Ch. 9 - Dark Stranger

Kiera POV

After a night of restless running, hunger gnawed at my stomach as I stumbled upon a quaint inn in a small town. Its weathered cobblestone exterior exuded charm, and as I entered, the nostalgic scent of aged wood and the faint aroma of a crackling fireplace welcomed me.

I collapsed onto a creaky bed, finally allowing exhaustion to overtake me. Hours later, I reluctantly powered on my phone, only to find over fifty missed calls from Jackson. Anger surged within me at the thought of hearing his excuses or seeing his face again. Memories of our shared past, from childhood friends to Alpha and Luna, tormented my mind.

How could I have been so blind? I believed him for so long, feeling like a naive idiot. Then, the realization that I would never feel his arms around me again weighed heavily on my chest. I had never loved anyone like Jackson, and the thought of a life beyond him was unimaginable. It was always Jackson and Kiera; then we became Alpha and Luna.

As I contemplated turning off my phone to shut out the pain, a call came in from Devon. I hesitated but answered, bracing myself for the confrontation.

"Where the hell are you?" Devon's voice mirrored my own anger.

"You're not my Alpha. Watch your tone," I snapped, barely restraining Athena, my wolf, from taking over in a surge of rage.

"Kiera, it's dangerous out there. You promised you wouldn't leave."

"You expected me to stay? You're as pathetic as he is."

"What happened? What are you talking about?" Devon's growl crackled through the phone.

"You knew about her, didn't you? Jackson's fated mate. The one he marked and impregnated." My voice trembled with betrayal and disgust.

"I didn't know. That fucking bastard!" Devon's anger sounded genuine, but trust was a luxury I couldn't afford anymore.

"I don't believe you."

"Kiera, I swear I had no idea he marked her already."

"Already? But you knew he never rejected her?" The realization made my stomach churn.

"I did, but he swore he was going to reject her. He said he needed more time."

"You didn't think I needed to know that?"

"Kiera, there are bigger problems right now."

I laughed bitterly. My life falling into shambles wasn't the priority, not when I was a Luna. I couldn't afford to be selfish or prideful. My life belonged to my people, people who no longer wanted me.

"I don't care about your pack's problems, Devon. I'm done with all of it."

"Don't be foolish, Kiera. He won't let you go. Return home, and once the peace treaty is signed, I'll find a way to help. He's too powerful right now."

"Return home? You're joking? I won't ever go back there."

"Kiera, he will find you."

My hand instinctively covered the mark on my neck, a beacon to mates. I had lingered in one place too long, but I couldn't run forever. Devon was right; I needed to return home to settle this.

"Tell your Alpha to expect me tomorrow and that I demand a rejection. I won't be a second Luna! He'll be lucky if I can keep Athena from killing him for what he did."

"He won't reject you. Not now, at least. Tomorrow, I have a meeting set with the Dark Wolves' leader. Their Alpha is coming to negotiate a peace treaty. Once that's signed, we'll find a way to force Jackson to release you. I promise you, I have your back on this. We just need a few more days to secure the South."

"He'll have no choice but to reject me. I'll make sure of it." I hung up on Devon and powered off my phone.

It felt selfish to prioritize my own pain over half the country, but the gut-wrenching despair was unbearable. Jackson's betrayal fueled my resolve; I needed this bond broken before his deception consumed me.

I kept moving, my feet leading me to a clothing store in the next town over. There, I impulsively chose a bright purple, low-cut dress that matched my eyes. A provocative choice that symbolized my readiness to confront Jackson, to deny him and make him feel the sting of rejection.

Leaving the shop, I wandered into a lively bar with a dance club. Half-naked women danced provocatively on poles, a world unknown to me until now.

"You look lost," the bartender observed, eyeing me curiously.

"Maybe I am," I chuckled, taking a seat. "Give me your strongest drink, double."

"Sure thing," the bartender muttered, shaking his head as he prepared my drink.

I downed four Moonshine Metamorphoses, relishing their burn and the slight tipsiness that eased my raging emotions.

"You smell divine," a deep voice whispered directly into my ear, his nose brushing my hair, hands gripping my waist from behind.

My instinct was to spin around and knee him in the groin, but inexplicably, my body melted at his touch. His presence exuded safety despite his rudeness, igniting a strange attraction.

"I'm not in the mood to be toyed with. Go find someone else," I retorted, trying to sound disinterested, though my body betrayed me.

"Excuse me?" His confusion seemed genuine as if he'd never been rejected before.

My gaze swung to meet his, prepared to set him straight, but those dark green eyes stole my breath. Despite his arrogance, something about him captivated me: a longing to surrender, to let him take control, to forget the pain for a while.

