1.

ZARA.

"Go Zara! Go, Zara! Go, Zara!" The girls all shrieked and egged me on in unison as a dark-haired stripper kept grinding on me.

My eyes were focusing on anything clearly because I'd taken one too many tequila shots, and the dimly lit bar we were in seemed to blur around me. I could feel the oontz oontz vibrations of the music pulsating around me, but that was it.

The stripper's proximity sent wave after wave of uneven shivers through the entirety of my body, his touch igniting a wild fire within me. My partially non focused eyes caught a balloon hanging from one of the chairs that was pink and shimmery and had the words 'bride to be' on it.

I looked down at the sash across my red dress and noticed that it had ridden up to reveal a hint of stocking.

There and then, surrounded by the loud music and the intoxicating scent of alcohol, I couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement mixed with a tinge of nervousness. The bachelorette party was in full swing, the energy was infectious, and I was tipsy out of my mind.

The room we were in was filled with glittering decorations and colorful cocktails. My friends had gone all out to make sure this night would be one to remember.

'We're wasted,' Nia, my lycan, grumbled in a low voice, her voice cutting through the haze of the alcohol induced euphoria. 'Being wasted means being bloated, and being bloated means we might not be able to fit into the wedding dress.'

A playful smile tugged at the corner of my lips as I tried to suppress a giggle. 'I can barely feel my legs,' I responded. 'Being bloated is the last thing on my mind.'

Even though I tried to ignore Nia's complaint, the thought of not fitting into my properly chosen wedding dress was a sobering one, threatening to dampen my mood.

I gently moved the stripper away from me and stood up with a stagger. My feet were killing me, and I clearly didn't think it through when I decided to go for high heels instead of wedges.

"Aww, done with Rodrigo already?" Isa, my best friend, asked with a smile.

I chuckled, leaning closer to her. "As much as I loved him grinding on me, I don't want to hoard his ass all night."

Isa laughed, shaking her head in mock disapproval. "You're too generous, Zara."

"Ladies," Rodrigo started with a flourish. "There's enough of me and my ass to go around," he said, moving his waist as we all laughed.

"Hey guys, I need to visit the restroom quickly," I said.

"But we're just getting started!" Liliana protested.

"I'll come with," Isa said, about to get on her feet.

"No, no. Stay and have fun; I won't be gone for long."

Isa raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you're okay going by yourself?"

I nodded with a playful smirk. "I'm fine; I've mastered the art of peeing solo, thank you very much!"

Isa shot me a skeptical look, but I was already heading for the door. "I'll be back before you even notice I'm gone."

With a small smile, I took off my sash, placed it gently on my seat, and headed into the bustling hallway of the main bar. Squinting, I tried to focus on putting one wobbly foot in front of the other. It was extremely hard navigating a crowded bar when I'm completely drunk.

Amidst the sea of bodies, I bumped into someone, nearly stumbling in the process. Colliding with the rock-hard chest startled me. As I regained my balance, I glanced up, prepared to apologize to the unfamiliar person.

One masculine hand held my waist, and another my arm, and I realized these were the reason I hadn't fallen on my ass. Thick, muscled forearms showing from the rolled up sleeves.

He wore a crisp white shirt that had a couple of buttons opened, revealing a hint of toned chest, sending a flutter through me. He had pulled his dark hair into a sleek man bun, and his stubbled jawline exuded an air of rugged masculinity.

When I finally caught his gaze, I found myself staring into the mesmerizing eyes of a very handsome stranger. Our gazes locked in a silent exchange that spoke volumes, freezing us in tune for a minute. His eyes, a mesmerizing shade of deep blue, held a hint of mystery and intensity that drew me in like a moth to a flame. Time seemed to slow to a crawl, as I watched the man whose presence seemed to command attention even in a very crowded bar.

"I'm such a klutz; I'm sorry about that," I said, finally finding my voice as I pulled away from him slowly. I instantly missed the beat of our accidental collision, which still stayed between us.

He regarded me with a cool detachment, his gaze penetrating my skin. Normal me would have scampered away from his heated stare, but there was an unusual confidence six shots of tequila give you.

"No harm done," he replied curtly, his tone measured.

I was about to walk away, but I suddenly couldn't move. It felt like everything in me was pulling me to this mystery man, and I didn't even know how to explain it.

'Nia, what's going on?' I asked her.

'There's something about him,' Nia replied, her voice echoing in the depths of my mind. 'An energy that speaks to our instincts. I'm drawn to him, Zara, whether you understand it or not. And I'm not mad at it!'

And I didn't understand it because I believed that my lycan only responded to the energy of Asher Zapata, our mate and soon-to-be husband.

