Chapter 3 Just who was this man

"What did you just say?",Drake asked in disbelief.

"You heard me",Raven said and squared her shoulders. "Devour me".

Perry finally felt pity for the woman. She really had no idea whom she was addressing. If she did, she wouldn't speak so defiantly to him.

"Are you aware of what you're asking me redhead?",Drake asked and leaned closer to her. His face was just a few inches away from her and he could perceive the lavender scent on her skin. Lavender and honey. It was the sweetest scent he had ever perceived. His eyes darkened as desire shot through him. This woman did things no other woman had ever done to him.

"What? Surprised?",Raven asked with a smug look. "You just told me you don't do love. You devour. So go on, try and devour me".

Drake simply stared at the woman in front of him. She really had no idea what she was asking. He could see that she was just teasing.

"Don't take my words for a joke redhead",he said softly. One hand lifted and he rolled a lock of her hair in his fingers, feeling the soft texture. His hands itched to run his fingers through the fiery flames of her hair, itched to tilt her head up and press his lips on those luscious lips of hers.

"Then why don't you love?",Raven asked. Her voice came out raspy and she gulped to clear it. For a while Drake stared deeply at her and she saw an emotion flash through the hazel depths. Pain. Or was it sadness?

Before she could figure it out, Drake stepped back from her as if stung by a bee. He turned away and walked back towards Perry.

Raven was left speechless. Breathless from his closeness and feeling strangely empty now that he wasn't close to her anymore. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and pushed away from the wall.

"Wait",she said.

Drake didn't bother to turn back.

"Go home redhead",he said over his shoulders. Perry walked briskly beside him and quickly opened the door of the sleek Rolls-Royce phantom. Raven eyes almost popped out of her head when she saw the flashy car the stranger rode in.

Just who was this man?

Drake turned back before entering the car and his eyes met hers for a split second. Then he turned away and entered the car while Perry slammed the door shut. He cast a quick look at Raven and quickly walked over to the driver's side and entered the car.

Raven remained rooted to the spot as the Rolls-Royce purred to life. It backed out of the parking lot and zoomed off, leaving a trail of smoke and dust behind.

"What the hell just happened?",she asked herself. For a while she remained where she stood, her hands hugging her body. The events that occured a few minutes back played through her head.

I'm so stupid, she thought. She had actually told the stranger to devour her. Like, who did that? What would he think of her? She hadn't meant any of what she said. She had been so pissed off at his pompous attitude. Who the hell signed a relationship contract?

She scoffed and stalked back to her mustang. Now that she had seen the sleek Rolls-Royce, her car suddenly looked old in comparison. Annoyed with her thoughts, she unlocked the door and threw her purse and cell phone on the back seat. She was about to dump the iPad on the passenger seat when saw the paused recording.

Slipping into the driver's seat, she played the video and watched as Eleanor grovelled on the ground like a miserable person. All that for a man who didn't even think her worthy enough to have a relationship with. In anger, she deleted the video and threw the iPad on the passenger seat angrily. Why she was angry, she had no idea. She just felt pissed off at the thought of women signing a contract just to be in a relationship with him. Who the hell was he?

Shaking her head, she turned on the ignition and the car rumbled to life. She backed out of the parking lot slowly and then shifted gears and drove away into the approaching twilight.

She couldn't stop thinking of the stranger. The pain and sadness that had flashed through his eyes in that moment he had been staring at her. Who was he? He must be a prominent figure to have such a classy car. But what had he been doing in the company? And why had that look been in his eyes?

The questions roamed through her mind as she drove home.

...

Drake had taken off his blazer and tie and loosened more of the buttons of his inner shirt. The blazer and tie lay beside him on the back seat and his eyes stared out at nothing in particular as Perry drove towards the pack house. He had a lot on his mind.

For some strange reason, he couldn't stop thinking of the woman from the parking lot. He had no idea why she affected him so much. He never had time for women. Women chased after him, wanting a taste of his wealth and power. And he gave them all on the condition that they kept their feelings to themselves.

But this particular woman had gotten under his skin and he couldn't tell why. He sighed deeply and ran a hand through his hair. He needed a hot shower. And a run in the woods. That would clear his mind.

"Are you okay Alpha?",Perry asked. Now that they were no longer in the company of humans, he addressed Drake with the Alpha title. Perry was Drake's beta and trusted friend. He looked through the rear view mirror at Drake and noticed the faraway look in his eyes.

"Alpha?",he called.

Drake turned and stared at him. He shook his head before answering.

"I'm fine Perry",he said. "I just got a lot on my mind".

"The woman back there?", Perry asked as he slowed down for a red light.

"You noticed?",Drake asked.

"I did", Perry said and pressed down on the accelerator as the light showed green. "She looks so much like...."

"Don't say her name",Drake cut in sharply. He didn't want to hear the name that caused him so much pain. So much anguish. The pain was still fresh in his heart and he chose not to speak about it.

"I'm sorry Alpha",Perry said and turned his eyes back to the road. He knew that particular memory caused Drake so much pain. To lose your one true mate was something a lycan could never get over. And the girl of today looked so much like Lana, Drake's dead mate. And he knew it had awoken dead emotions in the Alpha.

"Perry"

"Yes Alpha?",Perry answered promptly.

"Cancel my appointments for tomorrow",Drake said. He leaned his head on the backrest and closed his eyes.

"Yes Alpha",Perry said.

"And",Drake added. "Find out everything you can about that woman. Everything".

"Will do, Alpha",Perry said. He wasn't surprised. When something caught Drake's attention, he dug down until he found whatever roused his interest. And now that this strange woman looked so much like his dead mate, his interest was piqued.

The remaining minutes of the drive was in total silence as Drake dozed off with the image of Raven behind his closed eyes.