Chapter 2

1: A bed

~ INARI'S POV ~

That was the first thing I sensed upon waking up, a very fluffy and comfortable bed, I must say.

" When did her bed become so soft? " I asked myself

As I tried to stand up, my head banged with a terrible headache making me groan in agony. I rolled on the bed holding my head and when I did, I sensed it. Fresh air.

"On my skin! " 

That could only mean one thing...

I shot up from the bed only to find myself naked in a strange room. 

It took me a minute to remember I had drunk last night and offered to sleep with a damn gigolo!

" Oh my gosh, what have I done? Did I lose my virginity to a faceless person?" I asked myself in shame

 Apart from my final comments at the club, I had no memory of what followed, so we must have somehow ended up in the bedroom!

"Did he... Did we..." I hesitantly cast my gaze downward, wondering whether there was anything peculiar about my body. 

But then, how would one know if you are actually touched? Although there was no red stain on the sheet it doesn't mean something didn't happen...

My face grew pale as I noticed that it was past two in the afternoon as her eyes caught the time on the wall.

" Sweet mother goddess, I'm so dead! Everyone would be aware that I didn't spend the night at home!" The thought of how worried they will all be crossed my mind

The migraine hit me in full force as I  leapt out of bed, and hastily looked around the room for my clothing. It was conveniently close by on the sofa, nicely folded. After putting it on, I rushed outside. Fortunately, I knew where I was, so I hastened back home.

*

People were staring. Not that they don't always stare but it seems worse today.

They are practically gawking and murmuring as I walked by making my heart thump. I didn't forget that all these people were people who I once thought were humans.

 A scoff left my mouth at the thought. Funny how my life seems to change in just one day but then, did something happen? Why were they looking at her like that? Is something on her face?

 Imagining how my hair must have looked made me purse my lips but her family was much more important than anything else.

Dread began to set it in as I got closer to the house. My palms became literally sweaty all of a sudden. I  considered entering through the window, but just as I was contemplating it, I heard:

 “INARI STONE!! GET YOUR ASS INSIDE RIGHT NOW!” 

I winced at Lennox's shrill voice.

"Too late. Damn werewolves must have alerted him I'm almost home. Hmmm. This wouldn't end well." I thought to myself

"I love my father, really, I do but his anger is something no one wants to experience. Especially now that I know what he was. What if he suddenly goes hairy, or shifts on me?" I thought as shivers ran through my body 

After wiping my sweaty palms on my pants, I took a nervous deep breath and dragged myself inside, sneezing on my way. 

"Double shit! Dad will only get furious when he learns I had caught cold thanks to the nameless Gigolo who took my clothes off and maybe took advantage of me?" I shook her head and decided to focus on this situation first. 

As I entered the house, four sets of Alpha eyes were immediately focused on me.

 "Hello Dad, umm Alpha?" Should I start calling him that now?

Dad came over in a rage, his eyes getting darker with each step. I resisted the impulse to turn around and flee south. 

“You snuck out of the house? How dare you...” he trailed off and sniffed the air. Then, after a short while, he swore loudly and asked Marietta,

 "Smell that?"

Mom came closer and sniffed me, then Bryan, my brother joined them. 

"Wait, are they... sniffing me? The hell? Is that something werewolves do? Why hadn't she realized that all those years? " I thought, bewildered.

"She's been marked!" Mom exclaimed, 

"Say what now? Marked? How have I been marked? Can someone tell me what is happening??" I looked at them in hopes of getting an explanation, but her Dad instead gave her a frightening look, which is something he never does. It simply served to highlight his rage.

 “Go to room, now! You will remain there until after the Crystal Night.” dad ordered 

Without needing to be reminded twice, I hurried up the stairs to her room. Then slammed the door behind me. I then lay down on the bed and start massaging my temples while groaning. Ahh, her head feels like it will blow up at any moment. She would never take alcohol again. 

After a while, I crept to the door to listen to what was going on downstairs and after opening the door slightly, what I heard almost made my heart stop. 

“...the male's smell is all over her! It's not just a marking that will wash off after a bath! It will take a week to wear off.” Dad spat angrily.

“Does that mean, whoever marked her will come for her?” asked mom in a half-hushed tone. 

“You don't understand, the scent on her is not one of our pack members. It could only mean, our pack has been infiltrated! And our daughter is the target!” dad said 

Come after me? Target?  Why in the name of hell will he come after me when I had already paid for the stupid escort? And what do they mean by Marked? They all seem to be speaking a whole different language.

I gently closed the door and went to take hot quick bathing, after which I plopped onto her bed and slept off instantly. 

When no one from my family visited her room that afternoon, I started to understand the gravity of the situation. 

That evening, Nikki came to see me via the window. She looked at me and exhaled a sigh of relief.

"Oh, you're doing great! I was so stressed out. How did yesterday night go?" She asked 

I scratched my head awkwardly, “I don't know. I can't remember.” 

She was speechless and staring at me in disbelief when I interrupted her. 

"Let's discuss something different! Are you planning to attend The Crystal Night?" I asked trying to change the subject

I didn't want to talk about my stupidity. The one night I decided to act recklessly turned out to be my worst night ever. I wasn't sure if I had lost my virginity and if I  had, I don't know how I felt about it. 

But, dang it, one-night stands happen all the time, right? Instead of pouting about it, I should be glad I gave it to a cute gigolo. I don't care if he marked me. It will fade away!

The Crystal night is a night when the moon is at its fullest. A time when almost all werewolves go into the heat madness with no sense of reasoning, they simply f*ck themselves out till dawn. Those who have mates are a plus for them because it is thought that the Moon Goddess uses this season to give women the fruit of the womb, while unmated wolves look for potential partners with whom they might spend the night.

 However, Alpha Nero is visiting their pack for the first time so it's major news for everyone. Everyone except I.  Why because my family planned on locking me up that night. 

Alpha Nero will be coming to select a concubine, its  another reason why my parents revealed their true identity. As the Alpha of Alphas, It's Nero's right to choose one from each pack. 

My father, Alpha Lennox claims Nero goes about choosing concubines every Crystal Night.

“Of course I am! But not because I want to get chosen as Alpha Nero's concubine but... I met a guy at the club last night.” I blushed shyly, but that wasn't what caught I attention.

Alpha Nero's Concubine did.