Erica hurriedly searched for the room number on her phone as she arrived at the extravagant hotel. She had long black hair and was dressed in a white dress. Unlike her usual preference for a natural facial, she wore soft makeup to match up today.
Her gentle and pretty face was adorned with a faint smile of joy, her heart beating faster than usual, and her cheeks flushed with enthusiasm.
On this day, Erica and her husband Caleb's first wedding anniversary, this is a very important day for Erica; finally, she would truly become Caleb's wife!
Although Erica and Caleb had been lovers for a year, they hadn't had any private contact yet. Caleb's affection towards her had always been lukewarm, and that alone made her feel uncomfortable.
Until yesterday, Caleb suddenly called her and invited her for a date. Erica trusted that everything wouldn't be the same from this day onwards!
Erica stood in front of room 208, took a deep breath, arranged her mildly cluttered hair, and giggled as she raised her right hand upward to press the doorbell.
"Ding!" The door opened, divulging a recognizable and charming face. At that moment there was a momentary expression of impatience and disdain in his eyes; Erica didn't seem to observe it as she expressed apology.
"Why are you coming now?" Caleb asked,
"I'm sorry, there was heavy traffic on the way!" Erica quickly expresses regrets shyly, her face red from blush.
To be sincere, Erica has been so excited after receiving Caleb's call yesterday that she hardly slept all night. She woke up early, got herself ready, put on her attractive makeup, styled her soft hair, chose the beautiful dress she wore, matched it with the right jewelry, and when she finished dressing up, she unintentionally ended up being late.
Erica carefully raised her gaze, and guess what! She didn't see the usual chilly expression on his handsome face. She comforted her heart, and a hint of loveliness as well.
"It's alright, come in. I've been expecting you for a while now." Caleb quickly took the instance to reach out and took Erica's small leather handbag; Erica perceived the radiance in her heart.
She scanned the room, and her eyes were filled with amazement, for the room had been prepared for a candlelight dinner in the dim light. Caleb approached a musical player, clicked on a button, and romantic music played, settling the atmosphere.
Caleb helped her to a leather-made chair, revealing two glasses of wine poured on the table before. In the midst of the glimmering candlelight, he picked up one of the glass cups.
"Erica, let's have a toast to our first wedding anniversary. You've been so strong since your dad died in the past year, and I'll do my utmost to reward you and make you the happiest woman on earth."
Erica's face twisted scarlet, her long lashes lowered, hiding her shy gaze and anticipatory eyes. His affections made her heart race like thunder, and she couldn't help but remain excited.
And with a mild smile on her lips, Erica drank the wine. The slight anxiety from before disappeared, leaving only her beautiful face, though with a brief hint of shyness and anticipation.
"This is a new Caleb; I want this to continue," she whispered inwardly.
Presently, Caleb's attitudes seemed comforting and gentle, making Erica feel like she was daydreaming, like she was in paradise. She demurely looked at that man sitting at the other side of the table from her, feeling a heartfelt gratitude and excitement.
Caleb's eyes were glued with satisfaction; he seemed satisfied knowing full well that his plan had succeeded, and even his smile looked genuine. He knew Erica was carried away by the moment, and it was time to exit the scene.
"Erica, pardon my manners, but I need to use the restroom," Caleb pleaded and got up.
Saying that, Caleb swiftly opened the door to leave the room, while Erica, confused, asked, "Isn't there a bathroom in this room?"
"Oh! You are right, I've checked, and I think it's broken. I'll go to the public restroom."
Erica sent a believing smile. She didn't think too much about it and sat in the chair, patiently waiting for Caleb's return, but what she didn't know was that Caleb had already exited the luxurious hotel and driven. As he was going, he glanced; he maintained a calculative gaze and coldness in his eyes with no remorse!
After a few minutes, Erica became uneasy and couldn't help but want to go find Caleb.
Immediately she got up; an unexpected dizziness made her sit back in the chair.
"Ahh! What's happening?"
Erica massaged her temples; although she had an average endurance for alcohol, she couldn't have been intoxicated by just one glass she drank!
