Intoxicating Mistake

First Person POV.

I picked my battered body off the cold linoleum floor of the hallway, clutching the torn canvas of my bag. Theron's cruel laughter still echoed in my ears, but I couldn't afford to mourn my ruined textbooks right now. Tonight was Kael Vargas's birthday, and attendance was strictly compulsory for everyone in the pack. I smoothed down the faded fabric of my worn-out dress, wiped the single dried tear from my cheek, and walked out of the school building into the chilling night air.

By the time I arrived at the Alpha's massive estate, the party was in full swing. The thumping bass vibrated through the hardwood floorboards, mixing with loud chatter and the overwhelming scent of cheap alcohol and wolf sweat. As usual, I timed my arrival perfectly late. My plan was simple: sign the attendance register, linger in the shadows near the entrance, and slip out unnoticed. Kael never interacted with lower-class wolves anyway. I scribbled my name on the long paper list and quickly turned my back on the lavish living room.

I navigated the gigantic house, keeping my head down, weaving through crowded corridors and avoiding the drunken bodies grinding against each other. I just needed to reach the back door and disappear into the quiet woods.

But as I took a step down the dimly lit hallway, an intoxicating scent aggressively invaded my senses. It hit me like a physical blow, freezing my body in its tracks. Earthy pinewood mixed with sweet, ripe pineapple. The aroma was overwhelming, clawing at my lungs and setting my blood on fire. My inner wolf paced and howled in sudden, desperate need.

I saw his eyes before my brain fully registered who it was. Light green orbs, burning with raw, undisguised lust, locked onto mine from across the hall. Kael Vargas. The soon-to-be Alpha. The boy sitting at the top of the hierarchy.

He paused a few feet away. A confused frown formed on my face, but it vanished the second he gave me a silent, commanding signal to follow him. Every survival instinct screamed at me to turn around and run out the back door. But the mate bond was an undeniable, gravity-defying pull. Like a naive little girl, I obeyed without hesitation. I trailed behind him, moving away from the loud music and heading up the grand staircase. I would have followed him anywhere he asked.

He led me straight into his massive bedroom. The moment I stepped inside, he shut the heavy oak door and turned the lock with a sharp click, sealing us in. A sudden, intense shyness took over me. A heavy blush coated my cheeks, and I instinctively dropped my gaze to my battered shoes, unable to look at him.

"Don't look down, babe," his silky, husky voice washed over me. The sound sent a shiver straight down my spine. He closed the distance between us in two long strides, his calloused fingers gently gripping my chin. He tilted my head up, forcing me to meet his mesmerizing gaze. "A future Luna never looks down."

The realization hit me like a physical punch. My destined mate was Kael Vargas. My biggest tormentor, the future Alpha of the pack, was the other half of my soul. But I didn't have time to process the sudden shock. He stared right into my soul, breaking down every defensive wall I had spent years building. His head dipped down, and his lips crashed onto mine, claiming what rightfully belonged to him.

The kiss was bruising and desperate, filled with a raw hunger. I parted my lips, allowing his tongue to sweep inside and taste my mouth. I didn't even realize he was moving us until the backs of my knees hit the mattress and I fell back onto the soft duvet. His mouth never left mine as his hands moved to the back of my worn-out dress. The cheap zipper gave way, and he pushed the fabric down my shoulders, peeling it off and tossing it onto the floor. I was intoxicated by the mate bond, high on the feeling of his bare skin against mine.

He undid the clasp of my bra, tossing it aside and freeing my bare breasts. He broke the kiss, his dark green eyes studying my rapid breaths. "Hot," he murmured.

His large hand closed over my right breast, squeezing the soft flesh. His calloused thumb rubbed roughly against my hardening nipple, sending a jolt of pure electricity straight to my core. He captured my left breast, his tongue swirling around the sensitive nipple before drawing the tight peak into his mouth. He sucked hard, biting down gently. An embarrassing, loud moan escaped my lips.

His free hand slid past the waistband of my cheap panties, diving straight down to my wet pussy. "You're so wet for me, baby," he groaned, his voice thick with lust.

His long fingers pushed past my vaginal lips, immediately finding my swollen clitoris. He rubbed the sensitive flesh, circling and pressing until my hips involuntarily bucked against his hand. He slipped two fingers deep inside my slick vagina, thrusting in and out in a rhythmic, torturous pace while his thumb kept up the relentless friction on my clitoris. I couldn't think. I couldn't breathe. My mind went blank, consumed by the burning friction and the worship of his hands and lips. He was my mate. I desperately wanted to give my all to him, genuinely believing I had nothing to lose in this union.

But the very next morning, my naive hopes were brutally shattered.

I woke up with a soft smile, reaching out for the warmth of the man who had claimed my body and soul. My hand hit the cold, empty mattress. I snapped my eyes open and sat up quickly, pulling the thick duvet up to cover my naked breasts.

Kael was standing on the other side of the room. He was fully dressed in fresh clothes, leaning casually against the wall with his muscular arms crossed. His green eyes held cold, absolute indifference.

Relief initially washed over me. He hadn't left me! That was a good sign, right? "Hey," I greeted softly. "About last night..."

"It was a mistake," he cut me off bluntly, devoid of warmth. "It never should have happened. I was drunk, and my mind was hazy."

I froze, the duvet slipping slightly. "What?"

"Like, who in their right mind would get with you?" He let out a harsh, mocking laugh. "You're you!"

Tears sprang to my eyes, blurring my vision. My chest tightened painfully. "Excuse me?"

"You know what I mean." Pushing himself off the wall, he rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Nothing can ever happen between us when I am sane. I am the soon-to-be Alpha, and you are an Omega. I can't have you as my mate. You are too weak. I mean, look at you. You will never make a good Luna."

The words sliced through me like a silver blade. The dam broke, and hot tears spilled down my cheeks. "Plus, you come with too much baggage. I don't want that."

"But you took everything from me," I pleaded desperately, my voice cracking. "I gave you all of me last night..."

He waved his hand dismissively. "Look, it's not my fault that you're so easy."

My eyes went wide with sheer horror and humiliation. Easy? After he used the undeniable mate bond to break down my defenses?

"No offense," he added casually, shrugging his broad shoulders. "But I really cannot see a future between the both of us, so I will have to let you go."

He tossed out the devastating words as if my existence meant nothing. He was officially letting me go. Just a casual, brutal dismissal of my entire soul.

"You're rejecting me?" I whispered in sheer disbelief. But then again, what was I expecting? Was I really expecting Kael to agree to be my mate? To love and care for me?

He sighed heavily, clearly bored with my tears, and walked over to the bedroom door. "Call it whatever you want. All I know is that nothing happened between us. And if you ever think about telling anybody, just know that I will deny it and make sure I add liar to your resumé. It's your word against mine. We already know who would win."

An arrogant, cruel smirk painted his stupidly handsome face. He held all the power, and he knew it.

"Anyway, I'll go check if the coast is clear. Get dressed and leave my house."

With that final blow, he turned the handle and walked out of the room, leaving me alone in the cold silence.

The moment the door clicked shut, I shoved the heavy bed covers aside. My body ached, but I ignored the soreness. I scrambled off the mattress and frantically threw my worn-out clothes back on. I zipped up my dress with trembling hands. I refused to wait for his return. I resolved to leave, exactly as he wanted, and never show my face to him again.

I looked around the grand bedroom one last time, a crushing, undeniable clarity settling into my bones. There was absolutely nothing left for me here. I had no parents, no family, no friends, and most devastatingly, no mate.