2. A Tempting Stranger 

“I doubt that,” I said, feeling the warmth of the alcohol bloom in my chest. “If I was meant to meet my mate, it would’ve happened last year when I turned eighteen.”

“Don’t say that,” Layla chided gently. “Only the Moon Goddess knows why you haven’t met him yet.” She glanced at my empty cup and tilted the bottle toward me. “Want more?”

I hesitated, then gave a slight nod. Maybe a little more would help drown the loneliness creeping into my heart. Layla poured into both our cups, lifting hers for a toast.

“To my sister, finding her mate tonight!” she declared dramatically.

I laughed, the sound slurred but genuine, and clinked my cup against hers. “To finding him,” I mumbled, we sat together, drinking and chatting, until the alcohol took full effect.

I blinked slowly and pressed my palm against my temple. “Shit, Layla, you finally got me drunk,” I slurred, giggling despite myself.

She laughed and leaned her head on my shoulder, her voice a soft hum. “I’m sorry, Diana, but you needed this.”

“Babe, I’ve been looking all over for you,” a voice called out. We both turned and saw Mark walking toward us, his expression a mix of concern and relief.

Layla stood up, wobbling slightly as she tried to regain her balance. She staggered toward him, nearly falling, but he caught her just in time.

“Shit, you’re drunk,” he muttered under his breath, shooting me a brief glance as if looking for an explanation.

I shrugged and pushed myself to my feet, my body swaying. “I’m going to use the restroom,” I mumbled, my words slurring slightly.

My feet felt light as I walked forward, holding onto anything I could to steady myself. The alcohol was hitting harder than I’d anticipated. The music inside seemed louder now, a chaotic rhythm that matched the dizzying sway of the bodies around me. The room was filled with dancing, sweaty figures, their movements erratic despite the cold chill of the air-conditioned space.

I gripped a chair to steady myself and wove through the crowd, scanning for any sign of a bathroom. “Do you know where the restroom is?” I asked a guy leaning against the wall, nursing a drink.

He barely looked at me. “End of the hallway,” he said curtly, his tone flat.

“Thanks,” I muttered and made my way toward the hallway, the walls seeming to pulse around me.

Halfway down, a hand suddenly grabbed mine, yanking me toward the wall. I gasped, my heart leaping as I spun around, and met a pair of piercing blue eyes.

A cold shiver ran down my spine. “What the hell?” I slurred, trying to step back. My breath caught as he leaned in, his face just inches from mine. His gaze locked me in place, intense and unreadable. I could feel the heat of his body as he brushed his lips along my cheek, and my entire body tensed.

“Calm down, baby,” he whispered. His voice was smooth, too smooth. It slid over my skin like velvet, dangerous and alluring. One hand pressed against the wall beside my head, trapping me in place without even touching me fully.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” he added, his thumb brushed my trembling lips, his touch sending an unexpected warmth coursing through me. My breath hitched as his minty breath fanned across my cheek. "You're safe with me, Little wolf" he murmured.

Something in his tone calmed the initial panic bubbling inside me, but it also ignited something else, a yearning I hadn’t felt in a long time. His scent, a mix of musk and fresh woods, was oddly comforting yet thrilling.  

“I…” I tried to speak, but he pressed two fingers gently against my lips.

“Shh,” he whispered again, his eyes flickering toward the hallway. “They might hear you, little wolf.”

Then, without warning, he scooped me into his arms. A soft gasp escaped me as he cradled me bridal-style, carrying me farther down the hallway. My head spun. I should’ve protested, but no words formed. Every movement felt like a dream, too surreal to resist.

A door creaked open, I felt the soft give of a mattress beneath me as he laid me down, his touch careful but deliberate. I opened my mouth to question him, to ask who he was, but before I could speak, his lips brushed against mine.

The kiss was soft, just a whisper of contact, but it sent sparks shooting through my body. My fingers curled into the sheets as his lips moved slowly, reverently, like he’d been waiting for this moment far longer than I could understand.

He moved to my jawline, tracing the curve of my neck with featherlight kisses. His lips brushed my earlobe, sucking lightly, and I gasped, unable to stop the heat rushing through me. My mind raced.

Who was this man? Why did he feel familiar and foreign all at once? Why couldn’t I stop him?

But my body betrayed me, aching under his touch. Craving what he offered without words.

His fingers brushed through my hair gently, tucking a strand behind my ear. “Where have you been all my life?” he whispered, voice raw with something unspoken. His hand cupped my chin, guiding my gaze back to his.

His eyes were stormy now, swirling with heat and questions I couldn’t answer.

A lump formed in my throat as I stared at him, breathless. I parted my lips, ready to speak, but he silenced me with another kiss, longer this time, deeper. His hands moved behind me, fingers finding the zipper of my dress.

I should’ve stopped him. I wanted to.

But as his hands slid down, trailing fire in their wake, my resolve crumbled into ash.