SLOANE
Two hours into the party, and I was contemplating calling it a night. Not that I'd actually leave, this was my party, my house, and my domain but I could retreat to my private suite upstairs and leave the masses to their revelry. It wouldn't be the first time I'd abandoned my own party out of sheer boredom.
I was just about to make my exit when Diana, one of my pack members, grabbed my arm.
"Sloane! We're playing truth or dare in the back room. You have to join us!"
I raised an eyebrow. "Truth or dare? What are we, children?"
"Come on, it'll be fun!" She was already pulling me towards the back of the house, where a group had gathered in one of the smaller lounges. "We need you to make it interesting."
Against my better judgment, I followed. Maybe Kai was right, maybe I needed to loosen up, have some actual fun instead of brooding about how bored I was.
The lounge was packed with about fifteen people, most of whom I recognized. They cheered when I walked in, making space for me on one of the couches. I settled in, crossing my legs and surveying the group with an amused smile.
"Alright," I said. "What are the rules?"
"Standard rules," Diana explained, already tipsy. "Truth or dare. If you refuse, you have to take a shot but nobody's refused yet."
"How brave of you all." I leaned back, getting comfortable. "Let's make this interesting then. I dare someone to dare me."
They laughed, the sound nervous and excited. They knew I didn't play games halfway.
"I'll do it," Kai said, dropping onto the couch beside me. Of course he would. "Sloane Pierce, I dare you to..."
He paused for dramatic effect, and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.
"...kiss a random person at this party. Someone you've never kissed before. First person you see when you leave this room." He said and I smirked.
The group erupted in excited chatter. It was a bold dare, but not particularly challenging. I'd kissed dozens of people. What was one more?
"Fine," I said, standing. "One random kiss. This should be quick."
I walked out of the lounge, very aware of people following me to watch the show. The hallway was crowded, bodies pressed together, music pounding.
I scanned the crowd, looking for someone who caught my eye. Someone I hadn't already had, someone who might make this interesting, and then I smelled it.
A scent unlike anything I'd ever encountered. Fresh, clean, with an underlying sweetness that made my wolf sit up and take notice. It cut through all the other smells in the room—the alcohol, the sweat, the artificial fragrances—like a beacon.
What the hell?
I turned, following the scent instinctively, my body moving before my brain could catch up. The crowd seemed to part before me, and then I saw him.
Tall, absurdly tall for an Omega, if that's what he was. Lean but clearly strong, with tousled dirty blonde hair that looked like he'd run his hands through it a thousand times. He was standing near the edge of the room, looking uncomfortable and out of place, like he'd rather be anywhere else, and he was beautiful.
Not in the polished, practiced way that most people at Willoughby were beautiful. His was a raw, natural beauty—sharp features, a strong jaw, and eyes that were currently scanning the room like he was looking for an escape route.
Those eyes landed on me, and I felt a pull, a tug deep in my chest, right where my wolf lived. She was suddenly alert, focused entirely on this stranger. She wanted…
No, I shook my head slightly, pushing the feeling away. I didn't want a mate. I'd never wanted one, the idea of being tied to someone, being vulnerable to someone, was repellent to everything I'd built myself to be.
This was just an attraction, unusual attraction, maybe, but nothing more.
I stalked towards him, aware of the crowd watching, aware of Kai somewhere behind me probably grinning like an idiot. The guy tracked my approach with those stunning blue eyes, his body tensing, he was damn smart because he recognized a predator when he saw one.
I stopped directly in front of him, close enough that he had to tilt his head down slightly to maintain eye contact. Close enough that I could see the flecks of silver in his blue irises, and close enough that his scent wrapped around me like a drug.
Fuck, he smelled good.
"Hello," I purred, letting my power leak into my voice. Most Omegas went weak in the knees when I used my Alpha voice. Let's see how this one handled it.
"Hi," he said, and his voice was steady. Wary, but steady.
Interesting.
"I'm Sloane." I let my gaze travel down his body slowly, appreciatively. Definitely an Omega, I could tell now that I was close but he held himself like an Alpha, shoulders back, chin up, and refusing to submit.
"I know who you are," he said flatly.
"Do you?" I stepped closer, invading his personal space deliberately. "Then you know that when I want something, I get it."
His jaw tightened. "Good for you."
The crowd around us was growing, people sensing drama. I could hear whispers, feel eyes on us. This was a show, and I was the star.
"I'm going to kiss you," I informed him, matter-of-fact.
His eyes widened slightly, the first real crack in his composure. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me." I reached up, tracing one finger along his jaw. His skin was warm, and I felt him shiver despite his obvious effort not to react. "I'm going to kiss you, and you're going to let me."
"No," he said.
The word hung between us like a bomb.
No.
People didn't tell me no.
I blinked, certain I'd misheard. "What?"
"I said no." He took a step back, putting distance between us. "I'm not interested."
The crowd gasped because this didn't happen. Nobody rejected Sloane Pierce.
I felt my wolf snarl in my chest, offended, and angry. How dare he?
"You're joking," I said, my voice dropping to something dangerous.
"I'm not." He met my eyes steadily, and I could see the fear there, he knew exactly how risky this was but he didn't back down. "I don't know what game you're playing, but I'm not interested in being part of it."
Game!? He thought this was a game.
It was, technically. The dare but that wasn't why I wanted to kiss him anymore. That scent, that pull, the way my wolf was practically clawing at me to get closer to him.
