Lilith’s POV

It was dark when I got outside, but I was too pained to care. I kept walking aimlessly with tears in my eyes.

I didn’t even know where to start.

My mate had rejected me, and now I was an object of ridicule. I didn’t even know how to face Serenity, so I went to the only place that came to mind to cool my head, a bar.

Wolves go there to “burn out steam” with stronger liquor brewed for enhanced metabolisms. The bouncers are older wolves who keep fights from shifting into claws and teeth.

The goal was to get drunk and forget everything, even if it was just for tonight.

“Fuck my life,” I groaned as I downed another shot, the liquid burning its way down my throat.

I poured myself another shot and brought it closer to my lips. Just before I could drink it, someone caught my hand and roughly grabbed the glass away from me.

My head snapped up to curse out the person, and my eyes met Reed Stone's, my brother's best friend and the Alpha heir.

“And what the hell do you think you’re doing? Are you risking losing control of your wolf in public while drunk?” His voice was harsh, which only annoyed me more.

Why the hell was he acting up just because he saw me in a bar? It’s not like he’s even my brother.

“None of your business.” I rolled my head and reached to take the glass back, but he slapped it away.

“What you do with your life is my business, so shut the fuck up and let’s go home, I'm just being protective, to avoid you ruining yourself.” he snarled, slamming the glass down on the table, some of the contents spilling out.

Before I could protest, he dragged me to my feet and lifted me in his arms, then began walking out of the bar.

“Put me down, Reed! I need to get drunk!” I protested, kicking my legs, but he ignored me until we got to the car.

He placed me on the passenger seat and stared right into my eyes. “Don’t even think about getting out,” he warned, his eyes deadly serious.

I swallowed back the words that threatened to escape and watched as he closed the door, rounded the car, and slid into the driver’s seat.

“I won’t tell Kayden I saw you at the bar, drinking yourself into a stupor and giving some hungry wolves the pleasure of ogling your body,” he said gruffly.

My brother Kayden would throw a fit if he found out I was at the bar. I didn’t even know whether to be grateful or not.

Reed started the ignition and drove in silence.

“Take me to your house,” I suddenly said after a long while.

Reed’s head turned to me briefly before he looked back at the road.

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”

I scoffed. “Just do as I say for once… please.” My voice dropped at the last word.

The last thing on my mind was going back to the dorm. Serenity would be up waiting for me, and then I’d have to explain what had happened tonight which I wasn’t ready to do.

“Is this about you going to the bar?” Reed asked.

“Yes. And don’t ask me questions, because I won’t reply,” I quickly added.

He didn’t say another word, which I was grateful for.

By the time we got to Reed’s house, my eyes were already blurring and my head was pounding hard.

Perks of being drunk. Damn, I shouldn’t have drunk so much. Now I regret it.

“Are you okay?” Reed asked as we both got out of the car. I staggered and he immediately caught me, his arms going around my waist.

My eyes flicked to his arms around me and I shook my head. “Headache,” I muttered with a groan.

“That should tell you not to drink next time.”

He helped me into the house, and when we got to his room, he placed me on the bed and stepped back.

“I’ll get some hangover soup.” With that, he turned and walked away.

My gaze went to the ceiling and memories of the night began flooding my mind. Gavin had rejected me. Now I was mateless, and my wolf had gone into hiding after the rejection.

I knew it was because she couldn’t handle the pain, but this was the moment I needed her the most.

I needed someone to comfort me and tell me that this wasn’t the end.

That the Moon Goddess would look down on me with pity and grant me a second chance mate. Because if she didn’t, I was doomed for life.

I sniffed and wiped away the tears I hadn’t even noticed had slipped from my eyes.

The door opened and Reed walked in, a tray containing a bowl of soup in his hand. He gently placed the tray on the nightstand and turned to me.

His eyes widened when he saw the traces of tears on my face and his jaw clenched immediately. “Who made you cry?”

