1

Elarian

My hands trembled as I turned the doorknob, and the door creaked open slowly. A gasp escaped my lips, but I quickly muffled the sound with my hands. However, it wasn't enough because it drew Chloe's attention to me and she turned, her eyes widening in shock at the sight of me. She batted her eyelids but remained seated on Corey, who lay naked on the bed.

Ignoring me, she looked away as if I hadn't entered.

Startled, I stumbled backwards, accidentally knocking over the box I'd brought from home. I was so eager to surprise my mate for the weekend, I hadn't informed him about my decision to stay at his place. Little did I expect to be the one in for a surprise.

The sound of the box caught Corey's attention, and he glanced towards the door to see a surprised me. He stood up abruptly, nearly knocking Chloe over but she was quick on her feet, and she managed to regain balance.

"What the fuck are you doing here, Elara?" Corey demanded, glaring at me.

I scoffed at his reaction, surprised by his lack of remorse. I didn’t expect him to ask me that after what I had just witnessed. I thought he would be on his knees pleading for forgiveness, but he stood there with disdain on his face, and Chloe, the girl supposed to be my best friend, stood beside him looking irritated.

"Just one thing I asked you to do, and you couldn't even manage that. Can't you stay out and stop following me like a miserable little puppy?" He snapped.

I felt a sharp pain piercing my chest, and I glanced at Chloe, "Why?" I asked but my voice was barely audible, I couldn’t even hear my own voice as if I had lost the ability to speak.

I thought they had my back. I thought that they were the ones who cared about me most in this world. They made me feel secure like it was us against the world.

I thought they were on my side! Nothing hurt me more than the moment I saw them together.

"What? Are you suddenly dumb?" Chloe asked with a grin smeared on her lips. "All these years and you never realized he never liked you. How much dumber could you possibly get?"

I looked at Corey but he wouldn't meet my gaze; he looked away as if indifferent like he had no care in the world.

How could someone who claimed I mattered most suddenly regard me with such hatred in his eyes? How could my only friend, the person who defended me, suddenly turn so mean and cruel?

A lump swelled in my throat and stretched so fast, making it painful to breathe without the pain that shot through me. The urge to break down was overwhelming, but I resisted, unwilling to display my vulnerability in front of them. Crying in front of them would only reinforce the pathetic image they had painted with their deceit.

I was speechless and unsure of what to do other than to get away from everything. I took a step back, turning away slowly.

"Where the fuck are you going now?" Corey angrily called after me.

"Just let her go, I'm sure she's probably realized her place now and won't bother us anymore," I heard Chloe say dismissively as I walked away. "Come on, let's finish what we started," she giggled, pulling him away.

Dragging my box with me, I exited the house, seething with anger. I was furious, my wolf was itching to claw Chloe’s face out but at the same time, the fact that I had been betrayed by the two people that mattered the most to me in the world, cuts deeper than I had expected and I was incapable of harboring any feeling at the moment, other than numbness.

The process of getting into the car, along with my box, remains a blur, but soon I found myself driving down the road. Tears welled up, threatening to spill, and I could barely see through the blur. Unable to contain it any longer, I let out a heart-wrenching cry, sobbing like a baby as I drove back home.

The betrayal was excruciating, a pain so intense that I gasped for air. The realization that they both played me for a fool cut even deeper. The two people I cared most about in this world had callously stabbed me in the back without a second thought.

The look on their faces coupled with the fact that they weren’t remorseful drove the pain even deeper as the tears rolled down freely.

Corey, my mate, had betrayed me! A voice cried out in my head but the words never made its way out of my lips instead my lips quivered along with my hands on the steering wheel.

He had promised me the world, and this is what he delivers in the end! And Chloe, she was everything to me. I would have done anything to keep her as my friend.

"Why? Why did it have to be these two?" I silently cried out to the moon goddess. Out of the thousands of people on this earth, fate chose the two who mattered most to me.

Suddenly, I slammed on the brakes, the car coming to an abrupt halt that could have caused injury if my seatbelt hadn't held me in place. Looking around, I realized I was in an unfamiliar street, darkness settling in.

"How long have I been driving? And where am I?" I wondered aloud as I looked around me. I had no idea that I had been driving for that long. I had completely lost track of time. Turning the car around, I stopped in front of the only brightly lit building, intending to ask for directions.

Stepping out of the car, I wiped my eyes and approached the building. Two large men, dressed in black suits, stood rigidly in front of it. They seemed unapproachable, but I had no choice.

"Excuse me," I called out cautiously, "I'm a bit lost and I need directions to get back to my..."

"You're lost?" a feminine voice sounded behind me. I turned to find a young lady, dressed for a party or something similar.

"I can help you with that. I'll be heading home shortly, so if you can wait, I can take you back with me," she offered with what seemed like a genuine smile.

