Rejected and Regretted (Ashen Wolves #1)

21

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A V R I L

“Come on out, Alpha!” I heard Theo chant from the other side of the door. “Let’s see the pretty outfit you picked for your date.”

“It’s not a fucking date!” I grunted, swinging the door of the suite’s bathroom open.

The second I came into view, my two friends, who were sitting by the side of the bed, shot me horrified looks. When I told them that I was going into the city with Koen, they started giggling like preschoolers. They insisted on staying in my suite to help me get ready.

I thought they were just teasing me, but it seemed they had truly expected me to dress up. It was obvious they didn’t think I looked my best with my usual black hoodie and jeans. Well, if anything, I hoped my former mate would share their opinion - the last thing I wanted was for him to assume I was trying to look pretty for him.

“Are you seriously wearing that ?” my beta grimaced, his disgust evident as he pointed at my clothes.

I rolled my eyes as I walked past him and his mate to grab my worn-out sneakers. “What’s wrong with it? It’s what I’ve worn everyday since we got here.”

“Exactly!” he argued.

Elijah shook his head in disapproval. “I told you we should have picked her outfit. You trust her nonexistent sense of style too much.”

“I thought she would make an effort tonight,” Theo explained himself.

“You two can’t be serious,” I scoffed, having had enough of their excitement toward the idea of Koen and I ever being together.

That was never going to happen.

Just then, a knock on the door caught my attention. “That must be him,” I whispered, remembering the alpha had promised to pick me up at my suite in an hour.

“Have a good date, Alpha!” Theo waved at me.

“Don’t forget to be nice!” Elijah added, mimicking his mate’s gesture.

A frown stretched across my forehead right before strangeness hit me, making me arch an eyebrow at them. “You’re not going to insist on following us from a distance?” I questioned, considering how protective they usually were of me, especially since two nights ago.

To my shock, my beta just shrugged. “I trust Alpha Koen to ensure your safety in our absence.”

That was enough to make me grumpy again. “I hope I get kidnapped, or murdered,” I muttered.

Neither of them said a word, but I could feel them trying to hold back their giggles. I groaned one last time, anticipating how dreadful the evening would be, before inhaling deeply. Extracting the most out of my acting skills, I put on a smile. If I wanted to earn Koen’s trust, I needed to pretend I was having a good time.

Goddess, that would be harder than getting the ashes at this point.

“Hey,” I chanted as I opened the door, but my smile faded the instant my eyes fell on my ex-mate as I held my breath.

Koen was wearing a black button-up, long-sleeved shirt and matching trousers. The dark palette contrasted with his combed-back, glistening blonde hair. An emerald green tie added a splash of color to his look whilst also accentuating the shade of his eyes. I might not like him, but I’d have to be blind not to realize how handsome he looked.

As I stared at him, I couldn’t help but feel underdressed. For the first time, I regretted not having listened to my friends. He didn’t seem to mind it though, greeting me with a radiant smile.

“Car’s waiting for us. Shall we go?” He offered me his arm, and I was too flabbergasted to refuse it.

After I nodded, he guided me through the town square toward the packhouse, where a limousine was parked. Throughout our short, silent walk, I managed to collect myself. Our night had barely begun; I couldn’t afford to lose focus like that. Not with him. I had to keep my guard up at all times.

Reluctantly, I let Koen help me into the car. He climbed in soon after, taking a seat beside me. It was slightly annoying how he decided to stay close to me when there was enough room inside for at least all three highest-ranking members of the pack and their mates, but I pretended not to care. At least he didn’t try to chit-chat, allowing me to stay inside my head during the entirety of our hour-long drive.

As I distracted myself with the view rolling through the windows, I let myself feel a small hint of excitement. Since we, wolves of Azure Smoke Pack, rarely left pack territory to avoid being discovered by other shifters, I had only been to a human city twice. In both instances, I was too focused on doing what I had to do as fast as possible to actually enjoy my trip. Perhaps it wouldn’t be all that bad exploring a different place for a change.

As soon as we drove into the city, I was already fascinated by all the lights, but it wasn’t until we finally stepped out of the car that I could truly sense the urban atmosphere. Neon signs flickered above us as we walked down the bustling streets, and I had to adjust my werewolf hearing to deafen the loud noises. Suddenly, I felt overwhelmed by the overflow of information.

Koen seemed to notice it when I dove my hands into my pockets, as if it could help me feel less exposed to the crowd. “Is this your first time coming to the city?” he asked.

“At night, yes,” I replied, my gaze roaming our surroundings as I tried to absorb everything.

“How do you like it?” he wondered.

"It's... overwhelming," I replied, my voice tinged with uncertainty. "But I suppose there's a certain charm to it."

Koen chuckled, a deep sound that resonated in the night air. Somehow, it stood out among the horns of cars and loud conversations. "You'll get used to it. Trust me.”

If he hadn’t gently grabbed my wrist, I wouldn’t have noticed that he had halted. He gestured with his head toward the building in front of us, letting me know this was our first stop. I took a minute to scrutinize the entrance, and it was immediately apparent that the place was expensive. Like, high-society expensive.

“Uh, Koen…” I whispered. “I don’t think I can afford this place.”

In a way, it was true. As an alpha, I was the one who managed the pack’s bank account. However, I rarely spent our money on luxuries. Even if I wanted to, I hadn’t brought any credit cards with me to Whispering Hills; I only carried some spare cash, which wasn't suspicious for an omega to have.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be paying for everything,” he reassured me, leading me inside before I could protest.

At first, I wasn’t fond of the idea, but I soon shrugged it off. I would take it as compensation for what he had done to me. Not that money could magically fix everything, but I guess he owed me, and I wouldn’t be ashamed to indulge in it.

