Thea's Pov

I stumbled back from the window with a loud gasp, almost tripping on a piece of garment lying on the floor.

“Shit!” I repeated frantically, I tugged on my hair roughly, barely even feeling the pain. I slid down my bedroom wall, still repeating the word ‘fuck’ over and over.

Maya's face came into view, her eyes were wide with obvious concern and I could understand why, she hadn't seen me lose my cool this way before.

“Thea, what's going on?” Her voice was frantic as her eyes scanned my face for hidden clues. I could only sit there, staring at the wall in muted horror. 

“Thea!” Her raised voice snapped me out of the trance I was in, I turned my head to look at her.

“What's going on?” She continued in a gentle voice in an attempt to soothe me. I ran one trembling hand through my hair.

“It's him.” My voice came out in a shaky whisper.

Her face contorted into a confused expression, “him who?”

I exhaled slowly, “the man from the bar.”

Flashback

Maya and I giggled as we made our way into the club, shocked that our fake IDs had worked. Human bars were just so stupid, in werewolf communities no one cared that you went to a club or not, it is assumed that for you to be there, it meant you could handle yourself. 

We plopped down on seats at the bar, me more awkwardly than her as a result of the short dress I was wearing. 

I wasn't used to dressing up like this but for one night, I wanted to be the sexy girl not the pitiful girl without a wolf.

We could have gone to a werewolf bar but I didn't want to be recognised, with recognition came the whispers and the rumors. Rumors that I was cursed or that I was actually a human, it didn't matter that j was just as fast as them, at the end of the dar, I still didn't have a wolf.

“Let's dance!” Maya's giddy voice brought me out of my reverie, I giggled at how excited she was.

“Nah, go ahead, I'll just sit here and order a drink, have fun.” I waved her off dismissively, she wasted no time in scurrying off to the sweaty mess of bodies gyrating on the dance floor. 

“One sex on the beach please.” I said to the bartender who just nodded.

“Just on the beach?” A husky voice said behind me, warm minty breath fanned my neck, I shivered but not from the cold. 

I turned around and the sight before me had me clenching my thighs together from the fierce rush of desire than flowed through me.

His face was not far from mine and I could see this stunning silver eyes up close, I had never seen eyes like this, they looked like liquid moonlight. Black curls framed a face that was so gorgeous, it was unreal.

I gulped as my eyes trailed the rest of his body, I wasn't disappointed, hot face with a body to match. His full lips curled into a smirk as he took in my reaction to him.

He wasn't immune though, I had seen his eyes darken with lust as his gaze scorched a path down my body. A noise on the dance floor caught both our attention but his gaze quickly snapped back to me.

“I love this bar but I want to have you all to myself, come home with me?” He gave me a rueful smile. I hesitated, I wasn't this type of girl but wasn't this night about being a different girl?

I nodded shyly, my cheeks heating up a bit, his eyes roamed over my face before his lips curled up in a soft smile that made my inside turn mushy.

“What is your name?” He brought my hand up to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on it, I blushed furiously, butterflies running wild in my stomach. I was a virgin but I wasn't so naive that I didn't know what going home with him meant, I was ready. 

“Althea.”

Flashback ended 

“I can’t believe you kept this from me for three years.” Maya said incredulously, i bit my bottom lip in shame.

“I'm sorry, I was just so ashamed. When the morning came, I ran away from his house as fast as I could and never looked back. Don't be mad.” I whispered.

“Mad?! Girl, I'm impressed, my best friend is a bad bitch.” She laughed, my cheeks turned red.

“I didn't think I would see him again after that day but he's here at my house and my father wants me to get married to him.” Anxiety thrummed through my body, I clenched my fists to stop them from trembling. 

“Isn't that a beautiful thing? It's like you guys have a second chance at love.” Maya said dreamily. 

I stared at her in disbelief, “have you forgotten who he is? What he has done? I can't marry a man like that, I would rather die.” I hurriedly packed clothes into a duffle bag.

“Where would you go?” Maya asked, her excitement had long died down.

I closed my eyes and allowed myself to dream of a life free from expectations, “Anywhere but here.” 

__

The moon shimmered beautifully, lighting my way as I ran through the dense forest. The who pack was distracted by the arrival of the legendary alpha and it was easy to sneak out of a place you've lived in your entire life.

My thoughts turned back to Damien, my mind's favorite subject. We had slept together years ago and I had disappeared without a trace, he probably thought I was just some silly human girl, not worthy of being remembered.

But then, a treacherous part of my mind said, he came all this way to have you as a wife, was this just a coincidence or something more? I quickly squashed the budding hope rising inside me.

A snap of twigs had me drawing to a stop, my sharp eyes scanned the forest, my ears twitching at every sound. I might not have a wolf but I still had the heightened senses of a werewolf and right now, my instincts were going haywire.

The forest was still, as if daring not to breathe in the presence of something bigger, or rather someone bigger.

“I was waiting to see how long you would realize that you weren't alone. I've got to say, I'm really disappointed.” A smooth familiar voice drawled, I froze.