Unexpectedly a surge of uncontrollable heat and sweat surged from her body, making her mouth dry. Flinging her head to clear it, Erica tried to sober up a bit. She needed to find some water to drink.
"Hey! Beautiful, where do you think you are going?" A middle-aged man walked in through the door, with a potbelly, blocking Erica's path. His eyes scanned Erica up and down, and he grinned with extreme satisfaction.
"Please, who are you?" She asked with the remaining trace of sanity, which had her clear-headed; her instinct warned her of great danger lurking in the room.
"Leave who I am for now; I'm here to make you happy!" The man's irritating grin was filled with vulgarity.
Erica instinctively took two steps backwards, watching him warily.
The in-depth heat made Erica feel like tearing off all her clothes, yet she controlled herself and remained cautious of the man in front of her. She was in great discomfort.
"Where is Caleb?" Come back quick! Unperceived by Erica, her face was now flushed with desire, with a hint of emotional vulnerability in her eyes, making her look pitiful yet charming; moisture formed a thin layer on her fair skin, making her seductively enticing.
The man's eyes sparkled with hunger, and he couldn't contain his inner desire as he lunged towards Erica.
Fearful and confused, Erica's head was spinning like a clock, her legs weak, rendering her body unable to move. She was both afraid and anxious, on the verge of tears.
The strange man drew closer, his fat hands already grabbing Erica's collar.
"Get over here, princess!"
Her strap broke, leaving Erica's fair shoulder exposed, radiating a seductive warmth under the light, causing the man's eyes to widen in covetousness.
As he continued to linger on her body, Erica, with a mix of shock and anger, summoned her courage from somewhere and grabbed the bedside lamp, smashing it towards the man.
"Ah... You filth!"
The man was hit on the forehead, causing it to split open, allowing blood to stream down, making his face appear even more ferocious.
"Caleb!!!" She screamed top of her voice, "Somebody help me! Help!!" She continued to scream, taking advantage of the man's momentary daze to stumble out of the room, with the man closely following behind her.
Erica ran desperately with the remaining strength left in her, darting in all directions.
"Crashed!"
She bumped into someone's arms, a tall individual, estimated to be about six feet four inches, with clear features carved into a handsome face. His deep-set eyes were chilly and indifferent, his thin lips pressed tightly together, emitting an aura of nobility.
"Help!" Erica never stopped screaming with her weakling low voice.
But the man's furrowed brow showed clear anger towards the middle-aged man chasing after Erica.
Erica's vision began to blur; she felt like she was drowning and grasping onto a floating reed, unwilling to let go of her life, as she grabbed the man's sleeve tightly, as if she'd tear it off.
Alpha Ryder's gaze was lowered, and he saw a pair of angry yet bewildered eyes. The woman's face was flushed with suspicion, and her torn strap and her present facial expressions made Alpha Ryder hurriedly understand what the situation was all about.
"I think she must have been sedated!" He declared, with his curious gaze fixed on her, nothing of the way she's reacting towards him.
Sighting Alpha Ryder's wrinkled face, a hefty man, his bodyguard standing not far behind him, quickly stepped forward, pulling Erica, who was still grabbing onto his clothes, away. At that moment, he broke out in a cold sweat, realizing he had just failed in his duty.
He's aware his boss isn't someone to be treated lightly with; those who offended him usually had only one outcome: death.
"Stop, bitch! Do you think you can get away from me?" The voice of the middle-aged man echoes as he gets to where they stood, his hand covering his face from the blood streaming down all over his face. Upon seeing Erica standing with Ryder, he furiously questioned, "Who the fuck are you? Go your way and mind your business?"
Alpha Ryder's anger became intense, his expression darkened, and he gave the lasting order to the bodyguard beside him, "Deal with him mercilessly."
He understood all his boss's gestures and quickly charged forward, pressing the middle-aged man down and dragging him back to room 208 he had come out of.
After a few seconds, yelps of pain could be heard from the room, sending a shiver down those who heard it.
While Alpha Ryder's bodyguard continued to deal with the man, Erica slowly stumbled back to Alpha Ryder's side.
The continuous heat made Erica extremely uncomfortable, as if a blistering sensation emanated from her bones, causing her to long for anything chill.
