ADRIANA
The first phase of our plan is to make sure Xander knows we're here. Our plan for that was already well underway. The moment the plane landed, I was ready to be seen.
I exchanged my simple top and jeans for a summer dress. And my brunette hair was let down. cascading over my back, covering what was left open by the dress.
There was a town car waiting for us as we arrived. A woman was standing outside the back car, dressed in an impeccable suit with a stoic expression. A uniformed man is beside her and he holds a sign with our names on it.
"She is for us." Henry says, holding me by my elbow and steering me towards her.
Our bags were already in the car from the looks of it because as soon as we approached, the man opened the door of the car.
"Welcome," the woman's voice is soft but firm.
She speaks with an elegance I am not used to. Not in my memory and definitely not in my past life. I am not very good with people, I'm guessing it has to do with the way I grew up.
"I hope you had a good flight?" she asked, nodding toward the open door.
I entered first when Henry gave me a nod of approval. He makes sure I'm inside safely before he walks and gets in the front. The woman walks around the car and enters the other side.
Her dark hair is in a bun, and the red lipstick makes her look even more bold in her power suit. She notices me staring and offers a smile that looks genuine.
"You look just like your mother. How is Dreya?" her red painted lips stretch into a smile as she speaks.
"She is good," I slap myself in the head mentally and try to clear my throat because my voice came out choked. "She sent her regards."
The woman threw her head back and laughed which made me feel a little weird.
"Oh, I'm sorry, love." she reaches over and pats my hand that is sitting idly on the seat. "I know your mother and there is no way she would ever send her regards." my cheeks heat in embarrassment because she definitely did not. But it just seemed like the right thing to do. "You're such a sweetheart. You don't get your manners from her, obviously."
I didn't know what to do with that bit of information. This woman who says she knows mother nailed one of her behaviors. What I didn't understand was her saying that.
My thoughts get distracted by a loud honk that makes me jump in my head. The driver is quick to apologize.
"I didn't notice them ma'am." he says, his voice a little shaky.
"Be more careful next time," Henry's growl has me growing nervous.
It was unlike him to lose his temper. For a werewolf, I always commended how he was always calm and collected. it was like he didn't have the animal instinct which was just weird.
"Yes, sir." the driver rushes out.
You could hear the fear in his voice. I felt bad for him.
I couldn't tell if he was a werewolf or a human. Again, something that is my asshole father's fault and his accomplice, my mate.
They wanted to kill me and they were very close to that. Because of that, I have lost a lot of my wolf' abilities.
At least, I can shift now. My anger would have been more if mum didn't find some way to help me. With all the training and other potions she keeps getting from her witch friends, I am stronger now.
But not fully strong and not back to normal either. I'm better than I was a few months ago, even weeks ago. It is a gradual process and I understand.
I'm going to make sure their downfall follows that same slow route.
The car ride continues in awkward silence, the woman doesn't try to make conversation. I don't offer it, of course. I was glad she didn't try to speak. After my first failed attempt, I wasn't ready to try again.
The car stops and the driver walks out. The woman opens her door and so does Henry, which has me reaching for mine, but before I could open it. The man does. He steps out of the way immediately after.
"I hope I didn't cause any problems for you, miss?" his eyes crinkled at the sides, a remorseful expression on his face.
I smiled my brightest smile and shook my head. "I'm all good. thank you."
He breathes out in relief, his shoulders literally sagging.
"Let's get going." the woman places her hand on my shoulder.
I felt a zing and she did too because she removed her hand immediately and stepped back a little.
She inhales and exhales twice. She turns to me, her eyes looking a tad darker. Her lips are stretched into a practiced smile.
A shiver runs down my spine at the sight of it. It wasn't anything big but it sure made me nervous as hell.
"Welcome to my home," she speaks, looking away from me and towards the building in front of us.
I strain my neck as I look up, taking in the tallest building I have ever seen in my life. From here, it looks like it is touching the cloud. It probably is.
A sound of awe escapes my lips and she chuckles, holding my hand this time. I don't feel the weird energy zing, thankfully.
It seemed to have set her off and that is the last thing I want.
"You'll love it here," she gives my hand a squeeze and starts leading us into the building.
