The Grand Ballroom of The Sterling shimmered under the glow of magnificent crystal chandeliers. The scent of lilies and roses filled the air, a luxury that should have been mine tonight.

I stepped inside, letting my high heels click a steady, confident rhythm against the marble floor.

Gwen had indeed performed incredible feats. I wore a sleek, deep black silk dress that hugged my frame perfectly—a color symbolizing mourning for my past and a bold statement for my new self. My hair fell in elegant waves, and my makeup was sharp, making it clear I wasn't here to mourn.

"Rose?"

The voice made me turn. David stood there, wearing the tuxedo I knew so well because I had helped him pick it out weeks ago. David appeared stunned, his gaze scrutinizing every aspect of my appearance.

"You actually came," he said, his voice slightly trembling.

"Of course, David," I replied with a thin smile, the kind that didn't reach my eyes. "I wouldn't want to miss the happiest day of your life."

Sarah appeared beside him, wearing a white wedding dress that looked a bit snug around her midsection. Her face paled when she saw me. "Rose... thank you for coming." Her polite smile was visibly strained.

"You're welcome, Sarah. You two look very... compatible," I said calmly.

I could feel the guests' eyes beginning to focus on us. The majority of them were the same friends I had expected to attend my wedding.

"Rose, I'm glad you're being the bigger person," David whispered, a note of smugness slipping into his tone, as if he was proud of having left me.

I just gave a small laugh. "Don't get too confident, David. I'm here to deliver your wedding gift."

"Gift? You didn't have to—" Sarah tried to interject, but I cut her off.

"Oh, but I prepared something very special. You'll love it. Consider it my appreciation for your honesty," I said before turning and leaving the confused couple behind.

I melted back into the crowd, took a glass of champagne, and positioned myself strategically. My heart pounded, not from fear, but from adrenaline. As a werewolf, my senses suddenly picked up something incredibly strong.

I stiffened. That scent again. My gaze swept across the crowded room, searching for the man from the nightclub. How could he be here? However, the emcee's speech diverted my attention.

"And now, let's witness the beautiful journey of this happy couple through a short video."

The lights dimmed. The giant screen behind the stage lit up.

At first, it showed photos of David and Sarah. But then, abruptly, the image changed. David's voice echoed through the entire room via the speakers.

"Rose, I love you. Will you be my wife?"

On the screen, a recording played of David kneeling to propose to me in a flower garden a year ago. My figure was neatly blurred, but those who knew us recognized me. The shocking part was when the camera slowly panned sideways, revealing Sarah standing in the distance, watching the moment with a face full of hatred.

Murmurs began to ripple through the guests. David and Sarah froze on the stage.

Then, the video cut to footage from a week ago—CCTV footage from my apartment, with the audio enhanced and cleaned up.

"She's pregnant with my child. I want to call off our wedding, Rose." David's cold voice rang out with perfect clarity.

"I'm going to marry Sarah soon, before her belly starts to show."

The screen showed David standing tall and unapologetic, while Sarah stood beside him, looking down and holding her still-flat stomach. Although my face remained blurred, the heartbreak in that scene was palpable throughout the room.

"Turn it off! Turn it off!" David yelled, his voice shrill with humiliation.

His face was crimson. Sarah began to sob, covering her face with her hands.

The guests' whispers grew into a loud buzz, some openly sneering.

"How cruel to steal your friend's fiancé."

"Pregnant already? What a cheap woman."

I stood in the middle of the crowd, raising my champagne glass high toward a frantic David on the stage. He glared at me with eyes full of rage and shame, but I only returned a cold stare and a small, knowing smile.

"Congratulations on your wedding, David and Sarah," I murmured softly, then finished my champagne in one gulp.

I turned to leave the room. My task was complete; I had given them a surprise they would remember for years in their social circles.

However, just as I reached the dimly lit exit, a large, warm hand gently yet possessively caught my arm.

I jolted, coming face-to-face—or rather, face-to-chest—with a powerful, broad torso. I looked up, and there he stood. He was the man with the intoxicating golden eyes.

"A remarkable performance, Rose," he whispered, his voice low and husky, sending an electric jolt through my entire body.