We stopped at the reception, where a man dressed in a suit promptly approached us. “Same spot as usual, Mr. Alpin?”

“Yes, please,” Koen replied.

The man bobbed his head, heading off to fetch a key card he soon handed to the alpha. We proceeded to the elevator, where Koen swiped the card, granting us access to the top floor. As soon as we reached our destination, I realized it was a secluded rooftop - a VIP area of the club with exclusive service.

This time, I didn’t wait for Koen to show me around. Drawn to the view, I gravitated toward the balcony, and I was awestruck by the panorama that unfolded before me, captivating my senses and stealing my breath away. The city sprawled out beneath me like a glittering tapestry while skyscrapers pierced the night sky, their silhouettes etched against a canvas of twinkling stars.

“Wow,” I breathed out, taken aback by the scenery.

I heard footsteps approaching, followed by Koen’s voice. “See the appeal now?”

As I turned around, I found him right behind me, mere inches separating us. My heart raced, startled by his proximity. I opened my mouth, yet struggled to formulate a reply. Thankfully, a waiter soon walked over to save me.

“May I take your order?” he politely asked, pulling out a tablet. “I suggest our famous margaritas.”

“I don’t drink,” I confessed.

“Neither do I,” Koen revealed, to my surprise. “Luckily, they do have the best coffee in the city.”

“Two caffè shakerato ?” the waiter guessed.

“Yes, please,” Koen affirmed, and the man was off to prepare our order.

For a moment, all I could do was stare at my ex-mate, trying to see through him. I loved coffee, and certainly drank it more than would be considered healthy for a regular human. Rather than shutting my brain off with alcohol, I valued the high from the energy provided by caffeine. Did Koen know this? I wondered, though quickly dismissed the idea. It had to be a coincidence.

We sat at the table by the balcony, where Koen started a conversation. At first, I wasn’t really interested in talking to him, but once our orders arrived and the caffeine started kicking in, I found myself giving him more than monosyllabic answers.

“So, you’d never spent a night in the city before tonight,” Koen observed as he took a sip of his coffee. “What else?”

I flashed him a confused look. “What?”

He leaned forward on the table, a half smile painting his face. “What are the things you’d like to do but never have?”

Again, all I did was blink at him in silence. Was he asking about my dreams? Because I sure as hell wouldn’t be sharing them with him.

He sighed, relaxing in his chair. “Fine, I’ll go first. I’ve always wanted to learn how to cook, but my parents insisted I shouldn’t bother with making my own meals, and I hadn’t had the time to take up lessons after I became alpha.”

"It's not that difficult, you know. It’s one of the first things omegas are taught," I criticized before a realization struck me. "Is this some sort of 'never have I ever,' but with coffee instead of vodka?" I huffed, observing his expectant expression as he looked at me without saying a word. Fine, I'd play his silly game. “Okay. I’ve never been to a fancy bar before.”

“Well, now you have,” he pointed out, lifting his cup to propose a toast. “Drink.” As if it was a dare, I did, not missing the shadow of a smirk beginning to form on his lips. “My turn. Never have I ever…” he paused thoughtfully before a full smirk adorned his face. “Growled at another alpha, like a bold omega I know.”

I still hadn’t swallowed all the coffee I had in my mouth by the time he finished his sentence, which I wasn’t expecting in the least. Taken by surprise, a blush crept up my cheeks at his words, and I accidentally spilled the drink, letting some of it drop down my chin and onto my sweatshirt. Goddess, get a grip, Avril!

“Shit,” I muttered, looking down at the mess I had made.

“Wait, let me help you,” Koen chimed in, rising from his seat to approach me with a napkin.

“No, it’s fine,” I insisted, but he paid no mind to it.

Eager to avoid him, I jumped out of my seat. But, in my haste, I ended up tripping on the foot of the chair before I could stand properly. As I stumbled back, I prepared myself to pathetically hit the ground like a sack of potatoes.

Yet, Koen was somehow faster than me. One of his arms reached around my back, supporting my body mid-fall, while the other slammed against the table for stability.

As I found myself caught in his strong embrace, my heart pounded wildly against my chest. With him inclined forward over me, our faces barely touched, and I found myself focusing on his half-parted lips as he panted from the shock. Heat surged through me at the close proximity, and I couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement mixed with embarrassment.

Why was I reacting to him like this?

“Avril,” he mused, his husky voice barely audible, yet it resonated through my ears like ringing bells.

Stunned, I watched as his hand slowly reached up. Instead of stopping at my sweatshirt, his fingers floated up to my chin. Tenderly, he swiped his thumb against my skin, cleaning up the coffee. It then moved to my bottom lip, pressing it.

Next thing I knew, his mouth was on mine.

A surge of conflicting emotions washed over me. His kiss was soft yet possessive, sending a shiver down my spine despite my best efforts to resist it. His hand cupped my cheek, his touch igniting a fire within me that I struggled to contain.

For a moment, I hesitated, torn between the desire to push him away and the intoxicating thrill of his unexpected gesture. Yet, as his lips moved against mine with a gentle urgency, all rational thought fled from my mind, leaving only the undeniable pull of attraction. And my tongue searched for his.

As we kissed, time seemed to stand still. I was transported to a fantastic world where the bad blood between us didn’t exist. But even as I surrendered to the pleasure, a small voice in the back of my mind whispered warnings of danger, reminding me of the consequences of being at his mercy. To my surprise, it wasn’t Kea reaching out to me - in fact, she seemed to be even more lost in the moment than I was.

When Koen finally pulled away, leaving us both breathless, I realized my fists were clenched to his shirt, instinctively pulling him closer to me. What was I doing? As the trance of the moment dissipated, I was overcome with a surge of fear.

Fear, not just because of what I had just allowed to happen, but also because of the unsettling realization that I actually enjoyed it.