Chapter 3

Kamari's Point of View

There was no denying that this man was trouble. Down to my very core, I knew that he meant business. And it soothed that ragged part of my soul. The torn part that wanted to make Arik and Eris hurt. Until reality slammed a fist into my face.

His amber eyes were taking me in from head to toe. Pouty lips parted slightly. His black hair was effortlessly combed to the side. But it was his almost glowing neck tattoos that made me rethink the whole idea. Whatever he might have to offer, I wanted none of it.

"I'm sorry, but that isn't a name. And I am not keen on giving you mine, either." I bit out with as much control as I could muster. There was still a lump in my throat. One that refused to move ever since I was rejected. Crying on my way here only made it worse somehow.

The man chuckled and slid into the booth in front of me. Spreading his elbows on the table, he leaned in with a smirk. Dominating was his natural gift, it seemed. Making another person feel so small they only wanted to run. "Why ask your name when I already know it, Kamari?" He purred my name and my stomach clenched. Even the waitress from before kept staring at him. With one shrug, his leather jacket fell onto the back of the booth. "I am Zayan. Nice to meet you." Zayan flashed me a devilish smile. 

The name sounded familiar. As if I needed to know it but couldn't place it. Although this was a problem, I refused to be pulled into whatever he wanted to do. Revenge sounded perfect but on who? The entire world had turned against me since the day I turned ten.

"Whatever you are offering, I'm not buying," I whispered and picked up my cup of coffee. It was a reflex to move away from a situation like this. A reflex to back off. Because my life might have been shit but I could make it ten times worse if I mixed with someone like him.

Zayan watched as I scooted away. Watched me stand and take a step past him. Then he was up and in my face. Placed his hands on my hips with his face leaning down so that it was only inches from mine. The world slowed. My heart skipped several beats. The coffee cup tumbled from my hands.

It crashed to the floor but I couldn't pry my eyes away from his. A deep amber. Intent. Hungry. Exceptionally angry. 

"I know how you feel. I have felt it before. But I won't allow someone else to be as helpless as I was. Sit down. Listen. If you don't like what I have to say, then feel free to leave." It was a deathly whisper. His breath fanned my face. Brushed over my lips. My chest tightened.

There was no harm in listening. Especially considering that he claimed to have felt the same as I did now. In the worst-case scenario, I simply leave here and forget about him.

Zayan's hand was still on my hip. Held me close to him. The air grew hotter with every second. I blinked. He smiled slyly. Knew he had won me over. 

"Fine. I will listen until my new coffee is done. You have until then to convince me of whatever you want." I swore a small light flickered on in the back of his eyes. A shallow ray of hope. 

Zayan let go of me. And waved the waitress over. Like a puppy being called, she plopped around. Batted her eyelashes at the man in front of me. "Two more coffees, please," He gave me another once over as I scooted back into my previous position. "Along with a shot of tequila for her. She's gonna need it."

"No that's-" Before I could protest, she was already gone. Looking back at him, I narrowed my eyes. "I am working early in the morning, I can't drink now. Besides, you are a perfect stranger. I can't have random men buying me alcohol." I hissed back at him. 

"If it makes you feel any better. I'll introduce myself properly. Then we won't be strangers anymore. But trust me, you will need that shot when I am done with this conversation." His eyes flicked back and forth between my face and what I wore. Noted the oversized uniform and deranged hairstyle. I wasn't even close to being his type, that much was obvious.

"If what you have to say makes me want alcohol, then I don't think we need to carry on with this conversation." 

He let out a rumbling chuckle and leaned back in his seat. As before, he took up most of the space around him. Positioned his arms over the back of the booth to look even larger than he was. Which might have been impossible, seeing as he dominated me in height when we stood.

"Don't worry, princess, I'll be here to comfort you if you need it." His growing smirk set my cheeks on fire. As if Arik was now only a distant memory.

But I had just reminded myself of the pain. The rejection. No amount of flirting and arguing with a sexy cocky man would ever make me fully forget that pain. The sting to see the pity in Nolan's eyes when I told him about what had happened. 

How was I going to live the rest of my life like this?

"How did you find me?" It was the first question I could think of to ask. Everything else had been blown out of my mind with the storm that was Arik Knox. 

"Ah, before I can tell you that I need to tell you who I am..." He trailed off. A glint shone in his eye. He was dangling information. Tried to get a read on where I stood. Who he was dealing with. But my will to impress anyone had vanished not long after we left my mother. There was no need.

"Can you stop with the theatrics-" 

"Here is your coffee and one shot of tequila, on the house." The waitress winked at Zayan. He smirked back at her. I groaned and glared. There were clearly more important things to be discussed than the two of them.

"As I was saying-"

"I am Zayan Sterling. My father was the former Alpha of the Crescent Shine pack. Ten years ago, about two before you arrived, if my information is correct, Eric Knox, Arik's father, challenged mine for the title of Alpha. In the end, he won. My entire family was exiled. This led to the death of my mother and my father becoming ill. Then Arik stole something else from me..."

I could see the fury in his eyes. The hatred that lingered so close to the surface. It was devastating what happened to him, yes. But it was just the way of the wolf. We challenged and fought and carried on. Even if Arik stole something from him, it didn't warrant revenge. Even if Arik broke my heart, it didn't mean I should hate him for it.

"What does this have to do with me?" 

"Eris was my mate, Kamari. She was my everything. We were happily mated until that bastard became Alpha. Then she up and left and took half of what I owned with her. I want it back. All of it. And the only way I can do that is with your help." 

Narrowing my eyes at him, I leaned forward. Felt my heart move with me. Or maybe it was just the empty space Arik left. Either way, it was a horrible feeling. "And how can I help? Why should I help?"

Zayan flashed me his million-dollar smile. My insides clenched together again. There was no denying that he was sexy. In charge. His presence alone was enough to bring any woman to her knees.

"Because I know some part of you will enjoy showing that bastard a fraction of the pain he caused you when he rejected you. Ready for that shot yet?" I shook my head at the question. Tried to wrap my mind around what he had said. He smiled again and tilted his head sideways. 

"I want you to seduce him. Get him in your bed. Then clean out his accounts."