I looked up and gasped.
“Aiden?”
“Ah, there you are.” He smiled. “I was wondering when you’d come get me.”
Except it wasn’t the real Aiden—this was the guide that my mind had created, the person I trusted the most.
I took in my surroundings.
Strange, this room looked like a dungeon, the unlocked door the only way out.
“Where do we go?” I asked.
Aiden nodded silently toward the stairs.
As we walked back up the spiraling staircase, I became very aware of how see-through my robe was and cursed my mind for designing this outfit. Why the hell would I choose~ this~? I was practically naked.
Aiden didn’t seem to mind, judging from the way I felt his eyes following my ass.
The staircase seemed never-ending, and I suddenly realized that it hadn’t taken nearly this long to descend it.
“I think you’re holding back,” Aiden said. “We’ll just keep going in a loop if you aren’t open.”
“I’m sorry, my mind is a mess. I don’t know how to control—”
My body suddenly spasmed, a shockwave of electricity spreading across every inch of my skin.
~Oh no!~
~Not here…~
~How is this happening HERE?~
The haze hit me like a freight train—or some version of it in my head.
How was it possible to be so uncomfortable and so turned on at the same time?
My robe began to loosen, and my chest started heaving. My sex ached for someone to be inside it.
Aiden looked surprised. “Sienna, what’s happening? What are you feeling? Tell me.”
I was feeling…
~Everything.~
And it felt damned good.
***
I jolted awake, breathing heavily.
Konstantin was still holding on to my hands, so I quickly pulled them away and put them under my arms for warmth.
I was soaking wet, but not from arousal. Outside my mind, I was clammy and drenched in a cold sweat.
Konstantin grabbed a throw blanket and put it around my shoulders.
“I—I was h-hazed,” I said, teeth chattering. “I don’t understand what happened.”
“Fascinating,” he said, studying me. “So ~that’s~ how it manifests in your mind.”
“What do you mean?”
He shook his head. “That wasn’t the haze, not the real one anyway. Your mind is trying to fight you off. It’s only natural. Your brain has a kind of defense mechanism—like white blood cells—to keep you from entering too far.”
“I—I can’t control it,” I said, coughing.
“I know, that’s why we’ll work on it together.” He rested his hand on my blanket-covered shoulder. “This defense mechanism manifests itself differently for every individual. In your case, it must be manifesting as the haze.”
Of course it was. So that meant that every time I tried to access my memories, I’d feel a superintense version of the haze.
~Fucking perfect.~
The ~last~ thing I wanted was to get hot and bothered during therapy.
“It’s important to remember that even though it feels very real, nothing that’s happening in your mind is actually physically happening in the real world. It’s all in your imagination.”
I sighed. “Okay, but I can’t do any more tonight. It’s all too much right now.”
“I understand. We’ll pick this up in our next session. I don’t want to push you if you’re not ready.” He grabbed my jacket and guided me to the elevator.
“Thanks for understanding,” I said, smiling weakly. “I feel embarrassed.”
“Nonsense. Go home and get some rest. We’ll try again soon.”
***
Hot water rolled down my back as I tried to make sense of things.
Why had my mind placed me in such a precarious position?
What was I hiding from myself?
~Whatever it is, it must be buried deep~.
I was rinsing my face when I heard the shower door slide open behind me.
“Want some company?”
I whipped around to find Aiden, naked and fully erect, grinning at me with anticipation.
He was hazed.
The ~real~ kind of hazed.
Before I could say anything, he had me pinned against the wall and we were kissing.
He bit my lips, and his tongue began moving down my neck, then my torso, until he was on his knees and his head was at my sex.
I quivered with pleasure as his tongue flicked inside me. I closed my eyes and gave in to my desire as my haze kicked in.
Aiden could trigger it just by looking at me the right way, but his touch was even better.
“You love it when I’m inside you, don’t you, Sienna?” Aiden said, looking up at me.
“God, yes,” I moaned.
Aiden stood up, and the tip of his cock brushed against my sex.
“We haven’t been hazed in a minute,” Aiden whispered in my ear.
~Only if you don’t count the haze in my head.~
“Sorry I’ve been working so much,” Aiden said, his cock beginning to breach my sex. “Let me make it up to you.”
I moaned in approval as his tip slipped in.
It was just what I needed to clear my mind—having my brains fucked out by my mate.
You haven’t checked in with the status update today
Is she healthy enough to leave yet?
I want a date and time
Aiden, I’m working with her, but she’s not just going to heal overnight.
You need to let me do my job
And you need to let me do mine
Remember, she was exiled for being a thief. We can’t trust her
Exasperated, I placed my phone face down on my desk.
Nina shot me an inquisitive look. “Boyfriend troubles?” she asked teasingly.
“Ex-boyfriend, actually.”
“Is it the beta flavor or the alpha flavor that’s making you look like you just tasted something bitter?”
