Chapter 1- Officially utterly fucked.

SCARLETT 

I shouldn't have gone to that party.

Parties were fun, I loved parties but this one? 

It ruined everything.

It was his homecoming party- Adrian Blackwood, the bane of my boyfriend's existence.

Archer's words, not mine.

And like every reasonable girlfriend, I thought I was doing the right thing by convincing Archer to show up for his step-brother, you know, to help mend their rough relationship and all.

But I was wrong.

I ended up ruining myself instead.

I had my life figured out. The perfect college life. The perfect boyfriend, my entire future was planned out in fact.

All of that shattered the moment Adrian Blackwood walked into that club.

And all it took was for an unwanted mate bond to snap in place between us.

That's when my life began to fall apart.

The night had started out normally, with me being all giddy as I stepped out of the house, heels clicking against the pavement as I approached my waiting boyfriend who was casually leaning against his Maybach, arms folded, looking effortlessly smug.

His lips curved into an instant smirk, once I got closer. He gave me a sexy once-over and the next moment, he was pulling me to himself, his signature cologne enveloping my senses.

“You look gorgeous…” he whispered before his lips captured mine. His hands landed on my ass, taking what was his.

“Can we just ditch this party and go somewhere, maybe fuck instead…” he teased in my ear, making a blush creep up. Heat curled in my stomach.

Archer had always been this way- naughty, confident and possessive. And I liked it.

This time around, I shook my head, softly lifting his face buried in the crook of my neck, so he could look me in the eye,

“Babe you promised me..” I urged earning me his signature eye roll.

I patted at his collar, “Be good to him. At least say a hi. We both know he's the douchebag, you're not. He's still your brother. So be the bigger person, for me?” 

Eventually, he let out an exasperated sigh.

“You’re literally an Angel, how again did I get so lucky? ”he breathed out, causing warmth in my chest.

“I don't know” I teased, playing with his shirt button, “maybe you…prayed too hard?”

“Yeah right..” he smirked and pulled me into another passionate kiss, and boy did I melt against him.

I was madly in love with this guy.

All my life, I had always believed that Archer and I were perfect and we were meant to be together. I was Beta's daughter and he was Alpha's son. Our relationship made sense.

I met him in my first year of college, and he instantly swept me off my feet with his charm. Archer was the typical blue eyed and tattooed bad boy, college girls like me went crazy for. With a clean athletic record and striking features facial to swoon over.

He became my light in shining armor.

I had always imagined that he was the one for me, and I was confident we would end up as mates.

I was of age, 19 already and Archer too at 22 hadn't found his mate, which was weird at first but we came to terms with it later. I knew it would come, because we were meant for each other.

Anyways, It was Adrain’s homecoming party tonight.

Archer wasn't a big fan of his step-brother, never had been. He was only doing it for me, he stated.

According to him, Adrian was a jerk. People just couldn't see it with all of his charm and popularity.

And yes, I agreed with my boyfriend.

Adrian Blackwood was popular, one because he was the future Alpha of our pack and two, if you attended Edgewood University, then you were bound to know Adrian, even if you didn't want to.

He was royalty back in his days at Edgewood and even after graduating two years ago and leaving Wolfsville , he was still living in his past glory.

Adrian was the older step brother who was more in the spotlight, but the two were very opposite in character.

If I could sum up Adrain’s reputation in three words, - I'd say: 

Serial heartbreaker, cocky and entitled.

He was someone every lover girl like me should avoid.

Adrain Blackwood was bad news.

Archer took the wheel with one hand while his other hand remained on my bare laps, squeezing and claiming what was his.

I was so sure nothing in the world could ever separate us.

But maybe I was too confident because unbeknownst to me, fate had other plans.

We got to the buzzing party and entered the club with his arm possessively curled around my waist.

The place was quite rowdy.

It wasn't like the typical college parties Archer and I frequented every other weekend. This one was full of crowds from all years at college, it felt like almost everyone from Edgewood was here.

“Scar…” I turned to find Kylie and Genevieve, my closest friends walking towards us, with shots in hands, looking like they had already blended in.

They stopped right in front of me and Genevieve was the first to whip her head back in surprise as she glanced between Archer and I.

“Woah…You brought Archer… “ she glanced at Kylie who equally had a surprised expression.

“We thought he, you know, would rather eat glass than show up for Adrian Blackwood.” She shrugged and swayed, her words made me laugh.