Wolves and lycans are always strict when it comes to mate bonds and mates. And normally, ever since we found out Asher was our mate five years ago, neither Nia nor I ever felt an attraction to another male... another lycan as strong as the one coursing through my body right now. I had this distinct urge to stand in the middle of this random bar and have a conversation with this stranger.

But it wasn't just a subtle pull anymore, even my body felt the need to stay close to him. Despite his reserved demeanor, there was an undeniable aura about him, a raw power that set my heart racing and my pulse quickening.

But even as my lycan urged me to stay, to linger in the presence of this captivating man, I knew that I had to make a choice. The night was young, and the possibilities were endless, but something told me that this encounter held the potential to change everything.

And I made the decision to stay; bachelorette party, endless cocktails, gyrating Rodrigo and my husband to be, Asher, all forgotten. It was like something was pulling me to him. Something dragging me into its abyss to give up everything and just say fuck it all.

"Are you here alone?" I asked, the words tumbling out before I could stop them. Fuck! The confidence a tequila gives one.

A ghost of a smile played on his lips, softening the hard edges of his features. "Yes. I stepped out here to enjoy a quiet drink," he replied.

"Would you like to join me for a drink?" I asked, surprising myself with the boldness of my invitation.

For a moment, he seemed to consider my offer, his gaze on mine with an intensity that unnerved me on the inside.

"I have a better idea. How about we get a room in the hotel?"

Without thinking twice, I nodded and responded. "Sure." I mean, what harm could that bring? The bar we were using for the bachelorette party belonged to the hotel.

With my lower belly filled with excitement, I took his hand and he ushered us out towards the door. We both stepped out into the cool night air and I couldn't help but feel a rush of anticipation course through me.

What was I doing? Oh Lumus, what is wrong with me? My head was spinning, my body tingling with something akin to lust. I wasn't okay, and it made no sense. Yet I couldn't find it me to ask for this to stop.

*

I stumbled into the room he got us and it was gorgeous, but I didn't get the time to appreciate the architectural details before his lips crashed down on mine with hunger.

A part of me knew I should push him off, and I heavily relied on my conscience and Nia to navigate my thinking, but she wasn't doing a good job either. Neither of us was doing anything to stop this. It was like something had snapped, allowing us free reign to do what we want.

Instead of pushing him away like a sane person would, I sank my fingers through his hair and succumbed to the skillful assault of all my senses. I embraced the feeling, which was both drugging and wrong at the same time. He gripped the back of my neck and increased the pressure on my lips. His mouth moved over mine, hot and demanding.

There was something about the way he kissed me. Something so enthralling. So strong. So drugging. Something that I'd never felt in my life. I had kissed many men over the years before Asher and I became mates, but none of them had ever kissed me with such passion.

He kissed me like he was trying to break down all my walls and breach my defenses.

He picked me up, causing a soft gasp to escape me, and I instinctively wrapped my legs around his waist as he carried me further into the room.

Laying me gently on the bed, he proceeded to continue the kiss before coming up for a breath. Our eyes locked and I found myself getting lost in them.

'Lumus! He's so sexy,' Nia said, practically bouncing up and down within me.

'But this is wrong,' I grumbled. 'What is going on, Nia? Are you okay?'

'I feel dizzy,' she fumbled with the words. 'But his scent... it is so consuming.' She paused and dragged in more of the stranger's scent as her head lulled back in a daze. 'We should go. We should stop this. But I can't seem to want to,' she added.

Same, I thought. Same, Nia. My head was a wavy mess of dizziness. My eyes were heavy, and my gaze wasn't exactly clear. At some point, I thought the man had grown two heads. Then it turned to three, and I found myself laughing.

Yet I couldn't stop what was happening. The attraction. The burning urge. I didn't stop him from taking what he wanted. I simply relished in it.

But this was wrong. On so many levels. On so many stages. I had a mate. I was getting married tomorrow morning. Yet, neither I nor Nia could think straight. Think past the hazy gaze of lust sinking its fingers within us. I wanted this, so much so that tears were streaming from my eyes as my body shook with anticipation. It almost felt like I was in... heat. But that couldn't be possible, right?

When I finally dragged my gaze back up to his, I noticed he'd been looking at me, too. He looked like he was looking at every dip and curve of my body as if committing it into memory. His blue eyes were dark and smoldering with banked heat.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked me.

Somehow, I never expected this question to be asked during a one night stand. I'd never experienced it, but I always assumed both parties had a consensus, and they just went along with it.

I blinked, momentarily taken aback by his unexpected question. "Um, no?..." I squeezed out, the dizziness intensifying in folds. "No, wait. Yeah, I'm sure," I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper as I struggled to find the right words. What the hell was I doing?

The stranger simply smiled. "Don't worry, I've got you."

And he certainly did.

As the last echoes of pleasure slowly faded away, I found myself drifting on the edge of sleep, wrapped in his embrace.