Alpha Ryder standing in front of her precisely became her best choice. Erica lingered on Alpha Ryder's shoulder like a python trying to cunningly devour its prey, her body unbelievably soft and her delicate face becoming more attractive because of her closure.
Erica swallowed her guts, licking her lips as they parted slightly, as if inviting someone to taste. Her fair skin, exposed to the air, quickly blushed, and most of her clothes were damaged from the previous struggle and actions, briefly revealing her perfectly shaped breast.
"This temptation is getting to be too much!" Alpha Ryder whispered to himself, trying his best to avert the current situation, but Erica's condition has robbed him of his intentions.
Erica's beauty is utmost, but the more he stays with her, the more dangerous it is for him.
"You would be wondering! Is it because he is an Alpha? ... or just because she's a stranger?"
Alpha Ryder, as the only male child of the late Alpha King, is known to be the only rightful heir to his father's throne after he died, but he's yet to be accepted by the people of Clawcrest until he marks his fiancée, Ariana, the next day and she becomes his mate.
Ariana is Erica's husband's biological sister. Caleb's sister!
"I need to get her to safety and leave now; I can't allow this stranger to ruin my great day!" I must mark Ariana tomorrow unfailingly!" He has forgotten there's no power against temptation.
Alpha Ryder tries to control himself around her, but Erica holds on to his waist tightly, as if wanting to merge with him. Her high heels have long been discarded, exposing her cute legs and slender ankles, revealing an incomparable sexiness.
"The sex monster!"
Alpha Ryder's mind became a workshop for such thoughts as he stood calmly, without an expression or making any movement, but his slightly narrowed pupils and mildly heavier breath betrayed his current mood. He wasn't as calm as he appeared on the surface.
For an Alpha who refers to women as insignificant, he was unexpectedly moved!
"Caleb, I feel awkward!"
At that moment, Caleb mistook the man in front of her for her missing husband, curling her waist to rub against Ryder forcefully.
Alpha Ryder was shocked to hear her call out either man's name. Alpha Ryder's expression turned cold as he pushed Erica away.
"Don't go! Please,"
What she was sedated with had completely deprived Erica of her sanity. Her eyes were dilated, and she could no longer see the figure in front of her clearly. The intense desire in her body made her grab onto the man in front of her tightly.
Erica's endless emptiness made her bite her thin lips tightly; welling tears filled her already reddened eyes and looked pathetically at Alpha Ryder.
Her eyes were laced with panic, fear, and boundless charm, captivating and piercing Alpha Ryder's heart like an arrow. His raised foot paused, feeling unfathomably soft in his heart. He changed his mind, picking up the woman and bringing her into his arms, then pressed the button for the nearby elevator.
"Oh! Moon goddess, what's all this?" Alpha Ryder explained the situation to himself.
He never seemed to lift his worried gaze off Erica, who was completely under the control of the drugs; her body was burning to the extent that it was almost igniting, longing for someone to come and cool her down.
Automatically, she reached out to the next body to her, which carried a cool condition. Alpha Ryder's expression enraged slightly. Erica's teasing actually evoked a reaction from him. His strong gaze stared at the numbers on the elevator while he tightly held onto Erica's hand that was arbitrarily caressing.
"Ding!" The elevator stopped, and its door opened. Alpha Ryder carried Erica through the door of the presidential suite.
"Gush! It's hot in here... So hot,"
Meanwhile, Erica hadn't found relief from the sedation; even as she tried to summon her inner wolf, she was now tearing off the fabric covering her body in unbearable discomfort, but her lack of strength rendered her efforts futile.
On thet, he tried his best to protect his expensive suit, but it found itself under Erica's rubbing and tearing and no longer retained its original form.
As soon as they entered the room, they were somewhat impatient. However, Ryder's movements remained calm and chill, while Erica appeared extremely restless-not her fault though!
At this point, she was on the brink of madness, so as soon as Alpha Ryder placed her on the bed, she didn't hesitate or wait before she pressed herself against him.
Her soft lips met with Ryder's mild calmness, igniting sparks of desire between them.
