignore her presence now. He raised a brow at her as she squared her shoulders more, finally raising her chin to meet his gaze.

"Do you know where you are, Human?" His voice dipped low into his chest as he approached her. She didn't step away, but with the look in her eyes, she was definitely afraid. "You're in the Werewolf King's den." He growled down at her. Her eyes widened up at him, those beautiful eyes like an endless green field. Those eyes hardened suddenly.

"I'm not impressed." Her eyes roamed his body with disinterest, yet it sent his own body aflame. His hand lashed out and grabbed her backpack, pulling her closer to him. That's when he noticed it. Being up close, he could see scars just poking past the edge of her sleeves and the collar of her shirt. His eyes burned into hers, the hardness she had in her eyes faded away and she was physically trembling now.

Penelope slipped her hand between his and Lily's backpack, forcing them to separate. She then wrapped a secure arm around Lily's shoulders, giving a light squeeze as she held the woman against her side, "Come Lily, I'll show you to your room." She said pleasantly before herding her off. His eyes followed them up the stairs until they disappeared around the corner.

Why did she have so many scars? No matter.

He walked into the lavished living room and took a seat on a sofa close to the front window, his arms laying across the back. It was eerily quiet now. How would he handle having a woman here at all times? He had lovers over constantly, but they never stayed overnight. He wouldn't allow it. By letting them stay, they would think he was letting them in emotionally. He didn't need that kind of headache, but now he had a human staying in his residence due to his mother's shenanigans, and her aroma was overpowering even now. He rubbed the bridge of his nose when he heard heels tap against the tile and Penelope entered the room, taking a seat on the couch opposite of him.

"You scared her." She stated, but he grunted in response.

"Don't invite women to stay here without my permission." He growled at her, but she was unfazed.

"You may be King, but I am your mother." Her golden eyes met his sternly, "There are some things you should know about Lily before you decide to pull what you just did." She informed him. He only shrugged at her.

"I don't care. I want that woman gone." He told her, but she only shook her head.

"I'm afraid I can't send her away." She said.

"Is she just some charity case to you?" He asked her. Her eyes narrowed on him. He knew his mother had a soft spot for humans, but she seemed genuinely invested in this one in particular. She invited her into the pack without authorization through him first, let alone in his own home.

"She wanted a fresh start. So I'm giving her one." She told him, crossing her legs.

"By using my home, my pack?" He growled at her again.

"She was in a toxic relationship. He was practically killing her." She spoke softly as she rested her hands over one another in her lap. His growl receded as he started to listen, "He abused her. Physically. Emotionally. Mentally. Even sexually." Her eyes dropped to the coffee table between them. He tried to tell himself that he didn't care what had happened to her, yet his heart ached anyway. "So, I contacted her when she was looking for a way out. She's a writer, so she'll be invested in her work most of the time, and she'll be going to therapy twice a week to help get through her trauma." Her eyes went back to his, "She's already had it rough as it is, don't make it worse for her." She rose up from her seat, "I'll visit in a week to check on things. Behave." She emphasized that last word before leaving him in silence. He let her words roll around in his head for awhile until his phone buzzed in his pocket. A message from Chelsea came up on the screen.

Are they gone? 

The woman is staying here.

For how long?

Undetermined.

I'll come back tonight to finish what we started.

He felt his cock grow stiff slightly, but the arousal quickly vanished. He didn't find Chelsea attractive anymore.

No.

His phone continued to buzz, but then he blocked her number. He had this woman wrapped around his finger, to do whatever he asked. Bending her. Breaking her until she was begging to please him. Yet, the smell of lilies caused him to rise up from the couch and climb the stairs. He stealthed down the hall, followed the trail until he stopped at a door that was slightly ajar. He heard sniffling coming from inside. His Wolf whimpered at the sound.

Why do you care, Beast? She is only human.

But the Wolf continued to whimper, yearning to be by her side. The unfamiliar feeling made him uncomfortable as he backed away from her door and proceeded to his office. He needed a distraction, and if he couldn't have Chelsea, then he'll have to bury himself with his work for now.

---

That night after he wrapped up the last of the documents needed for the annual festival, he turned gazed out at the garden displayed in his backyard. The sun had already set, the lights giving off a faint glow, casting shadows across the yard when a familiar shadow caught his eye. Lily walked along the path with a notebook in her hands. She had discarded her jeans for shorts that showed off her slender legs. He wanted to kiss her inner thighs, nip her ankles and bury his face between her legs.

He grabbed a stack of papers and threw them across the room. As they drifted to the floor, he bounded out of his room. He needed to know why he wanted her. Why her scent was intoxicating. None of it was making sense to him, but he'll get his answers once and for all.

He stormed out into the courtyard, his nose to the air. Her scent carried his feet deeper into the garden where a large oak tree stood with a swing attached to it. She sat on the swing, the gentle breeze blowing her hair, carrying her scent to dance around him. Her eyes were on her notebook, a pen in hand. She hadn't noticed his arrival yet, but when he went to approach her, his mother's words came flooding back to him.

Abused physically, mentally, emotionally and sexually.

His Wolf growled angrily within him. He didn't know this woman, yet his Wolf was eager to defend her.

She couldn't be it, could she?

Her eyes drifted up from her writing, finally meeting his. His Wolf howled as he moved closer to her. Her eyes widened as she jumped to her feet, clutching her notebook to her chest and went to make a break for it until his hand latched onto her wrist. Sparks flared upon contact, shooting up from his fingers and dispersed in all directions throughout his body. His jeans tightened around his crotch, and his breathing became shallow as his heart quickened.

Mate.