"I have a car; I can find my way back if you just give me directions," I replied, but she shook her head.

"The woods surrounding this place are complicated. You could easily get lost if you're not used to it. Trust me, it's not wise to make it back on your own, especially when ruthless rogues are rumored to patrol the area at night, targeting easy prey like women," she warned.

Glancing back at the two large men behind me, who remained unfazed, I reluctantly agreed with the lady. It wasn't like I had any choice.

I followed her into the building, and once inside, the decorations and settings revealed that it was a bar, a classical bar where one needs to calm their nerves and drink. The soft music and cool atmosphere eased the pain in my chest for the first time since leaving Corey's house. I took a seat on a barstool.

"I'll be right back; I need to attend to someone," the lady from earlier informed me, clad in a tight red outfit that accentuated her curves and complemented her skin tone.

I nodded as she left, and the bartender greeted me with a smile, sliding a shot of tequila in my direction. Catching the glass, I looked up at him.

"You look like you need it; it's in the house," he said, and I forced a smile.

Was it so obvious that I was in pain? I had tried my best to mask it, but it seemed increasingly difficult. I downed the drink in one go, wincing at the harsh taste that erupted in my mouth.

"You want more?" the bartender asked, and I nodded. He brought over the bottle, half filled with liquor, along with lime and salt.

"I don't have any money on me," I said to the bartender, but before he could respond, a more masculine voice interrupted.

"I'll pay," said the man seated on my right at the bar. I had noticed him when I first took my seat, but he exuded an aura that kept people at a distance, so I maintained mine.

"Thank you," I replied, but he didn't say anything. He simply turned his attention back to his drink and didn't engage with me again. I kept myself company with the drink while waiting for the lady who promised to take me back home.

I had initially decided to stop drinking after three glasses, but the drinks led me into oblivion. I felt no pain, just pure numbness, and I wished to stay that way so I lost count of the glasses I had consumed.

"You'll probably pass out soon if you keep up with that," the guy from earlier suddenly spoke up. "It's obvious you can't hold your alcohol."

"And how is that any of your business?" I shot back. "Do you also think I'm too dumb to know when to stop drinking? Do you think I'm too dumb for anything?" I yelled, and he finally raised his head to glance in my direction.

I couldn't see his face clearly; despite the bright room, he sat close to the bar, and the pillars cast shadows over him. It was as if he occupied his own dark space and needed to be left alone.

"Suit yourself," he shrugged, turning his attention back to his drink. I sighed heavily, realizing that my reaction was entirely unnecessary.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you like that," I whispered, but he remained silent. "I've just had a long day," I continued after taking a deep breath.

"I found my mate in bed with my best friend, and they didn't act like they felt any remorse. I expected them to plead for my forgiveness, but all they did was treat me like I was a mere speck of dust on the ground," I added, not knowing why I was confiding in him.

I just felt like I had to tell someone what happened and I just felt like I could talk to him.

"That sucks," he said softly. I waited for him to say more, but he never did. He took another shot and stood up from his seat.

"If he cheats with your friend, he obviously doesn't deserve you. You should find someone who appreciates what you have to offer," he added before walking away.

I left my seat and followed him. He didn't turn around until we were outside, standing in front of his car. In the open, I got a good look at his features, realizing how small I was compared to his large frame. It was clear he was much older, and as he stepped into the night's shadows, I couldn't complete the analysis I had intended.

He turned around sharply and asked with a raised brow, "Is there a reason why you're following me?"

"I need a ride back home, so if you don't mind..."

He looked me over and didn't say anything, he just got into the car. I took that as my cue to stumble into the passenger seat and strap myself in, already quite drunk.

He drove off, and the ride was smooth until he began speeding. Despite being drunk, I remained aware of my surroundings, gripping onto anything as I watched him from the corner of my eyes. His tight grip on the wheel made me uneasy and scared too.

Suddenly, he slammed on the brakes, mimicking what I had done earlier, and the car came to an abrupt halt.

"Aren't you scared of me? Do you go around jumping into every stranger's car when you look so sexy as fuck and vulnerable?" he angrily yelled at me.

His sudden outburst caught me off guard, especially as he referred to me as both vulnerable and sexy, words no one had ever used to describe me. Corey always said I was too small to be called sexy and that all I had was just a pretty face.

"You think I'm sexy?" I asked him softly, and he frowned.

"Is that all you heard? Didn't you hear the part where I said you shouldn't go around jumping into every..." His words trailed off as I stared at him blankly.

I got a quick peek at his neck tattoo that was hidden by the collar of his shirt. My eyes traced the length of his Adam’s apple as it booped up and down.

I don't know what came over me, nor do I have any idea why I did it, but I reached out and kissed him.