Bianca craned her neck up. Her heart pounded against her rib cage. He was stunning, terrifyingly beautiful. Those high, sharp as blade cheekbones, an angular jaw that could have been carved from marble, a straight nose and thick-corded neck over his broad shoulders—a face sculpted for a monarch, for a God. The sun-kissed skin added to his charm. His eyebrows were a few shades darker than his hair. Full, bow-shaped lips were twitching in a half smile.

The tall man behind the counter with a white cap and a white apron over his white shirt and black pants cocked his golden head to the left and said, "May I help you?"

His voice… It was so deep and melodious. His scent… of spice and lush flowers. His eyes… they were the light hazel color, which was staggering against the black of the pupil and were fanned by the thick, heavy fringe of his eyelashes.

For the first time in her life, Bianca was entranced. The way he looked at her, it was as if she was the last thing in the world on which his life depended.

"Would you like something?" he asked.

Still entranced, she nodded and croaked, "Yes." The man was inhumanly beautiful, designed to lure.

"What?"

When Bianca didn't answer, being busy measuring the width of his chest and wondering how she would look against him, he said in a breathy voice, "Bianca, Look at me."

She lifted her gaze and hoped she hadn't. The man was over six feet tall and she had to crane her neck to see him again. Gods… he was breathtakingly, strikingly beautiful. His blond hair fell over his neck and she had a strong, like a very strong desire to brush them behind or simply wrap her hand in those locks. Her heart pounded like a hammer against her ribcage, even as she tried to keep her gaze on him.

He arched an eyebrow. "Would you like to buy an ice cream?" he asked in his melodious voice.

"Yes," she answered after a moment's pause, finding her voice. "Three…"

His lips tugged up and Bianca felt flush creeping on her cheeks.

The man disappeared in the kitchen behind and two minutes later emerged with three ice cream cones in his hands – her favorite ones, chocodip with nuts.

Wait.

Did she tell him what she wanted? She must have… because she didn't remember what she said in the fuzz of thoughts that swirled her mind.

As she brought her hands to take the cones from his hands, his fingers lightly brushed her and she shivered.

"Happy birthday, Bianca!" he said with an intense stare that heated her like thousands of suns.

How did he know? Though she was totally shocked, it looked so right coming from him. She said, "Th— thank you." And how did he know her name?

"Would you please move from there, if you are done?" a voice from behind broke her reverie.

It invited a low dangerous growl from the man behind the counter.

She apologized and then with a hitched breath, she walked back to her friends but felt horrible. It was like all the magnets in the world pointed at him and she was willing herself to stay away, walk away. A tear formed in her eye, which she stopped from rolling out. Was she going insane? She shook her head and circled past a high table to reach her friends.

"What? Where's the rest of the food?" Eddie lamented.

Ignoring Eddie, she handed them the ice creams and sat dazed as hell. She wanted to look back at the man over there, ask his name… but all she did was to clench her fist, and she clenched it so tightly until her knuckle hurt.

"Are you okay?" asked Lydia.

"Yeah," she nodded too quickly.

Suddenly the door of the cafeteria swung open and a woman with more than ten shopping bags on her hands walked him. Wearing a thick shade of red lipstick and hair falling till her shoulders, she looked elegant in her black skirt and blue silk blouse. She turned her head around and as soon as her eyes fell on the counter, some bags in her hands came crashing down on the floor.

"Maya!" A woman called her from the corner. Maya looked at the woman and after getting out of her daze, she picked up her shopping bags and walked towards her while maintaining her gaze at the blond man, who was now giving hotdogs to the next boy.

Bianca turned her head to look at the woman called Maya and jealousy flared when she saw her watching the man on the counter so intensely.

"Bia?" Lydia said waking her up from her stupor.

"Let's get out of this place!" Bianca snapped and after picking her satchel, she strode out of the cafeteria. She cursed herself. How could she be affected by someone so badly… so… so… wantonly?

"Hey! What happened?" asked Eddie as he followed her right behind.

She shook her head. "Nothing!" She looked at her wristwatch. "We need to go back, quickly." She had to go away as quickly as possible from there, from the insanity she was getting into and from the man out there.

For the next few hours, Bianca tried her best to concentrate on her books, on what teachers were teaching, but nothing… absolutely nothing registered in her brain. All her thoughts were occupied by… him. She resisted her need to see him again and grew antsy.

When the school got over, her friends had warned her that she better give them a party. And Gods… she wanted to party, to forget the morning incident. Though at home she couldn't help thinking about him and kept fighting the urge to go to him.

Daryn had come back earlier than usual. Dawn was already hurrying up the kids to get dressed for the clan gathering.

Bianca chose to wear a pale ruby gown of silk and chiffon. It gathered at the wait and clung to her bust. The skirt of the gown fell till the thighs in pools. Delicate golden vines were woven on the hem. The neckline was loose and plunged just till the upper swells of her breasts. The dress was a gift, and she loved it. Bianca wore a pair of red sandals and matching ruby earrings. When she came down, she found that Darius was already waiting along with her parents.

"Are you ready, Your highness?" he teased.

Daryn grinned. He hugged his baby and quipped, "I think at least a dozen Lykae boys are going to die today. You look beautiful!"

"Thanks Dad!" she smiled.

Darius rolled his eyes. "Hardly!" he said. Wearing a white shirt with gold cufflinks and black pants, he looked regal. "Come on, let's go!" he goaded them.

The clan gathering was in the honor of the Alpha's children turning sixteen. The clan people had been waiting for it for a long time. Bianca knew that Darius was going to be the center of the festivity, and she was truly happy for him.

The twins had a special bond between them. They understood each other so well, yet they were far from agreeing with each other. They protected each other, yet they never stopped each other from facing the difficult situations.

The gathering was taking place in a clearing in the forests beside Lifye. The place was heavily guarded. Bianca became the source of curiosity, while Darius became a honeybee who attracted almost every clan prospective clan girl. After the initial prayers to the Goddess and speech, people started talking and dancing and generally mixing with each other.

Bianca sat alone.