"You... what are you doing here?" I asked, my breath catching.

He didn't answer. Instead, he lowered his head, bringing his face close to my neck, inhaling my scent deeply as if worshipping something there.

"I said we'd meet again, didn't I?" he murmured. His other hand now rested on my waist, pulling me closer until there was no space left between us. "And now that you're finished with that trash... can we talk about this incredibly sweet scent of yours?"

I found myself immobile. He knew. He knew I wasn't entirely human.

"Who are you, really?" I whispered, my hands unconsciously gripping his shirt.

“Xavier.”

***

I don't know how I ended up here. My mind is still stuck in the chaotic ballroom, the mess I left behind, but my body is already inside this luxurious, soundproof car with dark interiors.

A pure, powerful scent dominates the cabin, so strong it makes my head spin. Beside me, the man—Xavier—sits calmly, yet his dominant aura feels like it's pressing down on the air around me.

"You smell so sweet, Rose," the man murmurs softly.

He leans towards me. The distance between us is so slight I can feel the heat radiating from his powerful build. My heart is pounding wildly. It's not out of fear, but because of a sudden, wild instinct inside me demanding attention.

"Why... why did you take me away?" I whisper, my voice nearly vanishing as his molten gold eyes lock onto mine.

Xavier doesn't answer immediately. He reaches out, his long, warm fingers tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. His touch sends an electric wave that makes me shiver.

"Because I don't like seeing what's mine standing among trash like your ex," his voice is low and husky, vibrating right down to my ribs.

"I am not yours," I protest weakly, even as my hand unconsciously grips his black shirt, pulling him closer because I can't bear the distance between us.

"Is that so?" Xavier lets out a soft chuckle, an intoxicatingly masculine sound. "Then why is your heart pounding like this when I touch you, Rose?"

He leans down, letting his nose brush against the sensitive skin of my neck. He inhales my scent deeply, as if I were the oxygen he needs to survive. His warm lips then move, placing soft kisses along my jawline to the corner of my mouth.

A primitive, chest-tightening passion suddenly explodes. Here I am, newly heartbroken, yet feeling an intense thirst for the touch of this stranger.

"Xavier..." I murmur unconsciously.

Hearing his name, he no longer holds back. He captures my lips in a deep, demanding kiss. This isn't a gentle kiss; it's the claim of an Alpha. His large hands creep to my waist, pulling my body until I'm seated on his lap.

I let out a soft moan as his tongue explores my mouth, entwining with mine in a hot, demanding dance. The intoxicating sweetness of his lips replaces the bitter taste of champagne in my mouth.

I place my hands at the nape of his neck, gently gripping his short hair and returning his kiss with equal intensity.

All my burdens melt away inside the car. The fire Xavier has ignited overshadows the wound David left. Our skin touching feels like lost pieces finally finding each other after being apart for so long.

He breaks the kiss for a moment, only to look at me with eyes darkened by desire. "I want you, Rose," he whispers right against my now-swollen lips.

I gaze into those gold eyes, feeling myself fall deeper. I don't know how to respond to his words. I am utterly enchanted by him.

Xavier gives a faint, possessive smile.

He leans down again, kissing my neck with small nips that make me arch my back and grip his sturdy shoulders.

A soft gasp escapes my lips as his sharp yet careful teeth deliver a pleasurable sting on the skin of my neck. My hands grip his shoulders more tightly, seeking an anchor amidst the storm of passion I've never felt before.

"Xavier... slow down," I whisper hoarsely, even as my body demands more.

Xavier pauses briefly, his face lifting from my neck. His hot breath fans against my face. His gold eyes now look darker, almost like the color of thick honey in the dim cabin light.

"I love your scent, Rose," he whispers before kissing my neck again.

Xavier's touch on my neck feels increasingly demanding. Each small nip and soft suction feels like he's mapping his territory on my body.

I moan, my hands sliding into his hair, pulling him closer until my heaving chest presses directly against the rigid plane of his.

"Xavier..." I whisper, my voice breaking from the surging passion.

His large hands move at my waist. One hand slowly rises, slipping behind my silk dress, caressing the skin of my back with a burning touch.

