CHAPTER 2 – The Aftertaste of Regret
What had I done?
I pressed a hand to my forehead as images from last night flooded my head. The heat of his skin, his voice calling me "my lady," the whisper of "my mate."
My wolf stirred faintly at the memory, a low purr startling me. She had never reacted like this before.
And now, she was restless and pacing and giving me a headache.
I shook it off. "No. We're not doing this," I muttered, grabbing my clothes and slipping out quietly.
The sun had barely risen.
The party hall was empty now with spilled drinks, broken decorations everywhere.
I kept my head down as I slipped through the back door, praying no one saw me.
By the time I reached my apartment, the shame and confusion I felt made me unable to breathe.
What if someone saw us?
What if Roland heard?
What if that man was someone dangerous?
I tossed the mask into a drawer and shut it hard, trying to bury what happened.
But his smell still lingered and every inhale made my heart... amd Cote tighten.
I showered twice, scrubbing my skin until it hurt, but the memory didn't wash off no matter how hard I tried.
Later that morning, I was on my way to the kitchen when I saw Tessa standing by the door.
She looked so small and pale, her hands twisting nervously.
"Ari," she started softly. "Please, I need to—"
I didn't let her finish.
"Don't," I said flatly. "You've done enough."
Tears welled up in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Ari. I swear, it wasn't planned. Roland and I—"
"Shut up." My voice broke. "You are... were my best friend. You knew how much I loved him."
She took a shaky step closer. "I made a mistake. Please don't hate me."
Something inside me snapped and my hand moved before I could stop it connecting with her face.
Tessa's eyes widened in shock.
"I don't hate you," I said quietly. "You're just dead to me."
Then I walked past her, ignoring the sob that followed me out the door.
I needed air, I needed to breathe and so I went to the training grounds.
The field was already filled with pack members stretching and sparring, the scent of dew mixing with wolf musk. For a while, I just lost myself in the rhythm; punch, dodge, block.
My body moved on autopilot, thankful for the distraction.
But the peace didn't last long cause soon after, Roland showed up.
The second I saw him walking across the field, my stomach knotted.
"Ari," he called, stopping a few feet away. His voice was careful. "We need to talk."
I didn't even glance at him. "No, we don't."
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Please. I can't stand that you hate me."
I turned sharply, my glare hard. "Then maybe you should've thought about that before you crawled into bed with my best friend."
The people around us slowed their movements, pretending not to eavesdrop,but I saw them and it took everything in me to not yell at them.
Roland lowered his voice. "It didn't mean anything. You're still—"
"Stop," I said coldly, grabbing a towel.
He flinched but didn't leave. "I still love you."
"That's so funny," I muttered. "Did you say the same thing to her last night?"
I started to walk off—but froze.
That feeling.
It was so sudden and intense, like fire spreading through my chest.
My wolf reacted instantly, suddenly alert.
Someone was watching me.
I turned slowly, scanning the edge of the field but came up with nothing.
But I still felt it... the heat crawling along my skin, the same magnetic pull that I had felt at the party.
I rubbed my arms, trying to shake the sensation.
Roland noticed and frowned. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," I lied, heart pounding and tried to ignore it.
An hour later, the Alpha's horn sounded across the field, calling everyone to attention.
Alpha Gregory stood on the platform, his expression firm and proud. "I have an announcement to make everyone," he began, his deep voice carrying easily over the crowd. "My eldest son, Armani, will be returning to the pack this week. He'll be joining the leadership council and overseeing security training."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd.
Armani.
My wolf's ears perked up instantly, tail flicking in excitement.
I frowned.
What's wrong with you?
She didn't answer, just growled softly, a low sound that felt very close to longing.
Roland leaned in, muttering, "Huh... I didn't think Armani would ever come back."
I barely heard him. My heart was racing for no reason.
That strange heat returned, crawling under my skin, pulsing in rhythm with my heartbeat.
When Alpha Gregory dismissed everyone, I was the first to leave.
I needed to be alone to process my thoughts.
That night, I stood in front of the mirror, brushing my hair.
The events of the past two days swirled in my head—the betrayal, the stranger, his words
"Mate."
Anytime I remembered that night and his voice, it made me tremble.
I set the brush down and touched my neck.
My fingers brushed something tender.
I leaned closer to the mirror.
There it was—a faint mark, small and curved like a crescent flame just below my collarbone.
It hadn't been there yesterday.
I pressed it lightly, and a wave of warmth spread through my body. My wolf purred again, rolling in satisfaction.
"What the hell…" I whispered.
The mark glowed faintly under the bathroom light. I turned off the switch. Under the soft spill of moonlight from the window, it shimmered—gold and red, almost alive.
A knock on my door made me jump.
"Ari?" It was Lena's voice.
"Come in," I said, quickly covering the mark with my shirt.
She walked in holding two mugs of cocoa, wearing her usual oversized hoodie. "You okay? I saw you leaving training early."
"Yeah," I lied. "Just tired."
She sat on the edge of my bed, studying me. "You've been acting weird since the party. Did something happen?"
I froze for a second too long. "No."
Her eyes narrowed. "Ari."
I sighed. "Fine. I… met someone. At the masquerade."
Her eyebrows shot up. "Someone? Like, someone someone?"
"Don't make that face," I muttered. "It wasn't planned. I don't even know who he was. He wore a mask."
Lena gasped. "You had a one-night stand?"
"Keep your voice down!" I hissed, throwing a pillow at her.
She caught it, laughing. "Wow. I never in my life expected you to try something like that. You really are full of surprises." Then her expression softened. "Was he at least nice?"
I hesitated. "He was… different. His touch, his voice—it felt familiar, but I'd never met him before. And when he kissed me, my wolf—" I stopped, biting my lip.
"Your wolf what?"
"She reacted. Like she knew him."
Lena blinked. "That's… unusual."
"I know." I looked down, fidgeting with my sleeve. "And now there's this." I pulled the neckline of my shirt slightly to show her the faint mark.
She leaned in, eyes widening. "Ari, what is that?"
"I don't know. It wasn't there before."
She brushed her thumb over it gently. The mark flared faintly under her touch, pulsing with light.
Lena froze, staring. "Did it just… glow?"
"I thought I was imagining it," I whispered.
Her voice dropped to a whisper too. "When did it appear?"
"This morning I think."
"Does it hurt?"
"No. It just feels… war
m. Especially when I think about him."
Lena's eyes flicked up to mine, wide and alarmed. "Ariel, that's not normal. That's not just a bruise."
A chill ran down my spine. "What do you mean?"
She took a shaky breath, her voice trembling.
"That's not just a bruise, Ariel," she whispered. "It's a mate mark."