Kiara POV

Tristan was seated at the center of the table like he owned the world.

Beside him were his friends, all dressed in expensive suits, all wearing the same look of amusement, curiosity and hunger.

“Hey,” one of them called, snapping his fingers at me like I was nothing more than a pet. “Are you going to stand there all night, or are you actually going to do your job?”

Another smirked. “Or is she one of those girls you have to pay extra for?”

“Call girl,” someone added under their breath.

I inhaled slowly, forcing the anger down, forcing the humiliation to stay buried where it belonged. “I’m a waitress,” I said evenly, placing menus in front of them. “Please take your seats.”

Tristan didn’t say a word, he just watched me like I was a stranger. I leaned forward to place a bottle of beer in front of one of his friends and froze.

A hand grabbed me and my breath caught as his fingers squeezed my backside, bold and shameless. “I like this outfit,” he murmured, dragging his hand slightly before I jerked away. “Bet it looks even better on the floor.”

Heat flooded my body anger, disgust and humiliation all tangled together. “Don’t touch me,” I snapped, louder this time.

That only made them laugh. “Oh, come on,” another one said, leaning back lazily. “Isn’t that what you’re here for? To keep customers happy?”

“Sit on my lap,” the first one added, patting his thigh. “I’ll make it worth your while.”

I clenched my jaw. “I said I’m a waitress,” I repeated, sharper now. “Not whatever it is you think I am.”

“You got hired because you look like that,” someone scoffed, gesturing to my uniform the short skirt, the tight top, the way it clung to my body like it was designed to invite attention. “Don’t act innocent, this place doesn’t hire saints.”

My stomach twisted and he wasn’t entirely wrong but that didn’t mean I had to accept this. “Tell you what,” another voice cut in, sliding a full glass of beer toward me. “Drink this, all of it and I’ll give you ten thousand.”

My heart skipped. “What?”

“You heard me,” he said, smirking. “Finish it, ten thousand.”

A second glass was pushed forward. “We’ll all pay,” another added. “Each.”

My gaze flickered unwillingly to Tristan and he was watching not defending me.

Something inside me cracked, if this was what I had to do to survive then so be it. I stepped forward, grabbing the first glass, the smell alone made my stomach turn but I didn’t hesitate, I tipped it back.

The bitter liquid burned down my throat, making my eyes water, but I didn’t stop and cheers erupted around me. “Look at her go..”

I slammed the empty glass down harder than necessary. “Next,” I said hoarsely.

More laughter and glasses, I drank again and again, by the time I reached the third, my head was spinning, my vision blurring at the edges and then suddenly a hand wrapped around my wrist.

The glass slipped from my fingers..“Enough.”

The voice was low, it was Tristan and before I could react, he pulled me away from the table.

“Hey...what the hell..” one of them complained.

“Party’s just getting started!”

But Tristan ignored them, he dragged me through the crowd, out of the noise, out of the lights until we were outside, the cool night air hitting my flushed skin then he let go.

I stumbled back, catching myself. “What is wrong with you?” he demanded, turning on me, his eyes blazing. “Have you completely lost your mind?”

I let out a bitter laugh. “Funny,” I said, my voice unsteady but sharp. “I was about to ask you the same thing.”

“Accept my offer,” he snapped. “And stop humiliating yourself like this.”

“I already gave you my answer,” I shot back. “I’m not becoming your mistress.”

His expression darkened. “So this is better?” he gestured toward the club. “Selling yourself to a room full of men?”

“I’m working,” I said through clenched teeth. “Something you wouldn’t understand anymore.”

“You looked pathetic in there.”

The words hit but I refused to let him see it.

“Why do you care?” I asked coldly. “You have Aurora your perfect Luna, go back to her.”

His jaw tightened. “You are still mine, Kiara.”

The audacity of it. “I was never yours,” I said, my voice deadly calm.

For a second, something flickered in his eyes.

