Chapter 18

Nicholas & Kayla

Nicholas

The effects on Kayla were immediate; I had seen this particular drug used before and could tell instantly from the sudden change in her scent and the way her pupils dilated. She turned to me and placed a hand on my chest.

“Nicholas…”

I cursed under my breath. Scorpio had acted faster than I anticipated. When I glanced up, she was gone.

Thankfully, there was still time. But not much. Scorpio had to be caught, but first I needed to get Kayla out of here before there was a scene.

“Come on,” I said firmly, wrapping an arm around her waist to steady her. “We need to get you somewhere safe.”

She leaned into me, her body warm and pliant. As I guided her through the crowd, I tried to act natural, offering polite nods to guests who glanced our way. Kayla began to giggle softly, her fingers tracing idle patterns on my chest.

“You’re so handsome,” she whispered. She squeezed my bicep. “And muscular. I mean, when do you even find the time to work out so much?”

“Kayla, focus,” I urged, trying to ignore the heat rising in my cheeks. I mind-linked Marcus. “Track down Scorpio. Don’t let her leave the premises.”

We finally reached my private study. I closed the door behind us and locked it. Kayla stumbled slightly, laughing as she nearly lost her balance.

“Easy,” I said, catching her before she fell. I guided her to the sofa and helped her sit down.

She looked up at me with a dreamy expression. “Your eyes... they’re like crystallized amber. So mesmerizing.”

I grabbed her face with one hand, forcing her to look into my eyes. Her pupils were as wide as saucers by now, and her cheeks were flushed a delicate shade of pink.

“Kayla, listen to me. You’ve been drugged with an aphrodisiac by a guild informant. I’m going to call a doctor, but you need to lay down.”

She pouted, reaching out to tug at my tie. “No need for a doctor. I feel fantastic.” Her fingers curled into the fabric, pulling me closer. “Come here.”

“Kayla, this isn’t you talking,” I said firmly, gently trying to remove her grip. But she was surprisingly strong. She gave me another yank and successfully pulled me down on top of her. I would have fallen onto her body if I hadn’t caught myself with one hand.

“Don’t be shy,” she teased, her lips brushing against my cheek. I suppressed a shudder as she continued, “I know you want to kiss me again.”

At that moment, I found it difficult to deny her. The way her big eyes sparkled up at me, the warmth and softness of her skin as I moved to brush her hand away from my chest—it stirred something deep within me. My wolf growled, urging me to give in.

And I almost did. Our fingers intertwined, and my lips were mere centimeters from hers. The thought of kissing her, of having her right then and there, was all too tempting. I wasn’t sure if I had ever wanted anyone that much.

But I couldn’t. I wouldn’t.

“Kayla, stop,” I insisted, pulling back. “The drug is very potent. If we... if we do anything, it could seriously harm your body.”

She whined softly when I pulled away, her hands reaching out to me. “Please, Nicholas. Don’t leave me.”

Her dress slipped slightly as she moved, the fabric sliding up to reveal more of her thighs. I felt my cheeks heat up, and I quickly averted my gaze. She giggled again, noticing my expression, and moved to slip the dress up and over her head.

But before she could, I moved away.

“Here,” I said, grabbing a blanket from the nearby chair and draping it over her.

To ease her discomfort, I placed my cool hand on her forehead and began fanning her face with a folded piece of paper.

“You’re so sweet,” she slurred. “I didn’t know you could be this caring.”

I grit my teeth. “Just rest. Help is on the way.”

A few minutes later, Marcus arrived with a doctor he found at the party. Marcus informed me through our mindlink that Scorpio had been located and taken into custody.

The doctor set his bag down and knelt beside her. “I’ll administer an antidote. It should counteract the effects.” He reached toward Kayla, who looked at him with a dazed smile. He gave her a small injection in her arm, and she winced slightly.

“Place some ice on her face to help with the fever,” the doctor said, handing me some cool compresses. I did as he asked, sitting beside Kayla and pressing the compresses to her skin.