Erica felt as if her tongue had swallowed chilled gelatin custard, making her uncontrollably sigh with satisfaction, her whole body relaxed slightly, and she gnashed and bit on this delicious custard, unable to alleviate her body's passion.
It's working, but this was definitely not enough!
Her body was still burning as if she were on fire, urgently needing something to cool her down.
Alpha Ryder embraced her darkly, watching the woman, who was like a fairy, entangle his tired legs. Without hesitation, he pushed her onto the luxurious mattress, seizing control of the situation.
Alpha Ryder's activeness was incomparable to Erica's random biting, his kissing skills were much superior, and his meticulous and domineering kisses converted Erica's entire mouth, making her breathless and only able to follow obediently into the peak of desire.
Alpha Ryder's soft touch and magical fingers linger on Erica's heavenly body bit by bit, making her unable to bear it but moan. However, it seemed that every time she reached the edge of the pleasure, she would want more.
Alpha Ryder's eyes deepened as he stared at the woman beneath him like a fish, his eyes never leaving the fair-skinned breast half-open. Finally, he summoned the courage frome, and before she cried out in discomfort, he covered her entirely.
"Uh!" She moans softly continuously,
The ache lasted for a few minutes but was quickly overwhelmed by the continuous pleasure. Erica felt as if she were a small boat drifting on the sea, swaying with the waves.
The pleasure came so quickly and intensely that Erica couldn't help but groan.
"Ahh... Uh!"
Alpha Ryder deep inside her virgin body made Erica unable to suppress her shameful voice, only following Ryder's movements. His clear eyes were focused on his prey. This was unexpected but sweet, and he couldn't stop!
At first there was the initial dryness and tightness that made the entrance tough for Alpha Ryder to penetrate, but what awaited was the warm embrace and intoxicating sweetness. Ryder's usually calm and indifferent expression cracked slightlye; he had been tempted by the poppy flower, his eyes gradually infected with the virus called desire.
"No, Caleb... stop... Caleb!"
Erica had fallen deeply into her subconsciousness; her body yearned to be filled, yet she struggled to call out her lover's name.
Alpha Ryder's movements suddenly paused, a dangerous aura of a werewolf emanating more intense franticness in possessing the woman beneath him, making her red lips slightly parted, unable to utter any unfamiliar words other than moans.
With all the uproar of the night, Erica and Alpha Ryder's nights never end; Ryder's tomorrow's marking has been overshadowed at the end!
"What would he do when Ariana found out?"
As the morning light streams through the hotel curtains, it gently illuminates the room, casting a warm glow onto the hotel's large bed. The soft rays dance across the bed, gradually brightening the space.
The light's gentle touch awakens her, and she slowly opens her eyes to find her body moving front and back. She slowly reaches to clear her blurry eyes. Her head still felt heavy with sleep, but her current situation sparked a subconscious sense of fear.
"Erica!!!" Caleb's deep and loud voice pierced the air of the room, sending a shiver down Erica's and Alpha Ryder's spines.
She wanted to push him off her, but he stood heavy, and she was weak.
"Who the hell are you? Get off me right now," She paused, quickly wrapped herself with the bed cloth,
"Caleb, I can explain, please." She jumped out of the giant bed, her eyes laced with tears streaming down her red eyeballs, as she crawled her way to meet Caleb by the doorstep.
"My brother-in-law is fucking my wife!" His declaration got Erica's mind confused; she looked behind at Alpha Ryder, thinking maybe she had crossed paths with him before, before she gazed back at Caleb!
"What are you saying? I don't know him, and you don't either; there's a mix-up!" Erica's justifications kept on worsening the issue.
"Caleb, it's not what you think!" Alpha Ryder's movements towards him made him step back a bit, leaving one of his legs outside the room and one inside the room.
"You'll pay for this, Erica! You dare cheat on me with Alpha Ryder, Layla's fianceé!" He wasn't in for any explanations; his plans had worked even without the man he hired. Alpha Ryder finally ended up creating a disaster, as Caleb stormed out of the room.
Erica seemed to have been sedated yesterday! And apparently ended up in a large bed with a mere stranger, and not just that, the same stranger deflowered her!
