Jace's POV
I felt a masculine scent over my nose. I all seemed blurry, I stirred.
I closed my eyes again but I could only see the same person I always saw in my dreams; the zombie lady.
Her skin was cracked like porcelain left under the rain, her hollow eyes glowed faintly. Her voice, though always distant, was clear this time.
"It's the awakening. Now it is time for you to…" Her lips kept moving but I couldn't hear anything, anymore. Everything shook.
I gasped and sat up, my heart pounding rapidly, sweat sticking my hair to my neck.
The bite throbbed.
I touched the place below my collarbone where the pain burned through my skin like a second heartbeat. And there it was. Not just a wound but a mark; twisted crescent shaped and familiar. I have had it since I was a kid. My mother had always told me that it was a birthmark. She said I was special; born under a broken moon. And I had believed her until this moment.
Because the second I touched it, something moved inside me.
Like another door being unlocked or a monster waking up.
I turned and saw a half wolf-half human staring intently at me, his eyes fire-orange.
"Lucian??" I whispered into the silence. I was terrified. "You're a werewolf?"
I looked at my naked body. My best friend's fiance? What have I gotten myself into? I should have just stayed at home rather than attending the party.
"What did you do to me?" I had barely said that before I heard the knock.
I looked at his face and I saw a look of remorse and regret like it was out of his control. He marked me? Who does that? My best friend's fiance?
Hundreds of thoughts ran through my mind.
Then came the knock again.
Adrenaline surged through me. Who could be there? What if it's Lyra coming to look for me? Maybe she has gathered from my roommate that I went to a party; and had come to look for me. What would happen if she saw me naked with her fiance?
Would she understand that I was drunk and mistakenly fell into the hands of her fiance? But the mark.
I pondered about all of these in seconds.
Our eyes met and I could also see the fear in his eyes.
I jumped from the bed and started putting on my clothes hurriedly. The stain from the wine incident was still there but I didn't care. All I cared about was how to escape the hotel room without being seen by anyone.
"Is anyone in there". The voice at the door was a male's.
Lucian signaled me to go into the bathroom. I held my shoes in hand as I ran to the bathroom.
Lucian's POV
"Yeah I'm in". I answered after the third knock when I had completed my shift into a human. I looked at the room for any sign of a lady. There was none.
"Good morning Alpha Lucian, it's very weird of you to book a room for yourself. You've never spent the night at a party, what's wrong".
I was becoming angry. Why was he asking? Do I owe him any explanation?
"I have told you not to call me Alpha. I am not the Alpha yet and you know I don't want my real identity known publicly".
"Ohh!! Sorry Lucian. I just came to check up when I learnt that you booked a room". He said, looking at the room; paranoid.
"Okay, you may leave".
He turned to leave but stopped short. "I smell something forbidden in this room. Was someone else here?"
For a moment my heart stopped beating. "Nooo….not..at..all". I stammered, my eyes darting across the room. I felt so stupid. How could I be stammering In front of my Beta.
"Okay then". He walked out of the room.
I heaved a deep sigh of relief as I heard the closing bang of the door.
Jace came out of the bathroom a few minutes later, an indecipherable expression on her face.
"I'm very sorry for everything that happened. I want us to act like nothing happened… I was also acting under the influence of a force. I regret everything that happened". I managed to say. I could barely look her in the eye; I have never been this vulnerable.
"You're a werewolf. I've only heard about werewolves in movies and stories. I also guess Lyra doesn't know you're one". She said.
"I….. mmm".
"You marked me". She interrupted me harshly.
"I'm sorry. It doesn't matter. You're a Vampire and nothing can happen between us". I felt something die within me as I said that.
She arched her brows. "I'm a vampire?? It seems you're still under the influence of alcohol. I'm a normal girl".
I walked to her. Bending slowly, I raised up her dress and pointed to the mark. "I bet you don't know the meaning of this. This is a vampire's mark.
"Get your filthy hands of my body. I'm a special child that's why I have this mark. I was born under a broken moon". She shoved my hands away.
"You know what? I'm done here. Let's act like nothing happened". She said barging out of the room.
Jace's POV
As I came out of the bathroom, I looked at his facial expression wondering if this was the Lucian I knew. He was never soft; always domineering.
I knew it wasn't right but I felt so bad when he said he regretted everything that happened.
"Jace's don't tell me you've fallen in love with your best friend's fiance. C'mon it was just a silly mistake". The voice in my head said.
But why did I feel something tingle in me when he raised up my dress to show me the mark?
I had to quickly walk out of the room before I threw myself at him.
"Noo, Jace this is not happening". I said trying to escape from the fact that I was aroused.
When I got outside I boarded a cab straight home.
"Ahhh". I heaved a deep sigh of relief as I pushed the door open.
And there was Lyra sitting on my reading table reading a novel.
"Babe, I was worried about you. You haven't been taking your calls". She said as I walked in.
Just then I remembered that I forgot my phone in the hotel room. Fuck. "Mmm.. I went…. to a party and…mm… you know..I got my dress stained by the waiter…and ...."
She laughed "Calm down. I just asked why you weren't taking your calls, and when did you start stammering?'
I knew I had to act properly 'cause one thing about Lyra was that she's very perceptive.
"I'm I stammering?"
"Of course. And besides you smell very familiar like… Lucian. Did you get a new deodorant?"
She said, turning to my vanity mirror.
I felt my heart leave my chest…..