Eventually, the antidote began to run its course and Kayla started to relax, although she remained pretty out of it. I sat beside her, watching as her breathing steadied. Her face was flushed, a sheen of sweat on her forehead. She looked so vulnerable, so different from her usual fiery self.

It was all too familiar.

“I’ll make them pay,” I muttered under my breath. Memories of my mother flooded back—the same drug, the same tactics. After forcibly detoxing, her body had become weak, and she never fully recovered.

Kayla stirred beside me, her hand reaching out. I took it gently.

“Mommy... sorry,” she mumbled, her voice barely audible. “I’m not the perfect daughter... I don’t have a wolf... I ruined Bluemoon Pack... Mommy, Daddy, I miss you…”

My heart tightened at her words. “Not having a wolf is not your fault,” I said firmly. “I’ll help you find your wolf. I promise.”

She didn’t respond, of course—just slipped deeper into sleep.

I stayed by her side throughout the entire night, keeping her company as she murmured incoherently in her feverish state.

Nothing could convince me to leave that room.

…

Kayla

When I woke up, it was already past noon the next day, long after the party had ended. Somehow, I was back in my bedroom, although I didn’t remember going to bed. And I felt like I’d been hit by a train.

Flashes of my delirious state flickered through my mind—I recalled forcefully kissing Nicholas and trying to take my dress off. Embarrassment flooded me, and I buried my face in my hands.

“Oh no,” I groaned, thinking I’d had too much to drink. “What did I do?”

Suddenly, a soft voice called out, “You were drugged with an aphrodisiac. Alpha Nicholas was very worried about you.”

My eyes shot open, and I looked up to see a young woman with blonde hair neatly pulled back into a bun sitting in the armchair beside my bed. She wore slender glasses on the end of her nose and held a book in her lap.

I swallowed, my throat raw and cracked. “And you are…?”

She stood and brought me a glass of water, which I drank gratefully. “I’m Jade,” she explained. “One of the medical staff here at the Alpha Manor. Alpha Nicholas wanted to stay with you, but he had some matters to attend to, so he asked me to watch over you.”

“Oh.” I groaned a little as she helped me lean back against some pillows. “I hope I didn’t cause too much trouble.”

She shook her head. “Not at all. Alpha Nicholas recognized the threat immediately and got you treated before it got too bad.”

“That’s... thoughtful of him,” I murmured.

“You know, you’re the first girl I’ve seen Nicholas care about this much. He treats you differently than anyone else.”

I was a little shocked but quickly snapped out of it, recalling that vengeful kiss all too well. “That’s just because I’m his Luna.”

“No, this is different,” she insisted. “I know about your arrangement. Even so, Nicholas treats you differently from anyone else.”

I looked away, unsure how to process her words. It didn’t seem likely—maybe she was just being nice.

“I should get dressed and check on some things.”

“Take your time,” Jade encouraged. “If you need anything, I’m here.”

After she left, I got dressed and sat at my desk to check my emails. It was strange—normally, the guild would reply within three to five days, but this time, there was no response to my last email. Frowning, I sent another email asking for an update.

I knew that the guild had always had its eye on Bluemoon pack, but they were also fair in their enforcement. The guild relied on the trust of all the werewolves across the country, and if they were unfair, people would overthrow them. Surely there weren’t any issues with my pack, right?

Still, I had enough to worry about today. Today was the day that I would receive my Luna duties from Isabella, so I closed my laptop and got ready.

When I stood in front of Isabella later that afternoon, I could feel her displeasure radiating off of her. She sat behind her ornate desk, fingers steepled, eyes cold.

“Let’s begin,” I said.

Sadie, the noblewoman beside Isabella, handed me a locked box and a key. “This is a confidential box from Nightshade Pack for the Luna,” she explained.

I examined the box. It looked very old, even a little odd. There were intricate carvings on its surface, symbols I didn’t recognize. This was the first I’d heard of such a box.

“Open it now,” Sadie urged, rather impatiently.

I looked up at Sadie’s overly eager gaze and realized that something was off. This felt like a trap.

“What’s inside?” I asked.