Warmth spreads through my nerves, making my wolf instinct thrash, wanting to surrender completely to this man. Xavier moves, kissing my jawline before devouring my lips again with deeper, wilder intensity.

The air in the car feels increasingly thin and hot. I can feel his power, the overwhelmingly dominant Alpha aura, enveloping me until I feel dizzy. We are almost losing control. My hands begin to move restlessly on his shoulders, while he continues to press my body against the car seat, applying pressure that makes my entire body tremble.

Suddenly, a loud ringing tone shatters the passion-filled silence.

Drrrtt... Drrrtt...

The phone in my small bag vibrates intensely. Its sound feels thunderous in the confined space, as if dousing my entire body with ice water. I jerk, trying to catch my breath, which feels stifled.

"Ignore it," Xavier growls low against the curve of my neck. His breath is still ragged, reluctant to release his claim.

"I... I have to answer it," I say hoarsely, trying to push his shoulder slightly.

Xavier growls in annoyance, a sound of frustration at the interruption. He looks at me with eyes still darkened, full of unresolved desire.

I reach into my bag with trembling hands and look at the phone screen. Mom.

Thoughts of the chaos at David's party, the recording I replayed, and the fact that I'm sitting on a stranger's lap suddenly hit me hard. My awareness returns fully.

"I have to go, Xavier," I say, this time with a steadier voice.

I quickly move from his lap back to my seat, straightening my slightly disheveled dress.

"Rose, wait." Xavier grabs my arm. His grip isn't painful, but it's very firm. "You can't just leave like this after what happened earlier."

I look at him, trying to steady my breathing. "My mind is a mess. Too much has happened tonight. I can't do this right now."

Xavier stares at me sharply, as if weighing whether to let me go or take me away with him. Finally, he lets out a long sigh and slowly releases my arm.

"Alright," he murmurs, though there's a note of disappointment in his voice.

"Maybe we'll meet again," I say, my hand already on the car door handle. "But not tonight."

Xavier doesn't reply. Instead, he reaches into his pants pocket and pulls out an elegant black card with embossed gold lettering. He extends it to me.

"Take this," he commands, leaving no room for argument. "Contact me soon."

I take the card and immediately get out of the car before my defenses crumble again. I don't look back as I walk away, but I can feel the gaze of his gold eyes watching me until I disappear into the darkness of the night.

I look at the card in my hand. Xavier Sterling.

"Sterling?"

Thud!

My heart seems to sink into my stomach. Xavier Sterling is the apex predator in the business world and the supreme leader of the Sterling clan. Xavier Sterling, the Alpha of all Alphas, wields immense power over this continent. I just kissed the most dangerous man in the werewolf world.

***

My phone screen lights up, displaying hundreds of notifications, as if trying to make it explode.

Someone has made the party video public. With my face on display, everyone recognises me as the woman David abandoned for someone from his past. Everyone has identified the woman in that video as me.

"Dammit, who leaked it?" I whisper, trembling.

I throw the phone onto the sofa, rubbing my face in frustration.

Reporters have swarmed the entrance to my apartment building like a school of piranhas, drawn by the scent of blood. Yet, my fear of the cameras is nothing compared to the dread seeping into my marrow when I think of Xavier Sterling.

Every time I inhale, the memory of his cedarwood and musk scent invades my senses, as if he were standing right behind me. My hybrid blood surges, defying my rationality. His touch in the car that night wasn't just ordinary passion; it was the call of a predator recognising its prey.

I couldn't stay. If reporters managed to locate me, it would only take Xavier a mere flick of his fingers to drag me back into his enslavement. I had to leave. I couldn't be associated with a man who could make every werewolf clan on this continent tremble.

***

I arrived on the southern coast under a gloomy sky, as if I were mourning the chaos of my life. This fishing village is extremely remote, silent, and hidden and still largely unknown to the world. This island was the ideal location for my escape from the David scandal and the looming threat of Xavier Sterling.

I gaze at the vast, beautiful, mesmerising ocean before me. But my heart is too numb to appreciate it.

The wooden cabin I rented stands in silence on the shore, facing the roaring expanse of the sea directly.

