Chapter 1 1.

Laura's POV

I slammed the car door harder than I intended, my frustration boiling over. James had done it again. Two minutes-barely two damn minutes-and he was finished, leaving me aching, needy, and unsatisfied. My body hummed with restless energy, but not the good kind. I liked him, I really did, but how long was I supposed to keep convincing myself that, that was enough to make up for what he couldn't give me?

Every night it was the same routine. He'd roll off, breathing hard, apologizing, promising next time would be different. But next time never came. Tonight was supposed to be that night,he swore it would be different. I believed him. Foolishly. Now here I was, unfulfilled, my skin burning with want, knowing I'd go home and finish the job myself. Again.

But I couldn't bring myself to drive straight home. The thought of slipping into my quiet apartment with nothing but my own restless thoughts for company made my stomach knot. My hands tightened on the steering wheel, and before I even realized what I was doing, I was taking a different turn heading straight for the one place James hated: the club.

As soon as I pushed through the heavy doors, I knew I hadn't made a mistake. Music thundered through the air, the bass vibrating in my chest like a second heartbeat. Neon lights painted the crowd in shifting shades of blue, pink, and red. Bodies pressed against each other on the dance floor, grinding and groping without shame. The smell of perfume, sweat, and alcohol filled the air, and instead of suffocating me, it felt liberating.

I used to love this scene before James, before I dimmed myself down for the sake of his comfort. And God, it felt good to be back.

I slid onto a barstool, crossing one leg over the other as the bartender leaned forward with a practiced smile.

"What can I get you?"

I hesitated for a moment, then said, "A tequila sunrise."

His brows lifted slightly, but he nodded and got to work. I rested my elbows on the bar and let my gaze wander.

The dance floor was packed, a writhing sea of desire and recklessness. A woman in a sequined dress threw her head back in laughter as a man's hands roamed boldly over her hips. Another couple kissed like the world was ending. It was raw, shameless, and for a moment I let myself get lost in watching.

"Here you go."

I turned back to the bartender just as he set my drink in front of me, the bright orange and red layers glowing under the lights. I lifted it, took a sip, and closed my eyes as the alcohol burned its way down. That heat-that sting-that was exactly what I needed. I drank again, slower this time, savoring the sweetness before the fire.

And then I felt it.

A shiver ran down my spine, so sharp and sudden that I froze. My skin prickled, every nerve standing on edge. Something-someone-was watching me.

I turned, and my breath caught in my throat.

Blue. The bluest eyes I had ever seen in my life. Not the soft blue of a summer sky or the pale blue of faded denim. No, these were deep, piercing, hypnotic. Eyes that seemed to look through me, stripping me bare, pulling at the very parts of me I kept hidden.

My gaze trailed lower-sharp cheekbones, a perfect nose, a mouth made for sin. Full lips that looked both soft and commanding, lips I could too easily imagine against my skin. He was devastatingly handsome, but not in the polished, boy-next-door kind of way. No, there was something dangerous about him, something that made the air between us feel charged.

I jerked my gaze away, heat flooding my cheeks. What the hell, Laura? You have a boyfriend. Stop undressing strangers with your eyes.

I took another gulp of my drink, a bigger one this time, as if the alcohol could wash away the sinful thoughts crawling into my mind.

When I dared glance back, he was still staring at me only now there was a smirk tugging at his lips. As if he knew exactly what I had been thinking.

My heart thudded, loud enough that I swore he could hear it.

And then he moved.

The stool beside me scraped against the floor, and before I could react, he was there,sitting down so close I caught the faint, intoxicating scent of his cologne. Woodsy, masculine, laced with something darker.

"Hello, beautiful."

His voice was deep, smooth, the kind of voice that could crawl over your skin and stay there. I turned my head and found myself drowning in those blue eyes again.

"Hello," I managed, though my voice came out hoarse, embarrassingly breathless.

His smile widened, slow and deliberate, like a predator amused by its prey. He leaned in, his lips close enough that I could feel the warmth of his breath against my ear when he spoke again.

"Tell me something, sweetheart..." His voice dropped lower, silk and steel all at once. "Do you always look this delicious or is tonight my lucky night?"

My eyes widened, my pulse spiking so fast I gripped my glass tighter to keep from trembling.

How the hell could a stranger make me feel so much at once? My heart raced, my body burned.

---

Damien's POV

I smelt her before I saw her.

