4. Taking a Stance Alone

~ KATALEYA ~

“No thank you, I don’t want anything…” I freeze, realising who had just asked me. That deep baritone sends shivers down my spine, and I can’t help but stare at that perfectly chiselled jaw as he looks ahead.

Goddess…

He looks even more breathtakingly handsome than the picture, and my heart is racing a thousand beats per hour as I take in that tan skin, that rugged stubble, that sharp nose.

He’s here… beside me.

Those years of waiting and yearning for him, they’re over… he’s right here, just a touch away.

There are not enough words to explain this moment that I have dreamt of for years. Time seems to stand still and it’s just the two of us.

Gone is the pounding music of the club, the shouting and commotion of those around us…

I gaze up at him as he downs his drink.

It’s just the two of us…

The moment the glass is slammed down, I’m thrown back into the present.

Say something!

But my lips are not cooperating. Being so close to him has rendered me speechless and all I want to do is admire him.

He’s grown. Well, of course, he’s grown! He’s no longer a boy. Goddess!

Mustering up some courage, I open my mouth to speak. “Do you-”

“This place really does get filled with trash.” He suddenly cuts in, his voice as harsh as the bitter winter cold and he suddenly stands up, anger emanating off him strong and in line with his powerful aura.

I gasp, sucking in a sharp breath and he looks down at me, his eyes burning a molten liquid gold. He doesn’t need to announce it or display it. It’s clear how much power the man before me holds.

“Pathetic.”

His words cut through me like a knife being twisted inside of me and even as he turns and walks away, oozing power and dominance, it feels as if he has left the knife stuck in my throat. I had pictured a thousand scenarios in my mind, a thousand ways our first meeting would go, but this wasn’t one I had imagined.

He pauses when one of the dancers stops him, clad in nothing but jewelled nipple coverings and a thong, placing her hand on his chest. Suddenly, it feels as if I’m being punched in the guts. I choke up, but I’m unable to look away, despite the intensifying pain in my chest. My lips quiver as he grabs her ass, giving it a squeeze.

I look away. I never thought this could be so painful…

I’m blinded by my tears and the moment I blink, the tears spill down my cheeks. I take a shaky breath as someone passes me a drink and I bow my head, mumbling a ‘thank you’ and gulping it down.

Not that it will help with the agony that I am in. My hands are trembling, and I feel I’m that six-year-old girl again, being shouted at by him.

Goddess… I press a hand to my chest, feeling my heart thump excruciatingly.

I couldn’t even speak… I couldn’t even tell him why I’m here. Sliding off the stool, I suddenly feel dizzy.

I need to pay...

Wanting to get out of there fast, I reach for my bag that hangs on my shoulder.

“How much do I owe for the drink?” I ask.

“It’s paid for,” I hear the bartender’s distant answer.

“Thank- thank you,” I whisper before turning and rushing away, the sound of the music thuds in my ear, my vision swaying and all I can think of is the hatred in his eyes.

Pathetic.

Is that what I came off as?

Why? What did I even say that angered him?

I come to a sudden stop, teetering on the spot, and grab the table, almost hitting the ground head first, my heart pounding violently.

Calm yourself, Kat…

I breathe steadily but my head feels heavy and when I open my eyes, I see double.

Frowning in concentration, I walk down the steps. Did someone put something in that drink?

I barely take another two steps when it feels like I’m about to fall and close my eyes.

How could I have been so careless? I promised Mama and Dad that I’d be careful.

I grip my forehead. I need to let Valentina know, and then hide somewhere and wait until she arrives. I can’t risk being here alone.

Glancing around, I try to make sense of my blurred surroundings.

The throbbing in my head is growing, and I suck in a breath. Who did this? Are they following me?

A sudden wave of unease hits me and blindly I break into a run, the urge to find a hiding spot fast consuming me. Something bad is about to happen!

“There she is!” someone growls.

My heart pounds as I run faster, trying to shift, but whatever they gave me isn’t letting me. How could I have been so stupid to fall into this trap?

My wolf’s sadness seems to wrap around me, almost as if she’s comforting me and I pull on those emotions of comfort. I know our wolves are a part of us, but often I feel like it’s another entity within me, one that is part of me, yet she’s powerful even when I’m uncertain about things. She’s always there, watching over me, ready to come forward whenever I need her.

Maybe I am a little weird but I’m ok being like this.

The sound of my heels and the heavy footsteps behind me ring in the air, clamouring in my ears, a reminder that they’re catching up.

There’s at least four- no… there’s more...

I round the corner, fumbling with my bag and try to get my phone out, but my coordination is off, and I stumble on something, gasping as I tumble to the ground, hitting my knee hard.