"Everyone wants me," I said, and I hated how pettish I sounded.
"Then I guess I'm not everyone." He stepped around me, clearly intending to leave.
I grabbed his wrist without thinking, and the contact sent electricity up my arm. He felt it too, I saw his eyes widen, and saw his breath catch.
"Let go," he said quietly.
We stared at each other, and for a moment, I considered not letting go, I considered using my Alpha authority to make him stay, make him submit, make him— No, that wasn't who I was. I didn't force people. I didn't need to.
I released his wrist and stepped back. "Fine. Go."
He didn't wait for me to change my mind, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the crowd. I stood there, stunned, as the reality of what just happened sank in.
Someone had told me no. An Omega had rejected me in front of everyone.
The crowd erupted in whispers, people looking between me and the direction he'd gone, waiting to see how I'd react. Kai appeared at my side, his expression caught between amusement and concern.
"Well," he said. "That was unexpected."
I turned to look at him, and I knew my eyes were probably wild. My wolf was going insane, torn between fury at the rejection and desperate need to chase after him.
"Who was that?" I demanded.
"That was the guy I mentioned. Bryce Carter." Kai's grin was back. "Told you he had an attitude."
Bryce Carter.
I turned back to where he'd disappeared, my mind already racing. He'd rejected me, embarrassed me in front of my pack, my friends, and my followers. Nobody did that. Nobody fucking dares to do that.
"Sloane?" Kai's voice was careful now. "You okay?"
Was I okay? No, I was furious, humiliated, and underneath all of that, I was... intrigued.
He'd said no… to me.
My wolf wanted to hunt him down, make him submit, make him understand who I was but the rational part of my brain, the part that had always been good at strategy, was already thinking ahead.
He was a challenge, a real, genuine challenge, and I hadn't had one of those in… ever, I've never had one.
"I'm fine," I said, smoothing down my shirt and pulling my composure back into place. "Just surprised."
"Surprised is one word for it." Kai studied me. "What are you going to do?"
I looked at him, and I knew my smile was sharp. "What do you think? I'm going to make him regret saying no to me."
"Sloane—"
"He thinks he can reject me? Embarrass me?" My wolf Tala was fully on board now, growling her agreement. "He has no idea who he's dealing with."
"Maybe you should let it go," Kai suggested, though he sounded doubtful. "He's just some sophomore. Not worth your time."
But he was wrong, Bryce Carter had just become very worth my time because I was Sloane Pierce, and nobody I repeat nobody told me no and got away with it.
"Find out everything about him," I told Kai. "Where he lives, what classes he takes, who his friends are. Everything."
Kai sighed. "You're sure about this?"
I thought about those blue eyes, that defiant tilt to his chin, the way his scent had made Tala wake up for the first time in years.
"I'm sure," I said. "Bryce Carter just became my new favorite toy." And I always got my toys in the end.
The party continued around me, but I barely noticed. My mind was entirely focused on the tall, beautiful Omega who'd had the audacity to walk away from me.
I tried to mingle, tried to fall back into my role as host, but my attention kept drifting to the door he'd disappeared through. Several people approached me, offers to dance, to drink, to fuck and I turned them all down with a distraction I rarely displayed.
"You're obsessing," Kai said when he found me an hour later, still standing in almost the same spot.
"I'm thinking," I corrected.
"Obsessing," he repeated. "Sloane, I've known you for twenty years. I know what you look like when you're fixated on something."
"He rejected me." I said it out loud, testing the words. They still felt surreal. "In front of everyone. Do you know what that does to my reputation?"
"Your reputation is fine. If anything, it makes you more interesting." Kai handed me another drink. "But you're not upset about your reputation. You're upset because your ego got bruised."
Maybe but it was more than that. That scent, that pull. Tala's reaction.
I'd spent years ignoring my wolf when she got restless, years suppressing any hint of the mate bond nonsense that some wolves obsessed over. I didn't want a mate, I didn't need one but my wolf had reacted to Bryce Carter like he was… No, absolutely not. I refused to even consider it.
"I want to know everything about him," I said again. "Start with why he was even at this party. He clearly didn't want to be here."
"I invited him, Sloane, so what will you do? Jump on him, kidnap him, and make him your slave until he bends?" Kai asked.
I didn't smile at his joke. "I'm serious, Kai."
"I know you are. That's what worries me." He studied me carefully. "What exactly are you planning to do?"
"I'm going to make him want me." The answer came easily. "I'm going to make him regret ever saying no to me, and then, when he's desperate for me, when he's begging for my attention..." I paused, savoring the image. "I'm going to walk away. Just like he did."
It was petty, vindictive, exactly the kind of thing people expected from me and it felt right.
"You're playing with fire," Kai warned. "He's not like the others, Sloane. I could tell that from five minutes of conversation."
"Good, I'm bored with the others." I finished my drink and set the glass down with more force than necessary. "I want him, Kai and I'm going to have him."
"Want him or want to punish him?"
Both, or neither. I didn't know anymore.
All I knew was that Bryce Carter had done something nobody else had managed to do in years, he'd made me feel something other than boredom, and I was going to chase that feeling until I understood it, until I conquered it, until I conquered him.
"Just get me the information," I said. "I'll handle the rest."
Kai sighed but nodded. "Your funeral."
He didn't understand, nobody would but that was fine.
I was Sloane Pierce, I didn't need understanding, I just needed to win and Bryce Carter had just become the prize in a game he didn't even know he was playing, and I always won my games.