I follow her inside, trying to keep my eyes in front of me. Although every part of me wants nothing more than to turn and take the whole thing in.
Breathing out, I steeled my spine as she stood outside a metal looking door. She taps a button beside it and we both wait for something. The doors open to a small box room and I sigh, recognising it.
An elevator.
Kian has mentioned it once or twice. I didn't know if I had ever entered one before everything went down. But in the last six months, I know that I have never even seen one.
We enter and after the doors close, she presses one of the numerous buttons on the wall. It has from one to twenty five, then one button that has a 'p' written on it. I didn't even want to ask what it meant.
After about two minutes, there is a ding and the elevator stops, showing we have gotten to our floor. The door opens again and she walks out, I follow behind her like a loyal soldier.
"This is the floor I live on," she says to me, glancing at me. "Well, it'll be ours for the next few weeks."
I nodded, licking my lips. We take a right turn and start walking in the hallway that has doors on both sides after every few steps. She stops outside one that has the number '1128' in gold attached to the door.
"And this is my apartment," she puts in the key and unlocks the door.
She doesn't open the door for the first few seconds.
"Wait here," she holds a hand up to me.
I nod, stepping back a little although she didn't tell me too. Her ears are perked up and she looks alert, on edge. Being around wolves who were constantly worried about someone breaking in. I know the signs of someone who thinks there is a threat closeby.
She does a few things I can't explain but she must have been satisfied with the results. She turned to me and nodded.
The door is pulled open before she does and I hear her yell out my name. My eyes winded and I immediately fell to my knees, lowering my head and crouching.
The next thing I hear is the loud bang of a gunshot and a warm liquid splashes across my face.
Blood.
I knew, even before the metallic smell attacks my nose.
Oh no, they have found us. My mind goes blank.
This was a lot faster than we thought.
ADRIANAMy heart pounding in my ears, I laid flat on the floor. Eyes looking around the hall wildly trying to see if I can see anyone or where the shot came from.I did my best to not look at the unmoving body on the floor. The body of the woman that was just speaking with me. As much as I tried to not see her, I couldn't stop feeling her blood that was drying too fast on my face.A surge of adrenaline floods through me. It makes my already pounding heart almost seize.Run. I yell to myself in my head but it doesn't help in making me move from the floor.I know I need to get out of here. With no idea where Henry is or what held him this long.I should get out here. Whoever hurt her might still be close and I'm making myself vulnerable.I didn't train for months, pushed all my limits after all that has happened only to be killed on my first day back. I'm not even anywhere near my target and this might end, before it even starts.No. I have to do this. I can't lose my chance before I ev
ALPHA XANDER There are a few things I hate in this world. Dreya, and social gatherings. I would have missed this masquerade but I got a tip that the woman who looked like Adriana will be here tonight. And when she comes, I’ll be here for her. I know she is still alive. Her mental state is what I’m not sure of, and if she is even okay. What Dreya did was dangerous, and any slight wrong move would have blown it all up in flames. Now, that is where we would have a real problem. I took a break to fully mourn my mate, now I am back for her and I’m vengeful. “Aren’t you glad you decided to come out?” Daciana tugs on my arm, making me swivel to face her. She chose to dress as Peresphone tonight, only she has a mask with flowers. I wasn’t in the mood for a party, talk less of one that required me to wear a mask. She understood that so she didn’t pressure me to dress up. But since the requirement for attending is the mask, she got me one for the devil. “No, I’m not.” I reply, keeping
ADRIANAI hear when he comes in. My back stiffened and my heart raced in my chest. My hands which have been cold the entire night are now sweaty and clammy.I maintain my cool and wait for him to approach me.We both know I know of his presence, not that it makes me acknowledge him. According to what mum said, his arrogance wouldn’t let him leave. Being ignored is one of the things he hated.I hated men like that. Albeit, I haven’t met anyone like him in my current life. In the past, probably. Everyone in the pack is like family and they are humble.His footsteps are loud in the quiet room. You can’t hear the sound of the party from here. That must be why mum picked this room.I took in a small unnoticeable breath, reminding myself why I need to do this. I’m nothing like the Adriana he used to know. He should know this by the end of the night.“Not a big party goer.” He says, coming to stand beside me.“Mostly the ones where clothes are taken off in public.” My voice comes out cool an
