Tabitha strolled through the party like she was a VIP. She waved and greeted people as she passed them and made her way to where Esha told her which section she would be sitting in. Marco followed closely behind Tabitha, ensuring people kept their hands to themselves as his mate walked through the crowd.

Gretchen and Colson gave each other a weird look as they watched Marco and Tabitha's comfort at the party. Colson's senses were overwhelmed by all the different scents circulating through the air. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to concentrate on the scent of his mate and block out the other smells lingering around. Colson could feel Gretchen relax as she waved to the beat of the music. She sucked in a deep breath and was already caught up in the party's allure. Colson wrapped his arm around Gretchen's waist and pulled her close. He leaned in and whispered into her ear, "Be careful not to breathe in too much of the scents they are pushing through the air," Colson warned.

Gretchen started rubbing her face against his chest, "You smell so good, Colson." she told him in a soft, sexy voice.

Colson closed his eyes as a growl erupted from his chest. Gretchen shivered at his growl and looked up at him with a goofy smile. When Colson opened his eyes, he looked down at Gretchen and saw her eyes filled with lust and desire for him. Oh, crap.

Madeline warned them about the food and drinks; he didn't think they would pump an aphrodisiac through the air control system. Colson needed to rein in his wolf and not succumb to the temptation his mate was doing to him. He didn't want to do something he or his mate would regret.

Colson kept Gretchen close, hoping to keep her from inhaling other male scents surrounding them. He caught up to Marco and Tabitha just as a security guard unhooked a red velvet rope to allow them into a more exclusive section of the party. Colson was relieved that the pheromones weren't as strong as they were down on the dance floor.

Gretchen shook her head as she started to feel the effects begin to wear off. She looked up at Colson with confusion and fear settling into her eyes. He sighed with relief when he saw that the tempted mist no longer clouded Gretchen's eyes.

Tabitha reached up and waved her hand when she saw Esha off in the distance. When Esha looked her way, Esha smiled and waved back, motioning them to continue her way.

"I'm so glad you could make it, and you brought Gretchen and Colson with you. The more, the merrier," Esha cheered. Esha pulled Tabitha into a friendly hug and whispered something softly into Tabita's ear. Tabitha pulled back and smiled with glee.

Gretchen's brow furrowed as she watched the greeting and noticed Esha do the same thing to Marco. Gretchen wrapped her hand around Colson's and squeezed. Colson leaned in and whispered, "I'm watching," before he kissed the top of her head.

Esha moved over to Gretchen and Colson to greet them. "I'm glad you could make it to the party. Where are Vita and Deak?" Esha asked as she started to rub the jewels that sat on a bracelet around her wrist.

Colson twitched a bit when he heard Esha's voice. There was something about her tone, something that seemed tempting, almost alluring. Colson shook his head to shake the feeling away.

Gretchen lifted a brow at Esha as she answered, "Vita wasn't feeling well, and Deak wanted to ensure she was okay."

Esha smiled and nodded, but Gretchen could tell the smile wasn't genuine. "Well, maybe they can make it to the next event."

Gretchen returned with a similar smile to Esha and agreed. "I'm sure they will."

Esha quickly turned, returned to where she was sitting, and said, "Please, come sit and enjoy the food and drinks we have placed out. The food here is absolutely amazing."

Tabitha and Marco jumped in, eating the food and tasting the drinks without a second thought. Colson pulled Gretchen toward a booth a little ways away from the bigger group. Gretchen went into the circular booth first and scooted toward the middle but stayed close to Colson, and he sat down and moved in.

Gretchen looked around the room and started to whisper as she continued to make it look natural. "Something's not right about this party. What do you think that was down on the dance floor? I've never felt like that before," she admitted.

A waitress approached the table, placed a napkin right next to Colson, and then placed glasses of water in front of them. Colson looked at the napkin skeptically as he picked it up and turned it over. A note was written on the back of it that read:

'The water is safe to drink. Logan.'

Colson looked up and around the room; he noticed the cloaked man in the far corner watching them from a distance. Colson was appreciative that Logan was looking out for them. He grabbed the glass of water and still sniffed before tasting it, ensuring it was safe for Gretchen and him to drink.

Colson turned in the booth so that he was facing Gretchen. He reached up, tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, and leaned close to her, "It was an aphrodisiac that enhances the pheromones, making a person's thoughts and feelings more desirable." he explained. "It's not as powerful up here; I'm betting it's in the food and drink for their VIP members."

Gretchen giggled to make it seem like Colson had said something funny to her.

"I do love that sound from you," he whispered.

Gretchen blushed at the compliment. "So, what are we going to do?"

Colson pushed the water glass closer to Gretchen. "The water is safe," he told her. "Logan is watching us from a distance. If we need help, he's close by."

Gretchen sighed with relief as she grabbed the glass and took a drink from it.

"To answer your question, we are going to keep an eye on our friends to ensure they're safe," he confirmed.

Gretchen looked over at the table where Tabitha and Marco were sitting at. She could tell that the effects of the food and drinks were starting to hit them.

Tabitha got up and started to dance around the club's upper level, not having a care in the world who watched her. A menacing growl erupted through the top level as Marco's eyes narrowed while he protectively watched his mate dance with other people.

Gretchen was worried that something terrible was about to happen. She and Colson watched as Esha leaned over to Marco, telling him something no one else could hear. Marco relaxed almost immediately and watched his mate dance with nothing more than a smile.

Colson eyed Esha as she fiddled with the bracelet dangling from her wrist. Colson groaned as he watched the two wolves behave differently.

He leaned in toward Gretchen and said with gritted teeth, "It's going to be a long night."