2

My luck couldn’t have been more terrible. 

There was a big hall, several chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, several people dressed in expensive dresses and suits and chattering everywhere. Everything looked so high end that I felt lost the moment I stepped in. 

A few gazes turned towards me. The men all leered at my exposed skin. Their gazes lingered on my breasts and desire flashed in their eyes. I instantly wished I hadn’t dressed this way. 

I hated the attention. I’ve always had. 

“And may I get the pleasure of knowing this beautiful damsel.” Someone approached me with a drink. And my jaw almost dropped when my eyes clashed with a deep gorgeous blue.

Was everyone on this ship just so breathtakingly handsome or was it me who’s not seen enough beautiful men in my lifetime? I couldn’t tell.

The people here appeared to be built differently. The men were huge and bulky, tall and insanely attractive. The women were slender, graceful and just too beautiful that I now felt insecure. 

I accepted the drink with a smile and introduced myself.

“I’m Nara.”

“Harold.” He introduced. “It’s nice to meet you.” Then he did something odd. He leaned into my space and kissed me right next to my lips.

My eyes widened in shock, fury burned through me and before I knew what I was doing, my hand struck him.

Everyone’s attention instantly turned towards us. Even the music slowly died down and everyone looked at me like I’d suddenly grown three heads.

“Oh, oh my God… I’m so sorry…” I cursed myself internally as I stepped back, my hands shaking.

Goodness! What was wrong with me? Why did I do that?

“How dare you?” The man slowly looked up at me. His once gorgeous eyes had turned dark with fury. “How dare you lay your hands on me?”

If I wasn’t in my right senses, I would’ve thought I just heard a growl from him but the guest’s whispers took my attention away.

“Is she courting death? That’s the Alpha of the Silver Lake pack.”

“She’s just dug out her own grave. I hear the man is just as ruthless as he is perverted.”

My chest heaved heavily as everyone kept throwing pitiful looks at me. 

“Seize her.” Harold commanded and out of nowhere, two black dressed men caught my arms on either side.

“Wait. Hear me out. I didn’t mean to…”

Wait, they weren’t actually going to kill me were they? This man might be a man of status but he won’t just… unalive me, would he?

Fear surged to my throat. Damn it! I didn’t come here to die.

“Wait. Please listen to me. I…”

No one was listening. They were already dragging me out and no one said anything. No one tried to stop them. They just looked at me like they knew I was a dead person.

Who were these people?

I couldn’t help remembering the warning of that attendant.

Just then, a familiar voice rang out and instead of relief, pure horror struck through my bones.

“Stop.” The voice called and the crowd parted for him to walk to the front.

The moment I spotted that gorgeous face, I knew I was doomed. It was the man I’d met on the balcony. The very one I ignored and refused to speak to. 

But instead of pushing me to the big dog like I expected, he looked at Harold coldly and said.

“She’s with me.” 

Harold’s sneer dropped and something like fear appeared in his eyes as his guards instantly released me like my skin had only just burned them. 

“Alpha Kain, I didn’t know I swear. I wouldn’t have…”

Wait… Alpha Kain? Why did I vaguely remember the attendant mentioning that name? And why do they call him with the title ‘Alpha’? Was this some kind of play? What was I missing?

Kain pulled me over to his side, wrapping his hands around my shoulders as he stared down at Harold who was bowing to him and pleading for his life.

“You can get out of my sight now.” Kain told him dismissively and Harold immediately got lost like he was grateful for it. 

Kain’s hand on my shoulder was as cold as ice, people whispered and glanced in our direction but none dared to look for too long. 

Who was he? Who was this man that everyone feared so much?

“You—“

“Oh, look, it turns out the pretty girl can speak.” He said mockingly then his eyes trailed down from my face to the swell of my breast. Something like lust flickered through his eyes.

“I… it wasn’t on purpose!” I crossed my hands over my chest, wary of his gaze. “Stop looking at me.”

“Didn’t you dress like this so others can look at you.” 

And I didn’t know where I found the confidence but I snapped at him. “It’s none of your business.”

He gave me a predatory smile and then started to drag me through the crowd. “You’re coming with me.”

He might’ve saved me from Harold but this could very well be the case of from frying pan to fire.

“Dressing like this during the full moon, you must be courting death.” He whispered to me as we approached a table then he pushed me into an empty seat and sat next to me.

There were about five other people on this table and everyone had stopped talking the moment we arrived, their gazes focused on me.