Here, I hoped the solitude would be a balm. But I was wrong. The silence only amplified the madness in my head.

Nights on the beach feel like endless torture. Every time I close my eyes, the sound of the waves transforms into the husky baritone of Xavier's whispers.

I'm transported back to that car cabin, feeling the intoxicating heat of his body, his demanding tongue, and the small nips on my neck that felt like they were tearing my soul out.

My dreams become wild and uncontrollable. In my sleep, I see myself with him under silvery moonlight, surrendering all my dignity under his dominant hold.

I wake with a violent start. I wake up gasping for breath, my sheets damp with cold sweat, and an intense thirst seeping through every nerve, especially in my pulsing core.

"Dammit..." I curse, my voice hoarse and strange to my ears.

I scramble out of bed, my steps unsteady as if the earth were shaking. In the bathroom, I splash my face with cold water repeatedly, trying to extinguish the fire burning beneath my skin.

I stare at my reflection in the foggy mirror. My eyes glitter strangely, with an unusual flush on my cheeks.

The cause is the heat. This is an unbearable phase of arousal, a pain I have never experienced in my three years with David.

The magic stone seal on my neck feels warm. I can see hairline cracks on its surface. That brief encounter with Xavier has damaged my defences, awakening my long-dormant animal instincts.

"I must be going insane," I whisper to my reflection, my trembling fingers touching my lips that still feel the phantom pressure of Xavier's. "This can't be. I cannot succumb to my instincts. I have to forget him! He's dangerous, Rose. He is your ruin!"

I grip the edge of the sink until my knuckles turn white. I hate the reality that while my common sense screams danger, my body is thrashing, yearning for the predator I'm supposed to avoid.

***

That morning, I try to find a sliver of peace by walking along the shoreline. The sound of waves crashing against the rocks should be a soothing melody, but my hybrid instinct remains on high alert, sensing something is wrong.

The cold sea wind hits my face but does nothing to cool the fire blazing under my skin. The wet sand slips between my toes, offering a small sense of reality amidst my fading sanity.

Suddenly, my steps halt.

The air around me abruptly changes. The atmospheric pressure feels heavy, as though the presence of something massive has just sucked out the oxygen here. My sense of smell, now ten times sharper due to the cracked seal, picks up a scent.

It's a strong, cold aroma, mixed with an overwhelmingly dominant masculine fragrance. Cedarwood and musk. This scent has been tormenting me in my dreams for several nights.

"Impossible..." I whisper, my heart pounding so hard it's painful.

I slowly turn towards the rocky cliff at the edge of the beach. There stands a figure whose presence can dim the morning sunlight.

Xavier Sterling.

He stands there arrogantly, his unbuttoned white shirt billowing in the sea breeze, revealing a glimpse of the broad chest that kept me awake with desire last night.

"Hey, how could he be here?" The danger instinct inside me screams. Before he notices me, I have to leave.

I immediately turn and walk away, hoping he hasn't noticed my presence.

Regrettably, just as I'm about to arrive at my cabin, a voice abruptly stops me.

"Finally, I found you, Rose."

Thud.

My body freezes. Just hearing his voice, I already know who stands behind me.

Calm down, Rose, calm down. Act normal and pretend to be surprised.

I turn around and see Xavier standing a few steps behind me.

"M-Mr? Goodness, it's a small world, isn't it? To think we'd meet again here." I try to stay calm, accompanied by a forced, unnatural laugh.

His sharp gold eyes lock onto my gaze. He doesn't reply to my foolish words. He just walks slowly, erasing the distance between us. Each step has the rhythm of a predator who knows his prey has no escape left.

The wind carries his heavy baritone voice, "A rather far escape, Rose", right to the pit of my stomach.

My feet feel rooted to the ground, despite my desire to run. Violent tremors begin to attack my knees. "Ha ha... escape? "From what?" I know my dry laughter sounds very suspicious.

Xavier stops right in front of me. The distance is so close I can feel the radiating heat from his powerful body. He leans his face down, inhaling the air around my neck in an intensely possessive manner.

"I don't know. From what?" he whispers in a voice that sends shivers down my spine.

***