Chapter 5

"Aurora?" Kane's surprise quickly melted into that infuriating smirk of his. "This is certainly unexpected."

I stumbled back, trying to regain my balance and composure, but the room tilted dangerously around me. The sight of Kane—all bronzed skin and rippling muscle—sent another wave of heat surging through my body.

My wolf responded with alarming enthusiasm, urging me closer to him. I shook my head, trying to clear the fog that was rapidly settling over my thoughts. "I—I'm sorry," I stammered, gripping the doorframe for support. "Wrong room."

Kane's amusement faded as his eyes swept over me, taking in my flushed skin and unsteady stance. "You don't look well," he observed, his voice losing its teasing edge. "What's happening with you?"

I opened my mouth to explain, but no coherent words came out. My vision blurred again, and I swayed dangerously.

"Whoa there," Kane moved with surprising speed, catching me before I could fall. His hands were warm against my bare arms, his touch sending electric currents dancing across my skin. "You're burning up."

The momentary clarity I'd gained upon seeing him was rapidly dissolving. Being this close to Kane only intensified the fire raging within me. My wolf was practically howling now, demanding something I didn't understand.

"Shouldn't you be in Raymond's suite?" Kane asked, guiding me to sit on the edge of his bed. "It's your engagement night, after all."

The mention of Raymond brought a fresh wave of humiliation washing over me. I bit my lip, unable to admit the truth of what I'd witnessed.

Kane's expression darkened as he studied my reaction. "What happened? Why isn't the happy fiancé taking care of you on your engagement night?"

I shook my head, unable to elaborate further. The room was spinning faster now, my thoughts becoming increasingly scattered. There was only the heat, the desperate need for... something.

Kane studied me with narrowed eyes, then reached for the hotel phone on the nightstand. "I'm calling Raymond's room. This is unacceptable, even for him."

"No!" I gasped, reaching out to stop him. The memory of walking in on Raymond and Giana was still too fresh, too painful. "Please don't."

Kane ignored my plea, already dialing. "Raymond might be my friend, but leaving his fiancée in this state is beyond—"

I didn't hear the rest of his sentence. The heat inside me peaked suddenly, obliterating all rational thought. My skin felt too tight, my clothes unbearably restrictive.

Without conscious decision, my fingers moved to the buttons of my dress, desperate for relief from the burning sensation. Kane turned back toward me, phone still in hand, and froze. His eyes widened as he watched me struggling with my clothing.

"Aurora," his voice was low, cautious, "what are you doing?"

I looked up at him through the haze of whatever was consuming me. Even in my altered state, I recognized the sharp desire that flashed across his face before he quickly masked it.

"It's too hot," I whispered, continuing to fumble with my buttons. "I can't breathe."

Kane quickly hung up the phone and crossed the room to me. He caught my wrists firmly, stopping my movements.

"Are you out of your mind?" he asked, his voice strained.

I couldn't focus on his question. All I could feel was his skin against mine, the tantalizing proximity of his barely covered body. My wolf was going wild with need, with an instinct I'd never felt before.

"I want to touch you," I said, the words coming from somewhere beyond my conscious mind. With my free hand, I reached past the barrier of his towel.

Kane inhaled sharply, his grip on my wrist tightening for a moment before he carefully extracted my hand. "Aurora, stop. You'll regret this tomorrow."

His rejection only fueled my desperation. I snatched the phone from his other hand and deliberately hung it up, cutting off any connection to Raymond's room.

"Please, I need…" I whispered, my voice unrecognizable even to myself. "Please touch me. Satisfy me."

I let my eyes roam over his body appreciatively, my inhibitions completely dissolved by whatever was in my system. "You're a playboy, right? You’re experienced? You can make me feel. I just need to feel…”

Kane's jaw clenched, a muscle working in his throat as he visibly struggled for control. "You don't want this," he said, though his body was already betraying his desire. "Not with me. Not like this."

Frustration surged through me, amplified by the drug coursing through my veins. "What's the matter?" I taunted, desperate to ease the burning need inside me. "Are you scared? Come on, coward."

That did it. Something dangerous flashed in Kane's eyes—a primal hunger that matched the wildness of my wolf. His careful control snapped visibly, his expression shifting from restraint to predatory intent in an instant.

He growled, the sound vibrating through me like a physical touch. He backed me against the wall, one hand braced beside my head while the other tilted my chin up to meet his gaze.

"Don't blame me for this," he warned, his breath hot against my lips. "You're the one asking for it."

His kiss was nothing like I had imagined—not that I'd allowed myself to imagine it. It was fierce and demanding, yet surprisingly tender. His hands moved with confident precision, as if he already knew exactly how to make me come undone.

I responded with equal fervor, my fingers tangling in his damp hair, pulling him closer. The heat that had been tormenting me all evening found its focus in his touch, transforming from pain to exquisite pleasure.

Kane lifted me easily, my legs wrapping around his waist as he carried me to the bed. The towel fell away completely, and even through my drugged haze, I caught my breath at the sight of him.

"Are you sure?" he asked, his voice rough with desire but his eyes surprisingly clear. "Say the word and I'll stop, Aurora."

The fact that he would ask, that he would give me this choice even now, momentarily pierced through the fog in my mind. But my body was beyond rational decisions.

"Don't stop," I whispered, surrendering completely.

What followed was unlike anything I had ever experienced. Kane moved with the skill of someone who had earned his reputation, yet there was an unexpected tenderness to his touch that contradicted his playboy image. My body responded to him instinctively, as if we had been made for each other.

Every sensation felt amplified, every caress sent a lightning bolt through me, until I was lost in a sea of pleasure more intense than I had ever imagined possible. My wolf howled in satisfaction, as if some primal need was finally being fulfilled.

Time blurred into a haze of sensation and release. In those moments, nothing else existed—not Raymond, not Giana, not my father's threats or the engagement ceremony. There was only Kane and the fire we created together.

Afterward, exhaustion crashed over me like a wave. The strange heat that had driven me to such madness gradually subsided, leaving me drained and suddenly clear-headed enough to realize what I had just done.

I had slept with Kane—Raymond's best friend—on the night of my engagement. Horror began to creep through my consciousness, but I was too exhausted to fully process it.

My eyelids grew heavy, and despite my best efforts to stay awake and deal with the consequences of my actions, sleep pulled me under. The last thing I heard before darkness claimed me was Kane's frustrated yet somehow helpless voice as he pulled the covers over my naked body.

"What the hell am I supposed to do with you now?"

I was awakened by noise from outside—voices calling, doors opening and closing, footsteps hurrying down the corridor. As my eyes fluttered open, disorientation hit me first, followed by the realization that I was still wrapped in Kane's arms.

His body was warm against mine, one arm draped possessively across my waist. Memories of the night before came rushing back, bringing heat to my cheeks that had nothing to do with the drug that had been in my system.

The commotion outside grew louder—I could make out my name being called repeatedly. Guests, the Alpha family, members of the pack—all searching frantically for the future Luna who had mysteriously disappeared on her engagement night.

I jolted upright, panic seizing me as I realized how late it must be. "I overslept!" I gasped, frantically looking around for my clothes. "They're looking for me!"

Kane stirred beside me, his eyes opening lazily. Before he could respond, there was a sharp, authoritative knock at the door. Without waiting for an answer, it swung open.

Raymond stood at the entrance, his expression sharp as he scanned the room. His eyes hadn't found me yet—I was still mostly hidden beneath the covers, behind Kane's larger form.

"Kane, have you seen my Luna?!"