"That's better." He smirked, knowing he had me right where he wanted. "You're mine all night, Doll." He whispered, asserting his dominance in a way that both infuriated and aroused me.

I followed him through a black velvet curtain, fully aware of where it led. My body hummed with anticipation, ready to drown my sorrow in a night of distraction.

I took a hard gulp, facing my reflection in a wall-length mirror. The purple dress I wore clung to my body, highlighting my womanly features and making me feel beautiful.

A god-like man stood behind me, a foot taller, his body muscular in an expensive black suit, and his hands twice the size of mine.

For a brief moment, it felt like this was exactly where I belonged. Nothing made sense anymore.

The man growled, his gaze fixed on my neck. "What the fuck is this?"

My hand quickly covered the black stain on my soul; Jackson's mark suddenly felt like it was burning my skin. Tears welled in my eyes as the realization hit me: I was completely lost in life.

Stepping out of the man's arm, I turned away from the mirror, unable to look at myself for another second. My eyes met his, and a longing to crumble into him overwhelmed me. I wished he could carry me away from my life. I wasn't too far gone to believe this arrogant Alpha was my white and shining knight, though.

"It's my mark from my husband, but I'm not his fated." I spilled the hard truth that made me feel sick to my stomach.

"You're marked?" He nearly roared out.

"For now, but I'm not his fated," I repeated, sorrow clear in my tone. I was nothing now.

The handsome man studied me for a moment, a dark and uncaring look in his eyes. His entire demeanor screamed power and wealth. It was evident that I held little importance to him except to satisfy a need in his pants.

He tilted his head in confusion at me. "You really don't know?" He spoke softly, almost like it was only for himself to hear. His hand slowly reached toward my face. First, he gently ran his thumb over my cheek, then with a growl, he roughly grabbed my hair.

"I don't know what?" I said with tears in my eyes.

He just shook his head at me, leaning his face closer to mine. "I would have preferred you untouched, but it's probably better this way. I only want one taste before destroying you."

My eyebrows scrunched in confusion. His harsh words made no sense, yet I still craved his touch. In a twisted sense, it felt simpler this way. Surrendering to this man meant ensuring Jackson's rejection when I returned home with another's scent.

"Are you going to fuck me or not?" I blurted out with determination in my eyes. I suddenly felt dirty that only Jackson knew my body. He didn't deserve to hold that claim any longer, and soon he wouldn't.

This handsome stranger's lips sat a breath away from mine, tempting my body to just grab onto his. Those emeralds of his stared at me long and hard, then that damn devious smile crept on his face. "I'm going to do so much more than just fuck this little body."

He suddenly kissed my lips, sending pleasure coursing through my whole body. At first, I felt him lose himself with me. He moaned as I did, savoring how perfectly our bodies fit together.

Then his grip became painful, moans turned into angry grunts, and his body tensed into a rock, closing off any emotions other than desire to me.

He appeared frustrated by how my touch excited him, and I don't think I would ever understand how that was possible. I didn't care either. I only wanted one thing from him, and it was the only thing he wanted from me.

"You're mine all night." He kissed the corner of my mouth, dancing his lips over my jaw and down my neck. "Then I'm going to throw you away and never think twice about you again." His teeth scraped over my mark, cutting me and forcing blood to escape.

"Fuck!" I cried in pain. His canines burned my mark, making every muscle in my body tense. My hand grabbed his neck, digging my fingernails into his flesh.

"Your husband can feel that pain, too." He chuckled as his large tongue licked my mark to soothe and heal the cut he made. "That is what you want, isn't it? You want him to feel how you found another more worthy of you." His words made my eyes tear again. It was the truth, and I didn't care what it made me.

I was acting childish and spiteful, no longer feeling like the Luna of one of the strongest packs. I felt useless, used up, like nothing and no one. Jackson's betrayal fueled all these emotions, and I couldn't resist the urge to make him pay.

Throughout my entire life, I had never embraced immaturity, never abandoned my duties, or acted solely for myself. I embodied the perfect wolf, warrior, Luna, and wife. Despite this facade of perfection, I wasn't perfect, and I was utterly exhausted from pretending otherwise.

"Yes!" I answered with a tight jaw. Jackson needed to suffer, just like he made me suffer.

"Then let's make him pay in the most pleasurable ways possible." The dark man said with so much evil in his tone. I was so fucked, and I don't think I wanted it to be any other way.

The idea of cheating on Jackson excited me, and I knew it shouldn't. I was too hurt to care, though. He slept with that redheaded woman goddess knows how many times, all while I was missing his touch in our bed. Tonight, Jackson will physically feel how deep his betrayal hit me.