I looked to stare at the grey eyed stranger. He had a broad chest and thick muscular arms not as much as Evander but that was a minor detail, even with the small distance I could have seen the specks of black scattered in his grey eyes, looking like someone out of a movie with his blonde short beach waves. He was hot. "Sure," I dropped my hands from Evander followed by him removing his hands from around my waist. I have no idea where we went after the grey eyed guy pulled me to dance. "Who are you?" I asked, placing my hands around his neck as his hands rested on my hips firmly. "Second highest pack doctor of the blue moon pack, you?"

"I was looking for a name but I'm Rieka Knight, daughter of the royal beta and highest doctor of the royal pack," I grinned. He raised his brows, shocked and impressed. "I'm impressed, so you're the girl that's doing the speech," he concluded and I nodded. I really didn't want to be reminded about that speech because I was nervous as hell. "I'm Liam, by the way," he said and I smile, finally getting his name. "It's nice to meet you, Liam," I smiled as our conversation continued, Liam made me laugh with his continuous pick up lines and jokes. But unfortunately, the smile was wiped off my face when the announcer tapped into the microphone. "Doctor Knight, it is your time to shine," his eyes found me in the crowd as he winked at me. I dropped my hands and everyone made the path clear for me to make it to the staircase.

The announcer left the podium and I adjusted the stand for me before speaking. "Good afternoon all the healers of the underworld, werewolf kingdom, werewolf society...anything you want to call it. I just want to thank everyone for coming on behalf of the King and the rest of the royal family but also myself because this was amazingly organized. The music has been lovely and the food was delicious. Not to mention how beautiful the decoration around this place. Tonight's role is a fancy way of celebrating all the doctors and nurses in the same place and I just want to say if nobody said it before, thank you for what you do and I'm proud of you. I'm proud of us. And hell, I'm proud that we get shit done with all the angry werewolves we have to deal with," I joked, feeling satisfied as the people below me laughs. "Now that the boring but honest part was said, it was lovely seeing all of you and it was lovely getting to meet new people, continue to be heroes guys because that's exactly what we are. Thank you for coming once again, please be safe when you're leaving, and enjoy the rest of your night!" I cheered, raising my champagne glass and everyone followed in accord before we all took a sip.

"That was beautiful," Liam grinned, waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs. I wait until my body was within his hand before sipping on the wine glass. "Thank you," I smiled.

Searching through the crowd that was more scattered now, a couple of eyes was on me but I didn't care. I couldn't find him.

"Hey, you wanna get out of here?" Liam whispered into my ear.

_♤_

His hands slid up my body, rough and urgent as our lips never separated. Falling onto the bed with his muscular body looming over mine, my ankles locked against his back pulling our lower halves together. He groaned, feeling the rush but I felt nothing. I wanted to feel something. Sliding my hands down his chest, I began finishing off the buttons that I had abandoned earlier. Without breaking the kiss, I pushed the shirt off his shoulders and only broke the kiss once to get the shirt completely off of his toned and muscular chest. Grinning, the guy lowered his lips back to mine. My hands roamed his chest as he played with the thin strap that had fallen off my shoulders.

I still felt nothing and it was annoying.

This felt useless.

The lights flicking on pulled us both apart. The guy jumped to his feet and I remained panting on the bed. "Bloody hell!" I screamed at Evander. His arms were crossed on his chest with only anger and rage flooding in his eyes. "Get the hell out!" I screamed again. "What's going on here? I thought..." the guy's words died as he stared at Evander and I. "Alpha Evander," he respectfully said with a gulp. "Evander, get out!" I point towards the door angrily. Evander shut his eyes after revealing the golden specks. "I'll leave," Liam announced, grabbing his shirt that was resting on the post of the bed. Evander moved aside

"You're real mature, Rieka," Evander hissed, fisting his hands. "You want to hit me now Evander? I'm none of your business, we don't have to even speak to each other ever again so why the bloody hell do you keep doing this?" I screamed at him.

"Doing what exactly?"

"I don't have to answer to you, Evander because you're nobody to me. I've lost all respect and insanity for you. All that I have is pure hatred," I hissed, my eyes watering. "You hate me?" He frowned, his eyes darkening. "Yes, you ruined me constantly, you destroyed hope for me!" I screamed. Hopefully bringing up the rejection, he would leave again like he always does when I mention it. "Or have you forgotten that you rejected your mate?" I asked softer, tilting my head to the side. Unfortunately, he stood there, wanting me to continue so I did. "I have a perfect life Evander. I live in luxury and I have a perfect job, perfect friends, and a cute curly haired boy who adores me," I smile at the thought of Mikey," I don't need you and you're destructive body. I saved your life, remember? And in return you rejected me."

My shoulders sank and rose as I kept breathing deeply. "Just leave me alone, yeah? Go live with your mate, go pretend like I don't exist because that's all I want. You to leave me alone!" I scream at him, my hands keep rolling at my sides. "But I don't want to leave you alone," he finally said, he was vulnerable right now in front of me. "What do you want?" I questioned him. "You," he whispered softly but I heard the three letter words perfectly. "You can't have me, Evander. You lost that chance and you have a beautiful mate already. She's someone I can never be," I thought of how perfect Iris was in every way. "You're the best version of a breathtakingly beautiful girl," he said, stepping closer to me. I inhale sharply as his hand rests on my cheek awaking the tingles between our skin.

"You hurt me bad, Evander," I whimpered, holding his hand to my cheek as the tingles spread through. "I don't know why I did that," he said with honesty. "You don't get to do this, I am better than this, I'm stronger than this," I say to myself, pushing him away as the back of my feet hit the bed.

"I know you are," he said, walking to the exit of the room. "Good night, Rieka," he greeted softly with a soft smile on his face. "Goodbye, Evander," I replied as he left the room. I fall back on the bed as I ran through everything that just happened.

Stupid stupid stupid.

_______________