FIVE

Ortega's POV:

Alpha Blake and his son, Killian, linger for over an hour at our place before bidding their farewells. Relief washes over me as I watch them depart. Mum and Jenna ascend the stairs after clearing the dishes, leaving Dad and me alone in the living room.

"Ortega, I have something to share with you," Dad's voice pulls me from my thoughts, and I turn my attention to him.

"What is it, Dad?" I inquire, curiosity piqued.

"Your mum and I want to give you a birthday present," he reveals, sparking my interest further.

"And what might that be?" I ask, a smile tugging at my lips.

"We're still deciding," Dad admits. "But what do you want for your birthday?"

"Hmm... I'm not sure," I admit.

"Fair enough. Take your time to think about it. When you've decided, just let me know," Dad says, rising from his seat.

"Okay, Dad. Thanks," I reply, returning his smile.

{THREE WEEKS AFTER}

"Good evening," I begin, my voice steady as I introduce myself to the receptionist. "My name is Ortega Blackwood, from the Crescent Moon pack, and there's a reservation made for me."

Three weeks ago when dad asked me what I wanted for my birthday, uncertainty clouded my mind. But after much contemplation, I decided a vacation was in order. I needed a reprieve from the tensions with Killian and the strained relationship with my sister, Jenna.

After rejecting Killian as my mate, our interactions dwindled to rare occurrences. Only Jenna knew about Killian's indiscretion with her, a secret I kept close to my chest along with my rejection of him.

Dad's gesture of making a reservation at an exclusive hotel was a welcomed escape from the chaos of pack life. I knew I deserved this break, a chance to distance myself from the drama.

"Good evening, Ms. Blackwood," the receptionist greets me with a warm smile, her tone confirming my arrival. "That's right, we were expecting you. I need a copy of your passport and then my colleague will hand over the key to your room."

"No problem," I assure her, handing over my passport. After a quick confirmation, I receive my keycard from her colleague, ready to embark on my much-needed retreat.

"The mini-bars are all stocked. The kitchen is already closed, but the bar is still open. The rooms are equipped with fresh linen. If something needs to be changed, you can hang the sign on the outside of the door. Breakfast will be served in your room starting from six am," the lady informs me, her instructions clear and helpful.

"Thank you," I acknowledge her guidance before setting off to find my room, my suitcase in tow. With room 96 designated on my keycard, I navigate the corridors with ease, eager to settle into my temporary sanctuary.

As I swing open the door to my room, I'm immediately engulfed by the sheer expanse and breathtaking view that greets me. To the right of the entrance lies the bathroom, and with a simple insertion of my keycard, the space is bathed in light.

The centerpiece of the room is a magnificent king-sized bed, beckoning with its inviting allure. At its foot rests a cozy couch, positioned perfectly in front of a crackling fireplace. Adjacent to the fireplace stands a sleek desk, offering a workstation for productivity. Above it, a TV hangs, promising entertainment at my fingertips.

Two patio doors flank the bedroom, leading out to a balcony where the promise of fresh air awaits. Sensing a slight staleness in the air, I opt to illuminate the nightlight and extinguish the other sources of light, allowing the doors to usher in a gentle breeze.

Surveying the room further, I spot a convenient counter housing a coffee machine and water boiler, accompanied by a well-stocked minibar below. A nearby wardrobe offers ample space to stow away my belongings, although I decide to forgo unpacking, opting instead to live out of my suitcase during my brief stay, especially given the onset of spring and the unlikely need for the fireplace.

Overall, the room exceeds my expectations, worth every penny spent and then some. When I initially booked through the hotel's website, I anticipated a more modest accommodation, but I'm certainly not one to complain about an upgrade.

After plugging in my phone to charge, I retrieve my toiletry bag from my suitcase and make my way to the luxurious bathroom. There, I'm presented with the indulgent choice between reclining in a lavish bath or refreshing myself under the cascading waters of the shower. The glass wall separating the shower from the sink and mirror adds a touch of modern elegance, complete with 'his' and 'her' sides.

My attention is drawn to a forgotten toiletry bag left behind by a previous occupant. Determined to reunite it with its owner, I resolve to drop it off at the front desk during breakfast tomorrow. Perhaps they can facilitate its return to its rightful owner.

But for now, the allure of a warm, soothing bath proves irresistible. As I sink into the tub, the cares of the journey melt away, replaced by a blissful sense of relaxation. Truly, there's nothing quite like unwinding in the embrace of a warm bath after a long day's journey.

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I think I've been in the bath for an hour, the water has turned cold and I decide to get out. I'm drying myself when I hear a knock on my bedroom door. I wave it off, probably one of the men who came to check me out. They'll just have to wait. I'm not going to open the door like this. I wrap a towel around my body and am a bit shocked by the louder banging on the door this time.

