Chapter Two

Reese’s POV

Two years later …

Reese closed her eyes and let her senses take over. The music pulsed and sweat ran down the back of her neck. Bodies grinded, sensual moans could be heard, at least, that's what she envisioned and the bass thumped off the walls of the club. Reese didn’t want to feel, didn’t want to think, she just wanted to be.

Bryan Bergenson would return from Alpha Camp tomorrow and she was not looking forward to it. She didn't want to be there anymore, didn't want to see him and she knew that sooner or later, she would have to.

Cleo, her best friend of ten years, signaled for them to head back to the bar. The bartender was cute, he had the sensual brown eyes, a mop of unruly, longish brown hair and his smile was panty melting. He grinned at the two of them and leaned over the bar.

“What can I get you two?”

“Two slammers and keep ‘em coming!” Cleo said loudly.

Reese laughed then as he quirked a brow at them and poured bourbon into two shot glasses. Reese closed her eyes and emptied her shot glass. Cleo smiled wickedly and subsequently shoved the other shot glass in Reese’s hand as well.

“Why are we here again?”

“I told you because my life is over!” Reese rolled her eyes dramatically.

“Yes, you said that but you didn’t actually tell me why your life’s over. Is it because asshole of the year is coming back?” Cleo reminded her.

“I’m being bartered, sold to the highest bidder, auctioned off, enslaved, call it what you will.”

Cleo’s eyes widened and her mouth fell open. “Holy fuck, Reese, you have to tell the Council! This is the 21^st century, shit like that doesn’t happen to people like us!”

“Okay, I might be exaggerating just a little. My dad, the ever mighty asshole, has agreed to an arranged marriage because I got rejected. Apparently I’m too young to find a suitable mate for myself and this Troy Madden is a …”

“Did you say Troy Madden?” Cleo’s face was paler now and Reese frowned as she looked at her friend.

“Yes. Why?”

Cleo swallowed and looked past Reese before meeting her gaze. “Troy Madden is next in line for the Dark Claw Pack.”

“Yeah, I know what pack he’s from but I’ve yet to meet the guy,” Reese said and emptied another shot glass.

“The Dark Claws are ruthless, they fight until death and … Troy Madden is their picture poster boy for how to be a playboy. He sleeps with women, treats them like trash, never calls them back and the rumour is that he never goes back for seconds.”

Reese blinked and swallowed as she looked at Cleo. “Well, fuck me.”

Cleo burst out laughing then. “He will! But then he won’t again. How can your dad let you marry someone like that? I mean, he’s hot, I’ve heard, but their pack is dangerous. They’ve eradicated four other packs over the last ten years and absorbed the members. They’re greedy and they kill ruthlessly.”

“If he’s such a famous playboy, why has he agreed to this whole marriage fiasco?” Reese waved her arm around and accidentally slapped someone else’s arm. “Sorry.” The man grinned at her and resumed his conversation as Reese turned back to face Cleo.

“I don’t know. Maybe he’s being forced too. It’ll be an interesting wedding night,” Cleo said and slid off the barstool. “There’s Jeremiah! I’m going to go say hi! Stop stressing, maybe we can run away together!”

Cleo disappeared into a throng of people and disappeared from Reese’s sight. Reese turned back towards the bar and steadied herself with her hands on the edge as her chair tilted sideways. She giggled then. How much had she had to drink already?

Someone brushed against her back but Reese ignored it as she waved at the bartender again. The man she’d slapped earlier now stood in front of her and he smiled at her. Holy shit, why was everyone so attractive? ‘Ah, werewolf genes’, she thought to herself as she caught his scent.

“What’ll it be, gorgeous?” Reese giggled again as the bartender flirted with her.

“Give her a rum and coke,” the man said. He turned towards her and smiled. “Have at least one drink with me.”

“I was going to get a water. I’ve really had enough to drink.”

“Oh, come on. Fine, I’ll buy you a water then.” The man who had just bought her a water wasn’t ugly, far from it, he was handsome but there was something off putting about him. Reese couldn’t really decide what it was but she knew she definitely didn’t want to get to know him better.

“Thanks,” Reese said as the bartender placed the sealed bottle of water in front of her.

“This works out even better. Grab your water and let’s get out of here,” the man said as he leaned in closer to her.

“Excuse you, I’m here with someone and I’m definitely not leaving with you.”

Anger flashed in the man’s eyes and Reese could see them darkening. Yep, definitely a werewolf, a typical fucking egotistical werewolf.

“Don’t play coy now, you’ve been giving me signals all night,” he said and reached his hand out towards her.

Before he could touch her though, an arm snaked around her shoulder from behind and settled over her chest. She was pulled back into a hard chest and the hand gripped her other shoulder lightly. The man in front of her clenched his jaw tightly.

“She’s with me. Go away, Justin.”

Reese’s eyes closed briefly. The voice was deep, sexy and she could feel it vibrate through his chest and against her back. The hand on her shoulder was large, tanned and she just knew that if she turned around this man would be the hottest thing she’d ever seen on two legs.

She could feel the anger emanating from the man behind her and Justin raised his hands in defeat and stalked away from the bar. Reese sighed with relief as the man lifted his arm away from her. She turned around and her breath hitched in her throat.

Hot damn. His eyes were the most intense blue she’d ever seen and his black hair fell over one eye. His t-shirt clung to him and molded around his arms. She could see ink peeking at her from where his sleeves rested at his wrists. He had broad shoulders, muscular arms and she suddenly looked back up at his eyes as she realized she was on her way to looking at his groin.

“You’re drunk and I appreciate your roving eye but I think you should find your boyfriend so he can drive you home.” He smiled at her and her heart did a double beat. He had one dimple in his cheek. Holy hell, he had a dimple! She was a sucker for dimples.

“Thank you for helping me with pervert earlier and if I had a boyfriend don’t you think he’d be with me right now? Clearly, I also can’t go home like this. Who are you, Mr Shining Knight with no armour? Why did you help me? Do you know me?”

Mr Knight smiled again and Reese licked her bottom lip. Shit, could she be any more obvious? He chuckled low in his throat, clearly enjoying the effect he was having on her.

“You don’t know who I am?” He cocked his brow and even that was sexy. “Never mind that. I’ll drive you somewhere.”

Reese thought about it for all of ten seconds. She should say no but then the lightbulb went on in her mind and she smiled. If her future husband could sleep around with every random girl he met, why couldn’t she spend one night with a random man?

Perhaps Troy Madden will refuse to acknowledge the arranged marriage once he finds out that this future wife could play the same games he did. Besides, Mr Knight was as hot as chocolate fudge on a lazy day and she intended to get her fill.

Reese looked out at the dance floor again but she couldn’t see Cleo anywhere. Damn bitch had left her again. Cleo meant well but as soon as a hot man paid any attention to her, she fell hook, line and sinker and disappeared.

“I think that’s a great idea,” Reese said with a smile.