Then it was gone. “Fine,” he sneered. “Keep acting like this, degrade yourself that’s clearly all you’re good for.”

The slap echoed in the night and my hand stung, his head barely moved but the silence that followed was deafening.

His eyes turned dark and he stepped forward, grabbing my arm, then froze his gaze dropped to my neck and everything changed. “What is that?” he hissed.

My stomach dropped, I instinctively reached up but it was too late.

The mark, Xavier mark was faint, but unmistakable. Tristan grip tightened as he tilted my chin, forcing me to face him. "Is that a hickey?”

I held his gaze..“So what if it is?”

Something ugly twisted in his expression. “Who?” he demanded. “Who touched you?”

“None of your business.”

I turned to leave and he yanked me back. “Answer me!”

Pain shot through my arm. “Xavier,” I snapped, my voice cutting through the tension like a blade. “Your father....”

Silence then he started laughing “Right,” Xavier scoffed. “Try again.”

Footsteps approached and they were his friends. “You mean that Xavier?” one of them laughed. “The Lycan King?”

“Yeah, sure,” another added. “He wouldn’t even look twice at someone like her.”

Their laughter wrapped around me like chains.

But I didn’t back down. “I’m not lying.”

That was when Tristan grabbed my throat.

“Don’t play games with me,” he growled. “You think you can use his name.....”

A sharp honk cut through the moment and Tristan grip loosened I gasped, stumbling back, clutching my throat.

A sleek black car had pulled up by the curb the back door opened and there he was, Xavier.

Even seated, he dominated the space his gaze landed on me first then it flicked to Tristan and something darker surfaced. “Get in,” he said.

My heart pounded..“I won’t repeat myself, Kiara.”

That was all it took and I moved fast. I could feel Tristan stare burning into me as I slipped into the car, the door shutting behind me like a final decision. “Drive,” Xavier said.

The car pulled away smoothly, silence filled the space and I became suddenly aware of everything my flushed skin, my unsteady breathing… the way his presence seemed to consume the air.

He turned his head slightly, his gaze settling on me. “Using me to provoke him?” he asked quietly.

My pulse stuttered as I met his eyes and for the first time that night, I didn’t feel powerless.

“Maybe,” I said, his lips curved.

“Careful, Kiara,” Xavier murmured. “You don’t play games with men like me… unless you’re ready to lose.”

My breath caught because deep down, I already knew. I wasn’t trying to win anymore but falling straight into the fire.

Kiara POV

I turned my head sharply toward Xavier and my breath catching in my throat.

The car was silent except for the low hum of the engine, but his words echoed loudly in my mind.

He knew not just my name but every single thing about myself and family.

“How do you know that?”

I asked, unable to hide the edge in my voice. “About me… about Tristan?”

He didn’t look at me immediately.

Instead, he remained relaxed in his seat, one arm resting lazily against the leather and his gaze fixed ahead as if the answer was too obvious to deserve effort. “There’s very little I don’t know,” he said calmly.

Something about the way he said it sent a chill down my spine then his eyes shifted to me.

“Especially when it concerns my family,” he added and my chest tightened, family...

Right, Tristan was engaged to Aurora and Aurora happens to be his daughter.

Now everything suddenly felt more complicated. “Tristan,” he continued, his tone unreadable, “is not just your past, he is my daughter’s future.”

I swallowed hard. “And yet,” he went on, watching me now with unsettling focus, “he was once your fated mate.”

The words settled heavily between us and I looked away instantly, heat rushing to my face.

That was the one truth I hadn’t wanted him to know and the one thing that made this whole situation even more… twisted.

“Am I wrong?” he asked quietly.

I shook my head, unable to speak and silence stretched between us. “I see,” he murmured.

There was no judgment in his tone but somehow, that made it worse. “Regardless of the past,” he continued after a moment, “Tristan and Aurora will be married soon.”

My chest tightened again. “I expect things to proceed without… complications.”

I bit my lip and a thousand responses burned at the tip of my tongue but I swallowed them all, because what could I say?

