CHAPTER 3
VIVIAN'S POV
The depth of isolation that accompanied my existence was something very few people could truly grasp. Many claimed to understand loneliness, yet they had families who loved them or friends and associates to lean on. My situation was drastically different. As an Omega, I was ostracized, devoid of friends, and burdened with a family that despised me for being wolfless. Even within the pack, I was regarded as an abomination.
As soon as I exited the wedding venue, tears continued to cascade down my cheeks. Sniffling, I struggled to suppress the sobs that threatened to erupt from within me. Today had brought with it the most devastating betrayal and the harshest rejection imaginable.
I wandered aimlessly, unsure of where to go. Home was not an option—not because I couldn't go there, but because I didn't want to. The only things waiting for me there were embarrassment and hatred. My feet carried me through the region until I found myself entering an exquisite bar.
The bar’s dim lighting and inviting warmth offered a stark contrast to the cold, harsh reality of my life. The gentle murmur of conversations and the clinking of glasses provided a welcome distraction from the turmoil in my mind. I approached the bar counter, briefly scanning the room before settling onto an empty stool.
The bartender, a burly man with a friendly smile, approached me. “What can I get for you, miss?” he asked, his voice a soothing balm to my frayed nerves.
I hesitated briefly before replying, “Something strong. I don’t care what.”
He nodded in understanding and turned to prepare my drink. As he worked, I let my gaze wander, observing the other patrons. Most were engrossed in their own worlds, laughing and chatting with friends or staring into their drinks, lost in thought. None of them paid any attention to me, which was a small blessing.
The bartender returned with a glass filled with an amber liquid. “Here you go,” he said, setting it in front of me. “This should do the trick.”
“Thanks,” I muttered, wrapping my fingers around the glass and taking a sip. The alcohol burned immediately, spreading warmth through my chest and dulling the edges of my pain.
I closed my eyes and exhaled a long, shaky breath. The events of the day replayed in my mind, each memory more painful than the last. The humiliating joke my sister had played on me had turned into a nightmare. My mate had betrayed me, rejecting me in front of everyone.
Flashbacks of the ceremony came unbidden: his cold eyes as he looked at me, the smirk on his face as he held Rebecca's hand. My heart clenched painfully at the memory, and I took another long gulp of my drink, hoping to drown out the hurt.
“Rough night?” A voice beside me interrupted my thoughts. I opened my eyes to see a man sitting on the stool next to mine. He had striking features—dark hair that fell just above his eyes and a jawline that seemed chiseled from stone. But it was his blue eyes that captivated me—they were deep, understanding, and filled with a warmth that seemed to cut through my pain.
“You could say that,” I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Want to talk about it?” he asked gently, his gaze unwavering.
I hesitated. I had never been one to open up to strangers, but something about him drew me in, making me want to pour out my heart. “I just... I met my mate today, but I was rejected,” I began, my voice trembling. “He... he left me for someone else. Right there, in front of everyone.”
"You met your mate?" He sounded surprised as he asked, and I nodded my head, "yes."
He scoffed and shook his head, taking another sip of his drink. "You're joking. There's no way."
"Excuse me! But what the hell do you know about me? Do you know what I have gone through? The rejection I have faced?" I yelled at him, and he smirked.
"I have never been rejected before, so sorry, but I can't relate," he said nonchalantly, and I got the impression he was an egotist.
"Well, life must be truly blissful for you then," I said to him while rolling my eyes, the intoxication of the alcohol settling within my body.
"I am guessing this is your first time drinking. You're so loud," he said, and I flared up, standing up from my stool.
"I'm not loud!" I yelled at him, and he smirked.
"See what I mean?" he said, and I was about to retort, but then I realized he was right. I closed my mouth and sat back down quietly, not wanting to cause a ruckus.
"Bartender, give us magic ecstasy," the man ordered, and the bartender nodded, filling my cup with a blue, clear liquid. I had never heard of it before and assumed this was what he was drinking earlier.
"What's this for?" I asked him, and he sighed deeply.
"Just drink," he said, and I growled at him. It's not like he could try anything with so many people around us, and for some odd reason, it felt good to let a man buy me a drink for the first time.
I downed the blue liquid in one swift motion. It burned for a moment but soothed me deeply. I couldn't explain it, but it was sweet and, at the same time, burned my throat. It was so addictive.
"Another," I told the bartender, who looked at the man beside me. He filled my cup, and I gulped it down instantly. "Another," I said, and the man beside me looked at me.
"Whoa! I think that's enough," he said, but I didn't listen to him.
I hadn't even realized when I finished the whole bottle. I felt so hot inside, and my undies felt wet.
"Wh-what's happening? My body feels so hot," I slurred, unsure if I was constructing the right sentences.
"You drank too much of that aphrodisiac, and now you're craving s*x. It's normal," he replied, and I moaned softly, squeezing my legs tightly to resist it.
"Wh-why did you give me that? Was this your plan?" I confronted him, bringing my face closer.
"No, I don't need to drug a girl to f**k her. In fact, I told you, you were drinking too much," he said, finishing the last of his shot.
He looked so handsome; my ex-mate looked like a pig in comparison. His attractive blue eyes made me bite my lip. I stared at his lips for a moment.
"Wh-why are you staring at me like that?" he asked, flustered, and I smiled.
"Well, you were the one who made me horny, so you have to take responsibility," I said bluntly, and his eyes blinked rapidly.
"What?" he replied, and I growled at him. "If you don't want to, it's fine. I'll just find someone to satisfy me tonight," I said, turning around.
He grabbed my hand before I could move away, and in a swift motion, he pressed his lips to mine. The sweet taste of the aphrodisiac was still there. He broke the kiss, and I licked my lips.
"Who said I don't want to?" he said, taking me out of the bar. There was a hotel just opposite it. We entered, taking an elevator to one of the rooms. One of the staff members saw him and instantly bowed his head.
Is he some kind of noble? I wondered, catching a proper glimpse of his attire and noticing a wolf insignia on it.
Which pack was that? Before my thoughts could identify it, the beep from the door interrupted my musings as he unlocked it.
The room was cozy and beautiful. He immediately turned to me, smiling, and my heart skipped a beat.