I laughed. “Alpha. Wait, how did you know about—”
“You don’t think I’ve noticed all the tension in the air when the three of you are in a room together? It’s so thick I can barely breathe.” Nina clutched her neck and pretended to choke.
“That’s very much in the past. It didn’t work out with either of them.”
“Alpha, beta…maybe you just need to try omega.” Nina smirked, and I found myself blushing again.
Why did this always happen to me when I was around her?
I helped Nina stand up and limp over to the parallel bars so we could work on her physiotherapy. My blushing only increased as she clutched my arm tightly.
“The alpha doesn’t like that I’m here, does he? He wants me gone.”
“Aiden is just very protective of his pack, as a good leader should be,” I responded dutifully.
What I didn’t say was, Nina’s progress was much slower than I’d been expecting, and I didn’t know how much longer I could hold him off.
I smiled reassuringly. “He’s not always the most open person, but he usually warms up with time.”
“Is that what happened with his mate? What was her name? I heard they had quite the fairytale romance.”
“Sienna—and where did you hear that? The tabloids?” I asked cagily.
“I’ve been known to read a trashy magazine or two,” she admitted. “So what’s Sienna’s deal? I haven’t seen her at the pack house at all. Doesn’t she work here?”
“Usually, but she hasn’t come in for the past few days. She’s been working from home and at her gallery. Why are you asking all these questions about Aiden and Sienna?” I asked.
Nina suddenly lost her balance and fell to the floor, screaming out in pain.
“Nina!” I dropped down beside her and helped her up, then inspected her ankle; it was bright purple.
“I think I rolled it.” She winced.
“We tried too much too soon.” I shook my head. “I shouldn’t have pushed you so fast.”
Nina placed her hand on mine and looked up at me with her bewitching eyes.
My heart started beating out of my chest, but I didn’t move my hand.
~Why the hell aren’t I moving my hand?~
I finally managed to pull away and regain my composure. “I think we should pick this up tomorrow,” I said, clearing my throat.
“Okay,” she said, disappointed. “But, Jocelyn, sometimes it’s good to push. Sometimes you have to try something to find out if you’re ready.”
girls night!!!!!
Gawwwd yas, I need this
Ya’ll are gonna be carrying my ass home tonight
No No No
We promised we’d be classy tonight, remember?
🚫clubs
just wine and dinner at chateau 😏
Ahhhhh, Château! Magnifique 👌
Okay first of all
If you think I can’t get blackout off wine
Girls, ur in for a treat
And second
Ya’ll are crazy if u think we’re getting into Chateau on a Friday
Yeah, aren’t they booked, like months in advance?
u guys chill
I have connections 💅
Where’s Sienna? You alive, girl?
Oh, sorry guys
Just saw this
Yes, I’ll be there, but I might be a bit late
okay bitch u better not flake again!
I won’t, I promise!
chateauuuuu!!!
“What do you mean, ~no~?”
“Like I said, we don’t have any available seating tonight,” the host said, smiling through gritted teeth. “Reservationsonly.”
“Told ya.” Mia sighed, reapplying her lipstick for the fourth time.
“I just saw you let in a couple without a reservation,” I said, narrowing my eyes.
“Oh, why didn’t you tell me you were the prime minister of France?” he said mockingly. “Right this way, miss.”
“I’ll have you know that I’m mated to the beta.” I shot the snooty bastard a smug look. This ~always~ worked.
But the guy just put his hand above his eyes and squinted past me. “Oh yeah, where is he? Because all I see are three drunk she-wolves.”
“We’re not drunk!” Erica replied indignantly.
“Speak for yourself,” Mia slurred.
“If my mate hears about this, he’ll…he’ll have you ~fired~.” Take ~that~, stupid host!
But he just sneered. “Well, then you ~beta~ go get him.”
~Aargh~, I wanted to claw the sass right off his face!
But then we’d sure as hell never get in.
I turned to the girls, deflated. “What do we do now? I really thought we’d g—”
“Sorry I’m late, guys!”
I looked over just as Sienna jumped out of a chauffeured car and ran over to us looking like a breathless beauty.
Was she wearing a Wolfric original?~ That bitch.~
“Sienna, girl, you look ~gorge~!” I yelled, probably a little too loudly.
“Thanks, you too, Michelle! I love the earrings. Shall we go in? I’m starving.”
“Well, about that…,” Erica started.
But Sienna strolled right past us and approached the host. “Reservation for four, Sienna Mercer-Norwood.”
“Ah yes, Mrs. Mercer-Norwood, I have you right here. Follow me,” he said, shooting a sideways glance at me.
“You had a reservation?” I asked, astounded.
“I called on my way over here and they said they’d seat us at a balcony table. So lucky, right?” she said with complete sincerity.
“Oh my God, ~so~ ~lucky~…” I internally rolled my eyes.~ Mrs. Mercer-Norwood.~