"YEAH YEAH! I'm already coming, can a person still put some clothes on?" I yell towards the door, walking to my suitcase.

Just as I drop my bath towel on the floor, the door opens. The man who steps in has a full view of my naked body.

He takes his time looking at me from head to toe, his eyes going black with lust and a growl escaping him. I don't know if it's for me or the person behind him, but the door is closed and the man keeps looking at me.

I raise an eyebrow, "Do you like what you see?"

The man chuckles and coughs a little, then turns around.

"Sorry, did I enter heaven? You really are beautiful!" His voice is such a heavy male voice and for the first time in three weeks I notice that it does something to me.

Killian was my first, but because the bond couldn't be broken, he was also my last bed partner. Of course, I've played with myself here and there, but that's different than with a man, a real man, like the one who now has his back to me. He's definitely a head taller than me. His shirt is wrapped around his upper arms like a sleeve. Despite the distance between us, I can see all his back muscles. To be fair, he's a well-toned man.

"Are you already covered so that I can turn around?" he asks after minutes of silence.

I haven't gotten around to covering myself yet. We shifters, in our human form, just walk clothed, but as soon as we shift into our wolf form, we have to undress or else tear up our clothes. So it's not that I'm very shy about my body. I quickly bend down on the floor and slap the towel, turning my back to him. The moment I wrap the towel around me tightly and I'm sure it won't just fall off, I turn back. The man has already turned around and has clearly also been gawking at my ass.

"Sorry, it's not every day I walk into my hotel room and see a woman naked in front of me. My name is Alfredo," he says as he steps forward with one hand outstretched.

"Maybe you shouldn't just walk into a room. Especially if it's not your room," I say, as I also take a step towards him. With one hand holding my bath towel tight against my body and my other hand reached out to him to shake his hand.

"Ortega, from Crescent Moon pack," I introduce myself.

"Heavenly Ortega. You don't have to hold that towel so tight. You have nothing to be ashamed of," he says, as he runs his eyes over my body one more time.

"Oh I don't?" I ask sarcastically, rolling my eyes.

"Oh you also have spunk and sass!" he laughs, "So tell me Ortega, to what do I owe this beautiful view?"

"You haven't, let me refresh your memory. I was already here in this room and you decided, after your banging on the door wasn't answered, to burst into the room here."

He laughs again. It's lovely to hear him laugh. That deep, heavy laugh. I feel my core warm up slowly.

"I didn't mean to startle you, but this isn't your room. I understand you came in here with the keycard, but," he says, while he goes to the wardrobe and opens it, "this is my room. They gave you the wrong key at reception. Instead of 96 you should have gotten 69."

That immediately explains the toilet bag in the bathroom. It's the first thing that comes to mind.

"Now you're welcome to join me for the next few days, but I'm pretty sure you'd rather have your own room." the grin on this man's face is insufferable and heated at the same time. I know I have to pull myself together. Under no circumstances can I let him know that his body, his smooth talking, his husky voice and delicious smell are doing something to me.

He's already checked me out. If he smells my arousal, I'm sure he'll play on it and I don't think I would even stop him. It's been over three weeks since I last had sex.

Killian is the only man I had sex with, and it was a very big mistake. We had sex a few weeks after my birthday, which was also the time I rejected him. His dad hosted a party, and although I didn't want to attend, mum and dad forced me to because they didn't know about how I rejected Killian as my mate. I got drunk at the party and Killian also got drunk, then we ended up having sex. I still regret going to that party.

In all those weeks, I've never been tempted to cheat. I even built up a tolerance against wolfbane through his cheating. That was the only thing that helped to ease the pain when he cheated again with my sister of course.

"You know what?" Alfredo says, pulling me out of my twists and turns, "Relax, get yourself dressed. I'm going to take a very cold shower and then I'll help you to your room." He leaves no room for discussion, but goes straight to the bathroom and closes the door behind him.

A very cold shower, so this situation does something to him too.

I start rummaging through my suitcase so I can put on something light-hearted. The moment I put my clothes on the bed, I feel the first stings and know what time it is. Killian and my sister are probably having sex. The stings get worse in no time and the pain brings me to my knees.

The pain becomes unbearable and I find myself losing consciousness. Just then, the bathroom door opens and Alfredo steps into the bedroom. His towel hangs on his hips. His torso is exposed and if I hadn't suffered so much from the pain, I would certainly have looked at it with delight, but I was!

"You aren't making it easy for me, are you?" he asks playfully at first, but the moment I look up, I see his face twist. I know I don't look right now. Pale, as if I had seen a ghost, my eyes blood red and the tears in my eyes.

"What is it?" he asks after he has gathered himself. Very carefully he walks towards me and the moment he is on his knees in front of me, I pass out.