One person whistled and another one, a handsome blonde man that looked younger than the rest asked Kain. “Who is she?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” A girl asked, rolling her eyes. “Probably his new fuck buddy.”

Her comment triggered me and I was doing it again. Speaking before I could stop myself.

“I’m not his fuck buddy.”

“Well you’re dressed like one.” She pointed out.

“I don’t see how that is any of your business.” I fired back and her eyes narrowed on me, dangerously. Like she officially hated me and she was thinking of all the ways to get rid of me. 

“Who are you again?” 

The way she asked, like it was beneath her to ask for my identity. 

And I was getting really pissed off even though Kain had just saved my ass from trouble. “I don’t know. How about you introduce yourself first?”

The girl's eyes flared with anger. If looks could kill, her glare would’ve turned me to toast. 

“Kain, aren’t you going to control your new pet?” She whined.

I glanced at Kain only to catch him smirking. 

“Alright ladies, let’s not fight.” Kain said. “Everyone this is—“

He stopped, as if suddenly realizing he didn’t know my name.

“Nara.” I said, forcing a smile as my eyes moved between everyone on the table. 

“My moon, I like her.” The blondie said, seeming entranced as he continued to stare at me until the dark haired guy next to him knocked him lightly then smiled at me. 

“It’s good to have you here, Nara. I’m Jefferey, and this is Leo.” He said, pointing to the blondie who waved at me then to the girl who was still spitting daggers at me with her eyes. “That’s Emily and this here…” Jeffrey trailed and I followed his gaze to the person he was pointing to. 

My heart stopped. This… this was insane. 

If I thought Kain was dangerously attractive then this man was something forged from myth.

When his dark eyes settled on me, it felt like I was being stripped bare and he could see right through to the deepest part of my soul. 

A chill slithered through my back as my gaze dropped to his lips that were stained red with wine. 

Then as if he knew… as if he knew just what kind of effect he had on me, he smiled. It was the kind of smile predators wore before hunting. As if he knew something I didn’t. 

No. There was something mesmerizingly wrong about this man. My body knew it wanted to be somewhere far away from him and yet I couldn’t look away. 

Not until he opened his mouth and spoke to me. 

“Landon.”

It took me a few seconds to realize he was telling me his name.

“Landon.” I found myself whispering it like I was completely enchanted.

Kain suddenly cleared his throat but his gaze was pinned on Landon. “I thought you weren’t speaking to anyone.”

“Changed my mind.” Landon said coldly. His voice sent shivers down my spine. In a way that I liked.

Damn it. I must be losing my mind if I liked how dark and lethal he sounded. And this tension between him and Kain… it was subtle but noticeable.

“So, is this the girl who refused to talk to you earlier?” Jeffrey asked and Leo, the blondie added.

“The one you couldn’t get off your mind?”

Kain looked embarrassed as he glanced at me. I couldn’t help the way my lips curled, not like I was used to this kind of attention.

“Can you guys shut the fuck up?” I must’ve heard something that resembled a growl from him but I tried ignore it as my eyes found Landon sitting across. He was swirling a glass of wine on one hand and almost as if he noticed me looking, he glanced up.

Our eyes jammed.

And his eyes, God… I wasn’t seeing this wrongly. His eyes were glowing a golden color. In a way that was not possible for a human. I wasn’t imagining it.

“You—“ I gasped. I was pointing at him as the others went quiet and threw their confused gazes at me.

“What is it?” Kain asked me, glancing between me and Landon.

His eyes were still glowing. Could they not see it? Could they not see what was glaringly obviously wrong?

“He…” my voice shook, unable to form words. 

“Is he scaring you?” Kain asked softly and when I looked back to the monster, he was smiling. I watched the glow slowly disappear from his eyes. 

They had all seen it. And didn’t think it meant anything. Like it was normal.

This place, these people, they were terribly wrong. I could feel it in my bones. 

“I… I need to use the restroom.” I stood immediately, suddenly eager to leave this table and move far far away from them. 

I didn’t wait for anyone to agree. I stumbled on a few chairs, bumped into a few people. My whole body was shaking, alarms blaring in my ears as I tried to find somewhere private to think. 

I didn’t imagine that. His eyes glowed like he was not… he was not human. 

And I remembered Kain had been like that too. At the balcony, when he was trying to talk to me. His eyes had glowed in the same way and I had just brushed it off.

What were they? Just what have I gotten myself into?

I wasn’t looking where I was going so I bumped hard into someone.