The club reeked of sweat, perfume, alcohol, and lust, but her scent cut through all of it like a blade. Sweet, intoxicating, mouthwatering. One whiff and my wolf surged to the surface, claws scratching at my skin, demanding I find her. My head snapped toward the source, and there she was,walking into the club like sin wrapped in silk.

Her brown hair, rich and wild, bounced with every step. That red dress clung to her curves in a way that made my cock twitch instantly. Long legs, toned and perfect, legs I could already imagine locked around my waist.

Mine.

The thought hit hard, dangerous and primal. I smiled, sharp and wicked, because it wasn't every day a woman intrigued me. I'd had women,too many to count but never one who pulled me in this fast.

Lisa, the woman I had brought with me tonight, whined something in my ear, but her voice was nothing but static. She could have been sitting a mile away for all I cared. My eyes...no, my whole being was locked on the goddess sliding onto a barstool a few feet away. Seven, maybe eight feet. Close enough to smell her, far enough that I wanted to close the distance.

Then it happened,she turned.

Brown eyes. Rich, glowing, and so fucking captivating under the pulsing lights of the club. Our gazes collided like fire meeting gasoline. Her lips parted slightly, quivering as she exhaled, and I felt it...she felt it too. The pull. The lust. The bond neither of us could fight.

My cock hardened instantly. Not surprising. I was never the good guy, never the patient one. My wolf wanted, and I always took.

She looked away, gulping down another drink, pretending she wasn't affected. I smirked. Oh, she was affected. I could see it in the way her chest rose faster, in the way her fingers tightened around her glass.

"The feeling's mutual, baby," I muttered to myself, rising from my seat without a single thought about Lisa. She was irrelevant now.

I stalked toward her, the crowd parting like instinct told them not to stand in my way. When I reached her, I sat down close-too close-and leaned in with a grin.

"Hello, beautiful."

She turned, and damn, those eyes did wicked things to me. I wanted to see them glaze with lust. I wanted them staring up at me while her lips wrapped around...

"Hello," she breathed out, her voice soft, shaky, betraying her.

Fuck, she was gorgeous when she was flustered. I leaned closer, letting her scent mess with my head, lowering my voice until it was a growl in her ear.

"Tell me something sweetheart...do you always look this delicious or is tonight my lucky night?"

Her little gasp almost made me groan.

"Excuse me?" she asked, her brows arching, though her lips trembled.

I smirked. "Mind if I buy you a drink, gorgeous?"

She hesitated, eyes flicking to my mouth before meeting mine again. "Fine... but only because I'm not done yet."

Oh, she wants to play games.

I flagged the bartender. "Another tequila sunrise for the lady," I ordered, then added, "and a double whiskey for me." Strong. Sharp. The kind of drink that matched the ache in my veins right now.

The bartender nodded, sliding the drinks over. I picked mine up slowly, keeping my gaze locked on her. She tried not to look back, staring at the bar instead.

"You know it's rude to stare, mister," she said finally, her tone trying to sound casual but cracking under the tension.

I chuckled, low and rough. "I can't help it. A man would be dead not to stare at a gorgeous woman like you."

Her cheeks flushed pink, blooming prettily under the neon lights. She took another gulp of her drink, probably to calm herself down, but it only made me smirk harder.

"What's your name, sweetheart?" I asked, my eyes dropping deliberately to her lips as she licked them.

Fuck. My cock strained painfully against my zipper. The way her tongue flicked over her bottom lip was enough to make me want to bend her over this bar.

She met my gaze, bold now, and leaned in just a little. "Let's not waste our time, mister. What do you want?"

I froze for only a second before smirking darkly. She was challenging me. My kind of woman.

I moved closer, close enough that our lips nearly touched, close enough that I felt her shaky breath mix with mine.

"You," I growled, and then I crushed my mouth to hers.

Her lips were soft, sweet, addictive. The kiss was rough, hungry, claiming. She gasped, giving me the opening I needed, and my tongue slid in, tasting, owning.She tried to resist for a heartbeat, fingers digging into the bar, but the moment my tongue tangled with hers, she melted. Her own tongue met mine matching my hunger stroke for stroke, kissing me back with a need that made my cock ache harder.

I finally tore my mouth from hers, both of us breathing hard, her lips wet and swollen from the force of my kiss. I dragged my tongue across my own lips, savoring her lingering taste, and let out a low growl.

"Fuck, you taste sweeter than I imagined, baby." eyes locked on hers, dark with hunger. I leaned closer, my voice dropping to a rough whisper. "And that kiss? That was only the beginning. Tonight, I'm going to make sure you know exactly what it means to be mine.