“Very funny Genevieve. Apparently he listens to me alot.”

I smirked, whipping my head towards Archer, and kissed his cheek, though he looked like he would rather be anywhere but here.

They said hi to each other and we chatted for sometime, even though we could hardly hear ourselves over the deep thumping bass, before Archer leaned into my ear.

“Wait here babe, I'll get us drinks..” he offered, I nodded and with one short kiss to my lips, he was off.

“Ohhh, lovebirds….” Kylie whistled.

“Tell me about it…” Genevieve added, taking a sip of her drink.

I wanted to say something, to dismiss their teasing but I was interrupted…

The sounds of multiple tires of what would be sports cars, scratching against gravel instantly filled the venue, causing an uproar to erupt.

“They're here, he's here…” multiple gasps of excitement filled the room.

Kylie nudged me, “ugh. Here we go. Someone get those girls an inhaler.”

I scoffed, my eyes going to them.

That's when I noticed the many pictures of Adrian swarming the venue, they were the same as the ones that had been plastered over the billboards at school since last month.

“Seriously you'd think he was a damn rockstar.”

The large welcome home banner dropped from a point across the club's entrance doors.

The chants of his name grew louder.

“ADRIAN! ADRIAN! ADRIAN!”

Where was Archer? I glanced around searching for any sight of him, before my gaze traveled to the entrance at Adrain's arrival.

The air shifted with his presence, thick with something electric yet familiar.

Suddenly my gut twisted, a silent warning I ignored.

I should have turned around, should have left at that moment.

But I stayed. And it was the worst mistake I made.

What's the worst that could go wrong? I thought.

The answer was clear to me later on - Everything.

Adrain was flanked by his infamous best friends, Hardin and Future as he strutted in with a swagger so confident like he owned the entire damn world and a trophy smirk that instantly stole the room.

He kept moving and suddenly, his scent hit me like a wave - dark, intoxicating and familiar in a way it shouldn't. 

A strange sensation settled in my chest and an unsettling, uninvited warmth sparked in my veins.

My wolf awakened, no, stirred for the first time in a long time, drawn to someone, to him.

Suddenly my pulse raced as I fought to understand what was happening.

And then, Adrain stilled.

He stilled but my heart, it picked up a fast rhythm.

The shouts were deafening, cheering him on as his gaze slowly swept over the crowd- sharp and searching.

Like he was scenting someone…

Like he was scenting me…

Because his eyes suddenly locked onto mine.

Our eyes met.

And in that moment, Time seemed to stop.

The crowd was gone, the light and the bodies, it blurred into nothing around us, the voices became distant echoes.

At that moment it seemed like it was just him and I that existed.

Adrain's body went rigid.

Something flickered in his eyes, it was possession, recognition, hunger.

And then he moved. 

His steps were slow and calculated as he closed the distance between us, drawing curious eyes in our direction.

My breath came out shaky, my wolf was desperately clawing and yearning inside me.

With each step, the scent got stronger and the mate pull irresistibly thickened.

No, no. This can't be happening…

I wanted to move, run, to do something, anything to stop what I already knew was coming.

But I couldn't. I felt rooted in place and helpless against the pull of the bond.

Adrain stopped right in front of me…

That was when my wolf shuddered, 

“Mate, he's our mate, I can feel it …” her voice came out certain.

His sharp gaze swept all over my face,

“Mate….” his voice came out rough, sharp, possessive. 

Then I felt it - the mate bond snapped into place.

The next thing I knew his lips crashed against mine, hot, claiming and possessing, sucking me in whole. The kiss was firm and demanding just like his hand holding me in place, invoking something primal within me.

Heat exploded through me and gods help me, I kissed him back.

For one reckless shattering moment, I let it happen.

Until reality came crashing down…

Causing me to shove him away, with a gasp.

The club had erupted in hoots and cheers, there were camera flashes here and there.

And Adrian just smirked, unbothered like I was his latest catch.

No, no, no, no..

My hands shakily brushed my lips as the shock of what I had just done hit me…

I just kissed my boyfriend's step brother and biggest rival.

Tears pricked my eyelids as regret instantly kicked in.

But it was too late. 

Among the sea of eyes, his eyes stood out.

Archer's.

There was fury, hurt and betrayal swarming in them.

His stare was deathly, his jaws clenched and his hands were fisted in rage, like he knew what had just happened.

Like he knew I had just found my mate in Adrian.

And in that moment I knew,

I was officially utterly fucked.