Erica's facial expression was filled with tears and uncertainty. Yesterday was her wedding anniversary with Caleb, and she had been celebrating. How did I get into this room with an unscrupulous man?
"Uhmm... Em, I need you to understand my intent!" Alpha Ryder was explaining, "Get far away from me, rapist!" His words were cut short by Erica's scream piercing the air of the room.
"I am not supposed to be here, but if I hadn't helped you yesterday, you could have joined your ancestors." He groaned at her, clenched his fists together, and said, "You seduced me yourself. I didn't ask for this. I have my own mate. I only came here to see her brother in this hotel!"
Then her mind quickly flashed back to when Caleb's cold attitude changed all of a sudden, to when he handed her a glass filled with wine, and he left for the restroom and never came back since yesterday.
How could this slick man break in? And that glass of red wine felt suspicious!
Many thoughts kept reeling in Erica's mind, but she couldn't bring herself to believe it. She took a deep breath, trying to picture everything while biting her lip, trying to cover her tired eyes with her hand, only to find she had no strength to even raise her hand!
"Alright, I'll be there soon; we go on as planned!" The deep voice of the strange man in the room seemed to be answering his phone behind Erica.
After what they had, is Alpha Ryder going to continue with the ceremony with Ariana? Even after her brother, Caleb, has caught him with his wife!
Erica tried to listen attentively, but the voice seemed unfamiliar to her, though his voice was low and pleasant.
Erica's mind was etched with fear and anger. She couldn't believe she ended up in bed with a stranger like thi"s! Panic and dread made her bury herself under the covers until Alpha Ryder ended his call.
"Oh! Moon goddess! What have I done?" Erica wanted to continue to cry, blaming herself for what she had done.
Automatically, Erica shrank further under the covers, cautiously peeking out through the gap between the sheets. The tall man gradually unwrapping his towel and putting on his black trousers,
His physique was perfect, broad shoulders tapering down to a slim waist covered loosely with a white towel. Even his abdominal muscles and perfect V-line were clearly visible.
Was this the man she had a one-night stand with till this morning and not Caleb? Erica inexplicably felt somewhat unfulfilled, suddenly curious about his face. As her gaze shifted upward, she saw a head of jet-black, tousled hair still dripping water, the droplets tracing down his bronzed skin, causing her cheeks to flush and her heart to race.
Meanwhile, his forehead has a dark mark if he is a very strong Alpha; no wonder he lasted long in bed, conveniently concealing his face, revealing only a pair of sensual lips and a sharply defined jawline.
Then, the man turned to address Erica, who's still hiding her face under the covers. He seemed to be in a hurry, quickly getting dressed and walking to the door. As he opened it, his gaze casually glanced towards the head of the bed, but Erica never flinched as she remained hidden under the covers, with lots of tears streaming down her face.
Alpha Ryder emerged from the presidential suite, where a Maybach had been waiting at the hotel entrance for some time. He got into the car, realizing he had forgotten something, but the matter on the phone was more pressing. Furrowing his brow, he gave a faint command.
"Move now!"
After confirming the man had left, Erica, with a pale face, managed to crawl out of bed. Her legs almost gave way beneath her before she could even get off the bed. Erica forced a bitter smile, enduring the soreness all over her body as she made her way to the bathroom.
The faint scent of soap lingering in the bathroom somewhat eased her emotions, and she splashed her face, gazing at her reflection in the mirror. On her fair skin were the faint traces of bruises, her lips swollen and even split, her delicate face still showing traces of satisfaction and exhaustion after lovemaking, and her large eyes shimmering with tears.
From this appearance, anyone could tell what had happened to her yesterday, couldn't they?
Erica's face turned ashen in an instant. She had to go back! After such an incident, she had to get things straight! Yesterday, when she needed Caleb the most, where was he? What exactly happened? As dumb as she felt, she realized something was terribly wrong, and a sense of dread washed over her, making her tremble with fear. But, no matter how scared she was, she wanted to know the truth!
The clothes from yesterday were already unwearable, but luckily, Erica found a set of relatively conservative women's pajamas in the wardrobe of the presidential suite. She gritted her teeth and put on the pajamas.