The intensity of his voice made me shiver, and I quickly shook my head. “No one.”

“Fuck it, I’m calling Kayden now.” He turned, and before he could walk away, I quickly caught his arm.

“Please don’t. Kayden will throw a fit, and…” I paused, standing up so that I could face him. “Don’t call him, please.”

He gazed down at me, then slowly cupped my cheek and wiped the remaining tears away.

“Pray I don’t catch the fucker who made you cry, because if I do, he’s going to have to spend a few weeks in the hospital.”

The way he sounded so possessive made my heart skip a beat.

I didn’t know if the alcohol was already messing with my brain, but somehow that night, I saw another version of Reed Stone.

This one was willing to do anything for me, and it warmed my heart.

At least I had someone who still cared.

His hand lingered on my cheek, and that was it, I lost control. My hand wrapped around his, and I stared into his eyes.

“Make love to me.” I blurted it out.

Even the words sounded distant to my ears. I was suddenly conscious of the heat emanating from his body, his cologne invading my nostrils, and his touch setting my body on fire.

“What?” His eyes squinted and, in a fleeting moment, he quickly released me as though my touch burned him and stepped back.

“You’re drunk. Go to sleep.” He turned and began walking away.

I quickly ran after him and held his hand, stopping him from taking another step. “I’m not.”

I was losing my senses, I knew that but that was the least of my concerns. If Gavin could openly mate with another woman while still bonded to me, then why couldn’t I do that now that we were no longer mates?

“I want you, Reed,” I whispered, my hands slipping beneath his shirt to caress his bare chest.

Reed inhaled sharply, his eyes darkening. “Kayden would kill me for this.”

His eyes dropped to my lips and he swallowed hard. I could tell he was struggling to resist me.

“But fuck it. I don’t care.” In a swift motion, he pulled me to himself and crashed his lips onto mine, kissing me hard as though he had been longing for this moment all his life.

My eyes shut as I kissed him back fiercely. God, he tasted so good.

His grip around my waist tightened and he lifted me into his arms. My legs instinctively wrapped around his torso and he grabbed my ass in return, giving it a soft spank.

A moan escaped my lips as I kissed him passionately. My whole body was on fire, and he was the only one who could quench it.

“You’re so sweet,” he growled against my lips. His mouth slipped from mine and trailed to my neck, kissing it fervently as he walked to the bed and gently placed me on it.

He knelt on the bed and swiftly pulled off his shirt, then came down at me and reclaimed my lips, this time in a hotter kiss.

My hands roamed freely over his body, feeling every bit of his muscles as I drowned myself in the taste of him.

Reed Stone was a fucking delicious man.

A soft gasp escaped my lips when I felt his warm mouth on my nipple.

I hadn’t even noticed when he removed my top, I was so lost in the kiss that I failed to see how skillfully he was undressing me while making me go crazy with his tongue.

“Reed…” I moaned loudly as he sucked me sweetly, his hand trailing lower down my body.

My hands tangled in his hair and I tugged at it slowly, my eyes rolling back.

Before I knew it, we were both naked in all our glory, Reed kneeling between my parted legs, preparing himself to thrust in.

My body ached in anticipation as he stared down at me.

“Are you sure you want this? I can stop if you want me to,” he said hoarsely, even though his eyes said otherwise.

“I want you,” I whispered, pulling him into a kiss as my answer.

He groaned and, in a single thrust, he entered me slowly.

A sharp scream escaped my lips and Reed’s body went still. He stared at me in horror. “You were a virgin?”

“Yes. And don’t stop, please,” I quickly said.

I was a virgin because I had promised to keep myself pure until Gavin and I finally decided to mate under the full moon, but now…

Hesitation flickered in Reed’s eyes and I groaned before taking his hand and placing it on my breast.

“Continue.”

He released a restrained groan and began moving inside me, going harder and faster until I saw stars.

He lowered his head and captured a rosy bud in his mouth while still going deeper, driving me to a state of oblivion.