XANDER“Remind me again, why are we throwing a party?”Daciana asks the same question she has asked five times already. each time, I give her no reply because she wouldn’t believe me anyway.“And why do you care so much about how it is planned? You usually avoid this like the plague.”“I felt like throwing a party, so I’m going to do it.” I replied. We both know that is a fucking lie.I hate parties and I hate throwing them even more. I didn’t have to perform any host duties. The people who make the invite list are usually fucking elated to be there that they know not to talk to me directly. “Bullshit.” She grumbles. “You’re hiding something, and I’m going to find out what.”She points a finger at me, squinting her eyes as she walks out of the room without turning back.Without her breathing over my shoulder, I pick out all the things I want faster. The organizer looked like she couldn’t wait to get the hell out of here. When I told her she could leave, I heard her sigh of relief.It
XANDERThe party has been in full swing for two hours now. Everything is exactly the way I wanted it to be. Yet, I was fucking pissed because she hasn’t shown up.At first, I wasn’t bothered by her lack of attendance, coming up with endless excuses for her. She must have gotten delayed or something happened to her car.The guy I have back at the hotel confirmed that she hasn’t left her room since she went to pick a dress up.I was dying with worry. Did something happen to her or did she simply not want to come?I even went as far as considering this was all delusion on my part. That I had made her up because I didn’t want to believe Adriana was gone.The man isn’t delusional, because what are the chances he is thinking the same thing I am. She is real, and she is not here.“Your special guest still hasn’t arrived?”I ignored Daciana’s taunting question, promising myself the next time she asked, I’m going to knock her the fuck out.“If you told me who she is or what she looked like, I
ADRIANAI hear it then, in the rough edge of Xander’s voice, in the way he makes me tremble even without lifting a finger toward me. I see the reason why he is so feared.He could pretend to be a gentleman all he wanted but he couldn’t shake the monster he was underneath. He can wear a designer suit and comb his hair back, every single strand bent to submission atop his head. But that doesn’t mean he has control over his basic urges.And last, his stride, always so confident and a tad bit too arrogant, had so much to do with that power. Not the one he showed the world, the one he hid carefully.It made me wonder how much more they would really fear him if they knew what he was capable of. What he was truly capable of.I hide the tremble in my hands, the feel of his monster, so close. The heat from him simmering under his host’s body and seeping into mine, like a slow poison.This is the first time I am meeting Xander’s wolf like this.I don’t recall anything about it. There is no fami
ADRIANA“Your mother sent word,” I sat up hearing Henry’s voice.It lacks the usual friendliness I was used to.“Oh, what did she say?” I get up so I’m standing in front of him.“That we should return soon. And no more doing things that weren’t part of the plan.”“Alright. I’ll get packing.” I said, walking into the bedroom from the balcony.When he’d pulled up to this duplex after we left Xander’s place late last night. I knew I wanted this room the second I saw the balcony.It was in the middle of nowhere and it looked like something my mother would pick. I hadn’t even realized there was somewhere for us to go to instead of the hotel.The initial plan had been to go back to the airport and get on the next flight out. Before he told me we weren’t going there, I thought the tickets had already been booked. Turns out, that wasn’t it.Henry said it was because Xander would have his men everywhere looking for us. Well, me.He also informed me that they’d raided all the cars, but there wa
XANDERThe shock on Adriana’s face is everything.After she made her escape last night, or at least tried to. I let her leave even though it killed me because I wanted her with me. But after our conversation, it was obvious she wasn’t there for reconciliation or to even listen to me. The last thing on her mind was listening to me.So I let her leave, only to follow her after.When they couldn’t figure out which car she had gotten off from, I ordered my security to put a tracker on all the cars.To my surprise—not really—the other seven cars headed back to the hotel while one went the opposite way.I still had a man down at the hotel so I would know if she was there. But she wasn’t.Unable to sleep, I followed the woods that night. Lo and behold, a big ass house in the middle of nowhere.This has Dreaya written all over it.“I want nothing to do with you, I thought I made that clear last night.” She says, now glaring at me.Her green eyes would have softened the blow of her words if sh