Then, ignoring the curious glances of others, she hurriedly fled the hotel. Because of her peculiar appearance, many taxis refused to take her, thinking she was mentally unstable.
Eventually, she met a female driver who, after her earnest pleading, allowed her into the car. Erica returned home with a complex mood. Everything that happened last night made it difficult for her to speak.
How was she going to explain? But more than anything else, she wanted to know why Caleb didn't come back yesterday.
How did that disgusting pervert get in? As she approached closer to her front door, Erica became increasingly hesitant and fearful. The exhaustion on her pale face couldn't be concealed, attracting curious glances from passersby.
Reluctant as she was to face it, Erica had to muster the courage to walk up to the front door. Just as she was about to ring the doorbell, she noticed the door was ajar, and there were sounds coming from inside.
"Uh! Yeah... Give it to me... Caleb, you are so great..."
"You bitch, let's see if I don't fu*k you to stupor!" That's not going to happen. If I die, who's going to give you babies...
The vague gasps mingled with groans louder than the other; anyone could tell how intense it was inside! Erica felt her blood run cold, her scalp tingling.
The voices inside the room were unmistakably her mate Caleb's and her half-sister Lupa's. Anger almost robbed Erica of her good reason. She trembled, wanting to push open the door, but then she heard the people inside mentioning her name.
However, by some strange compulsion, Erica withdrew her hand, wanting to eavesdrop on what they were saying. But soon she realized she'd rather not hear this conversation, one that would only bring pain and despair.
"Caleb, what happened to your bitch Erica? She hasn't come back. Looks like our plan worked!" Lupa's tone was complacent. Caleb was equally pleased.
"It can't fail. I made sure it never failed when I took matters into my own hands." Don't forget that silly woman always listens to me. She even accepted our sexless union and never bothered me, Mark." Erica's weak and compliant nature, easy to control without her parents' support, was a significant factor. He genuinely despised women who were submissive like that. Erica scoffed,
"I hope you aren't having second thoughts? Remember, if that bitch finds out you married her just for her father's fortune, do you think she'll still treat you nicely?"
"Lupa, are you doing what I'm thinking? Are you jealous? After all these years together, you still don't trust me? God bless me, even though I married her, I haven't touched her! It's all for you!" Lupa laughed excitedly.
"I trust you wouldn't dare betray me! I'm not that bitch Erica!"
"Yes, yes, babe, you are incomparable. How could you compare yourself to that stupid Erica? I just showed her a little kindness yesterday, and she obediently drank the sedated wine. I wonder if Remus was satisfied with her performance last night. It's a great gift if you understand what I mean!"
"I don't know her, but I'm completely satisfied!" Lupa's giggles continued. One sentence after another in their conversation felt like being sentenced to death, with each word cutting into Erica's heart. Her flesh felt sliced and sliced again, the wounds almost numbing her, leaving her mind blank. When Erica finally came to her senses, the two people in the room had begun another round of intimacy.
Lupa's groans and Caleb's grunts made her stomach churn, nauseating her. They had been married for a whole year, during which Caleb had never touched her, always saying the time wasn't right, always promising her the best. And she, foolishly, had believed it all.
But, it turned out to be nothing but a joke in the end! Her sincerely treated husband turned out to be nothing more than a scammer after her wealth! He had been colluding with Lupa behind her back all along!
Listening to their conversation, it was clear that everything from the beginning was a massive conspiracy!
The drugged wine, that disgusting middle-aged man-how repulsive! After immense grief, Erica felt nothing but boundless anger. She couldn't understand why all this was happening.
"Oh my goodness!" Was money really so important? Important enough to erase humanity and family, and family ties?
Without hesitation, Erica pushed open the door with all her strength. Her eyes were bloodshot, her hands trembling, her already pale face now ashen. Erica felt like her world had collapsed overnight!
"Caleb!" Screaming his name inwardly made her brain malfunction.
The supposedly happy wedding anniversary in the eyes of others had suddenly turned ugly and disgusting by the same man she had sincerely given love to even after her father had warned her not to marry him. Her heart shattered; she has no man-she married a beast instead.