Claimed By The Alpha Kane

Izzy’s POV “I think we should leave.” My voice barely rose above the pounding music blasting from the hidden speakers in every corner of the club. We had been here less than five minutes, and I already felt completely out of place. The short leather dress clung tightly to my body, the strapless material leaving my shoulders bare. I tugged at the hem for what must have been the hundredth time tonight. This wasn’t me. Normally, I lived in comfortable jeans and simple tops. But Jocelyn had insisted tonight was different. Because tonight was my twenty-first birthday. The dance floor pulsed with bodies moving wildly to the beat. Neon lights flashed across sweaty skin as people lifted their glasses high, laughing and shouting over the music. Everyone looked like they belonged here. Everyone except me. Jocelyn leaned close, her lips brushing my ear as she shouted, “Don’t be such a killjoy! It’s your birthday. Try having some fun for once!” I pulled back slightly, wincing at the volume of her voice. Before I could protest, a waiter walked past with a tray of tiny glasses filled with amber liquid. Jocelyn snatched two shots from it like a hunter claiming her prize. “Happy birthday, girl!” she declared, pressing one into my hand. The sharp smell of alcohol hit my nose instantly. I hesitated. Jocelyn raised her glass toward me expectantly. “Oh, come on, Izzy. Don’t tell me you’re backing out already.” I sighed and lifted the glass. “Fine.” The liquid burned the moment it slid down my throat. My face scrunched as the heat spread down my chest. “Whew,” I coughed softly. “That was… intense.” Jocelyn burst out laughing. “You haven’t seen anything yet.” Before I knew what she was doing, she grabbed two more shots from another passing tray and shoved them into my hands. My tolerance for alcohol was practically nonexistent, but Jocelyn looked so excited that I didn’t want to ruin the night. Around us, a group of men had begun circling like curious wolves. One of them slipped his arm around Jocelyn’s waist, and she only laughed harder. I tried to step back. Just then, I felt a hand brush against my backside. My stomach twisted. Before I could react, my phone vibrated in my clutch. Saved by the phone. I slipped out of the circle quickly and pushed my way toward a quieter passageway near the restrooms. The music was slightly muffled here. I glanced at the screen. Bruce. My boyfriend. Relief flooded me as I answered. “Hey, Bruce.” “Where the f**k are you?” The harshness in his voice made me freeze. He hadn’t even returned my greeting. “I’m with Jocelyn,” I said carefully. “Don’t give me that bullshit, Isabella,” he snapped. “I know you’re at a club. I can hear the music.” My fingers tightened around the phone. I had sent him a message hours ago explaining where I was going. If he had answered any of my calls earlier, he would have known. “It’s my birthday today,” I said quietly. “Jocelyn just wanted to take me out for a little fun.” There was a brief pause. Then Bruce laughed bitterly. “Is that why you’re out there acting like a slut?” The words cut straight through me. For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. I stared blankly at the wall, my chest tightening painfully. He hadn’t even remembered my birthday. And this was what he chose to say instead. Before I could respond, the phone was suddenly snatched from my hand. “Hey!” I protested. Jocelyn stood in front of me, the phone already pressed to her ear. “What the hell is your problem?” she snapped into it. “Do you even realize it’s her birthday?” I tried to grab the phone back, panic rising in my chest. “Jocelyn” She shoved it into my hand again a moment later and rolled her eyes. “What are you doing here anyway? You’re missing all the fun.” Bruce had already hung up. I swallowed hard. He was definitely going to be furious now. “I should go,” I said quickly. “I need to fix things with him.” Jocelyn’s expression fell immediately. “Seriously? You’re leaving because of that jerk?” “He’s not a jerk,” I muttered, though the words felt weak even to me. She crossed her arms. “He didn’t even remember your birthday, Izzy.” I didn’t answer. Instead, I stared down at the floor. “He’s just busy,” I said finally. Jocelyn snorted. “Please. No man is that busy for his girlfriend.” She had never liked Bruce. The feeling was mutual. I had spent two years trying to get them to tolerate each other. “Thank you for bringing me here,” I said softly. “But I should go.” Jocelyn studied me for a moment before sighing dramatically. “Fine,” she said. “But you’re not leaving yet.” I blinked. “What?” “Two more shots,” she said firmly. “Then we go. Deal?” Before I could argue, she grabbed my wrist and dragged me back onto the dance floor. The flashing neon lights blurred together as the music pounded through my chest. Another round of drinks appeared. Then another. Somewhere between the fourth and seventh shot, the room began to tilt slightly. My head spun in a strangely pleasant way. The group of men returned. This time, I didn’t have the energy to push them away. Hands brushed against my arms. My waist. My back. Then suddenly, One of them grabbed my breast. Something inside me snapped. My hand moved before my brain could stop it. SMACK. The sound of the slap echoed even through the music. The man’s head jerked to the side. For a split second, everything went quiet. Then his eyes flashed red with anger. Uh-oh. That didn’t look good. I glanced around frantically. Jocelyn had disappeared somewhere into the crowd. The man raised his hand. I flinched, crouching slightly as I braced for the hit. But it never came. When I dared to look up, someone else was standing there. A tall man. His hand gripped my attacker’s wrist, twisting it sharply behind his back. The movement had been so fast I hadn’t even seen it happen. The stranger’s broad shoulders blocked most of the flashing lights, but even in the dim glow I could feel the power radiating from him. Dangerous. Dominant. Unyielding. “Apologize to the lady.” His voice was low. Rough. The kind of voice that made your skin tingle. He shoved the man down to his knees in front of me. “I’m sorry!” the guy stammered immediately. I nodded stiffly. The man scrambled away without another word. When I looked back up, my savior had already turned his back. He walked calmly toward the dim passageway near the back of the club. Without thinking, I followed him. “Hey,” I called. “Wait.” He didn’t slow down. I hurried after him, my heels clicking against the floor. “Thank you for helping me back there.” Still no response. But the closer I got to him, the stranger something happened. My heartbeat quickened. My skin warmed. Every nerve in my body seemed suddenly aware of him. I had never reacted to someone like this before. It was like being pulled by an invisible thread. He stopped abruptly. Then he turned. My breath caught. Electric blue eyes locked onto mine. They almost seemed to glow in the dim light. My knees weakened instantly. “Keep following me, birdie,” he said in a low growl, “and you’re going to get yourself into trouble.” The nickname sent a strange shiver down my spine. I lifted my chin stubbornly. “I don’t care.” Before I could overthink it, I grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him down toward me. Then I kissed him. Hard. His body went still for a fraction of a second. Then he growled deep in his chest. Strong arms wrapped around me as he lifted me effortlessly off the ground. My legs instinctively wrapped around his waist. The scent of him surrounded me wildly, masculine, intoxicating. He was a stranger. But at that moment, none of it mattered. All I knew was that if I let him go now I might never recover from it.