I should have been able to avoid that… but I am only becoming dizzier.

The contents of my bag scatter across the ground and I feel around the stone ground, trying to find my phone. Just when I feel it beneath my fingertips and I’m about to grab it I hear the footsteps right behind me.

I scramble to my feet, trying to steady myself. My head is pounding and a sudden wave of heat rushes through me just as I break into a run once more.

‘Valentina?!’

Am I out of range? Or is this drug affecting me?

‘Valentina!’

Suddenly, someone grabs my arm and yanks me around. I frown, raising my hand and backhanding them across the face hard. He growls as he staggers back. Another man lunges at me, throwing me to the ground, and my claws come out slashing through his arm as I kick him off me.

“How dare you touch me!” I scold him in Spanish, making sure to keep my voice as hostile as possible. It isn’t hard when you know his intentions aren’t good.

“Oh, we have a sassy one here,” he replies, laughing. I can’t see his face, but I can tell he’s looking at me. I step back, feeling weak at the knees.

I can smell the blood, a sliver of fear rushing through me, wondering how badly I had hurt him.

I’m going to run out of steam soon enough…

Do I want to use my powers here?

If I have to, I will.

I take a deep breath when my vision darkens, and I almost fall, but an arm wraps around my waist.

Survival.

It’s burned into me like the very breath I need to survive and in the last year, that will has only become more profound.

When danger is at every corner, we must be ready for anything.

No matter what.

My body might be giving up on me, but it’s not enough to keep me down. Nothing will.

But I also know I won’t be able to take them all, not in my current state. There are a few with decent auras.

“Get over here! Help me canton de cabrón!” the man holding me growls, the smell of alcohol strong on his breath. I swing my hand up, punching him in the nose.

He goes flying, the force behind my punch throwing him to the ground.

I close my eyes as I back away, trying to remember the layout of the area when I entered the club. I did walk up this direction, didn't I?

I open my eyes, focusing on the blurred outline of a street lamp. Perfect!

Staggering over, I brace my feet as I wrap my arms around it.

“No, where to run to now, baby?” One of the men mocks.

I will run… but first… I need to let Valentina know my location.

They suddenly circle me, and I grab onto the cool metal of the street lamp.

“Fuck…”

“Why isn’t she out yet? Are you sure she drank it all?!”

“Yes!”

My eyes flash. “I’m sorry, but you forced me to do this,” I whisper, fuelling my powers to help me and with a groan, I rip the streetlamp out of the ground.

I let out a yell of concentration, spinning around and swinging the lamp post clumsily as I stagger under the weight. It’s becoming harder to move… I flinch every time it makes contact with someone.

“Forgive me, Goddess… Ouch, that must have hurt. Yikes. Oops! Ouch! Sorry!”

They shout and the loud crunch or thud when I connect tells me I still have enough in me to cause some damage.

I stumble as the lamp post hits the ground and I almost trip over it. I’m too weak to run, but at least most of them are down. But I can see one or two are moving.

Hide.

I stare at the sky, knowing Valentina will be watching from somewhere nearby. I told her I’ll be at the club so she’s got to be close. I hope she sees this… I raise my hand, sending off a blast of pink fire into the sky. It splits and scatters downwards like glowing cherry blossom petals.

A call for help.

I stumble away and hit into something metal. A bin? I’m not sure, but just as I quickly hurry behind it, ready to crouch down and remain hidden, I hear the screech of tyres as a car pulls up.

Valentina?

I make the mistake of stepping back out to look, the glaring headlights blinding me. I shield my eyes the moment the door opens and I’m hit by that intoxicating scent that I had smelt not long ago, rainforest, summer nights and a hint of charcoal… it’s refreshing yet so addictive.

Enrique…

“What just happened here?” he sounds angry, and my body is telling me to run but I’m out of battery…

I hear a groan from one of the men. “Alpha…”

But he ignores them, and I can hear his footsteps approaching, each one resonating within me loudly.

My eyes flash as my wolf surges forward, wanting to tell Enrique that they are not innocent, but before I can even say a word, a callous hand grips my chin, my heart pounds as I feel tingles rush through me, unable to deny that I’m hyper-aware of his touch.

Even though I know he doesn’t like me, deep down, I believe that he won’t hurt me.

“Did you do this?” he asks in English. He had spoken in Spanish earlier.

Oh, he sounds so sexy!

“I…”

A strong wave of heat rushes through me and my body feels funny but before I can say more, my eyes flutter shut as the darkness suddenly sucks me deep into its fold and I feel my legs give way… A strong arm wraps around my waist holding me with ease, and his scent fills my nose before everything goes blank.