That I was fine?

That I didn’t care?

That I wasn’t still breaking inside?

Instead, I turned my head toward the window, letting the passing lights blur together.

I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing my pain.

A few minutes later, something else hit me.

The road and the direction made my stomach dropped because I hadn’t told him where I lived but the car was heading straight toward my house.

Slowly, I turned back to him.

He sat there like he owned the world, completely unbothered as if tracking down every detail of my life was nothing more than routine. “Do you always investigate people this thoroughly?” I asked quietly.

He didn’t answer but he didn’t deny it either which somehow made the entire situation more worse.

I tried to focus on anything else but my thoughts betrayed me and they drifted back to that night, to his touch and the way his lips had claimed mine without hesitation.

Impossible to forget and my breath hitched slightly, without thinking, my fingers lifted to my neck… brushing the faint mark he had left behind.

The same mark Tristan had seen and it nearly driven him mad.

Heat spread through my body at the memory.

“You’re staring.”

His voice cut through my thoughts like a blade and I froze then quickly looked away. “I wasn’t.......”

“Mm.”

That single sound told me he didn’t believe me at all.

The car slowed then stopped, I blinked and we were already outside my house.

I let out a quiet breath, suddenly aware of how fast my heart was beating. “Oh… we’re here.”

I reached for the door, eager to escape the tension filling the car. “Thank you for the ride,” I said quickly.

Before I could step out, his hand closed around my wrist firmly and my breath caught.

The contact was brief but it sent warmth racing through my entire body. “kiara.”

The way he said my name in a possessive manner made my pulse stutter and I turned back slowly, meeting his gaze. “Yes?”

My voice came out softer than I intended and his eyes searched mine for a moment like he was trying to read something beneath the surface.

Then.......“We won’t be seeing each other again.”

The words hit harder than I expected, it was unexpected and felt painful even though I only knew him for a few days.

I stared at him, caught off guard and for a second, I couldn’t even breathe. “Oh.”

That was all I managed and I forced a small nod. “Understood.”

His grip loosened then disappeared completely and just like that the warmth vanished.leaving behind something cold and emptiness.

I stepped out of the car without another word.

The door shut behind me with a quiet click, I didn’t turn back immediately because something inside me felt… off like I had just lost something I didn’t even realize I wanted.

After a second, I glanced over my shoulder the car was still there the windows was dark and I couldn't see through it so I lifted my hand awkwardly and gave a small wave before turning toward the house but why did that feel so… personal?

The house was dark, quiet and empty when I entered, I closed the door behind me and leaned against it for a moment, exhaling slowly.

A few seconds later I heard the car driving off. I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding.

Upstairs, I stripped out of the uniform immediately, tossing it onto the bed like it had burned me.

I stared at it for a moment, it was short, tight and quiet revealing and a symbol of everything I refused to become. “No,” I muttered to myself.

I wasn’t going to degrade myself for money.

I wasn’t going to let Tristan or anyone reduce me to that, I had worked too hard and nobody could degrade my effort and hard work.

I walked to my desk and grabbed my phone, typing out a quick message to Nyla.

I’m home and I’m not coming back to that job.

I stared at the screen for a moment before hitting send then I added another message, I’ll explain tomorrow.

There was no way I was going to return to that place after what happened tonight. I made a mental note to apologize to the manager as well.

I dropped the phone onto the bed and sat down beside it, rubbing my temples.

Everything felt overwhelming, my father, the debt, Tristan, Xavier and the choices in front of me but none of them were easy or safe.

Only one thing was clear, I wasn’t going to beg and I definitely wasn’t going to belong to someone who didn’t deserve me.

Still as I lay back against the bed, staring at the ceiling, my mind betrayed me one last time.

Dark eyes, deep voice and a strong hand gripping my wrist. “We won’t be seeing each other again.”

My chest tightened slightly and I let out a slow breath. “Good,” I whispered but for some reason, It didn’t feel good at all.