4. Taking a Stance Alone


    ~ KATALEYA ~


    “No thank you, I don’t want anything…” I freeze, realising who had just asked me. That deep


    baritone sends shivers down my spine, and I can’t help but stare at that perfectly chiselled jaw as


    he looks ahead.


    Goddess…


    He looks even more breathtakingly handsome than the picture, and my heart is racing a thousand


    beats per hour as I take in that tan skin, that rugged stubble, that sharp nose.


    He’s here… beside me.


    Those years of waiting and yearning for him, they’re over… he’s right here, just a touch away.


    There are not enough words to exin this moment that I have dreamt of for years. Time seems to


    stand still and it’s just the two of us.


    Gone is the pounding music of the club, the shouting andmotion of those around us…


    I gaze up at him as he downs his drink.


    It’s just the two of us…


    The moment the ss is mmed down, I’m thrown back into the present.


    Say something!


    But my lips are not cooperating. Being so close to him has rendered me speechless and all I want


    to do is admire him.


    He’s grown. Well, of course, he’s grown! He’s no longer a boy. Goddess!


    Mustering up some courage, I open my mouth to speak. “Do you-”


    “This ce really does get filled with trash.” He suddenly cuts in, his voice as harsh as the bitter


    winter cold and he suddenly stands up, anger emanating off him strong and in line with his powerful


    aura.


    I gasp, sucking in a sharp breath and he looks down at me, his eyes burning a molten liquid gold.


    He doesn’t need to announce it or disy it. It’s clear how much power the man before me holds.


    “Pathetic.”


    His words cut through me like a knife being twisted inside of me and even as he turns and walks


    away, oozing power and dominance, it feels as if he has left the knife stuck in my throat. I had


    pictured a thousand scenarios in my mind, a thousand ways our first meeting would go, but this


    wasn’t one I had imagined.


    He pauses when one of the dancers stops him, d in nothing but jewelled nipple coverings and a


    thong, cing her hand on his chest. Suddenly, it feels as if I’m being punched in the guts. I choke


    up, but I’m unable to look away, despite the intensifying pain in my chest. My lips quiver as he grabs


    her ass, giving it a squeeze.


    I look away. I never thought this could be so painful…


    I’m blinded by my tears and the moment I blink, the tears spill down my cheeks. I take a shaky


    breath as someone passes me a drink and I bow my head, mumbling a ‘thank you’ and gulping it


    down.


    Not that it will help with the agony that I am in. My hands are trembling, and I feel I’m that six-year-


    old girl again, being shouted at by him.


    Goddess… I press a hand to my chest, feeling my heart thump excruciatingly.


    I couldn’t even speak… I couldn’t even tell him why I’m here. Sliding off the stool, I suddenly feel


    dizzy.


    I need to pay...


    Wanting to get out of there fast, I reach for my bag that hangs on my shoulder.


    “How much do I owe for the drink?” I ask.


    “It’s paid for,” I hear the bartender’s distant answer.


    “Thank- thank you,” I whisper before turning and rushing away, the sound of the music thuds in my


    ear, my vision swaying and all I can think of is the hatred in his eyes.


    Pathetic.


    Is that what I came off as?


    Why? What did I even say that angered him?


    Ie to a sudden stop, teetering on the spot, and grab the table, almost hitting the ground head


    first, my heart pounding violently.


    Calm yourself, Kat…


    I breathe steadily but my head feels heavy and when I open my eyes, I see double.


    Frowning in concentration, I walk down the steps. Did someone put something in that drink?


    I barely take another two steps when it feels like I’m about to fall and close my eyes.


    How could I have been so careless? I promised Mama and Dad that I’d be careful.


    I grip my forehead. I need to let Valentina know, and then hide somewhere and wait until she


    arrives. I can’t risk being here alone.


    ncing around, I try to make sense of my blurred surroundings.


    The throbbing in my head is growing, and I suck in a breath. Who did this? Are they following me?


    A sudden wave of unease hits me and blindly I break into a run, the urge to find a hiding spot fast


    consuming me. Something bad is about to happen!


    “There she is!” someone growls.


    My heart pounds as I run faster, trying to shift, but whatever they gave me isn’t letting me. How


    could I have been so stupid to fall into this trap?


    My wolf’s sadness seems to wrap around me, almost as if she’sforting me and I pull on those


    emotions offort. I know our wolves are a part of us, but often I feel like it’s another entity within


    me, one that is part of me, yet she’s powerful even when I’m uncertain about things. She’s always


    there, watching over me, ready toe forward whenever I need her.


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    Maybe I am a little weird but I’m ok being like this.


    The sound of my heels and the heavy footsteps behind me ring in the air, mouring in my ears, a


    reminder that they’re catching up.


    There’s at least four- no… there’s more...


    I round the corner, fumbling with my bag and try to get my phone out, but my coordination is off, and


    I stumble on something, gasping as I tumble to the ground, hitting my knee hard.


    I should have been able to avoid that… but I am only bing dizzier.


    The contents of my bag scatter across the ground and I feel around the stone ground, trying to find


    my phone. Just when I feel it beneath my fingertips and I’m about to grab it I hear the footsteps right


    behind me.


    I scramble to my feet, trying to steady myself. My head is pounding and a sudden wave of heat


    rushes through me just as I break into a run once more.


    ‘Valentina?!’


    Am I out of range? Or is this drug affecting me?


    ‘Valentina!’


    Suddenly, someone grabs my arm and yanks me around. I frown, raising my hand and backhanding


    them across the face hard. He growls as he staggers back. Another man lunges at me, throwing me


    to the ground, and my wse out shing through his arm as I kick him off me.


    “How dare you touch me!” I scold him in Spanish, making sure to keep my voice as hostile as


    possible. It isn’t hard when you know his intentions aren’t good.


    “Oh, we have a sassy one here,” he replies,ughing. I can’t see his face, but I can tell he’s looking


    at me. I step back, feeling weak at the knees.


    I can smell the blood, a sliver of fear rushing through me, wondering how badly I had hurt him.


    I’m going to run out of steam soon enough…


    Do I want to use my powers here?


    If I have to, I will.


    I take a deep breath when my vision darkens, and I almost fall, but an arm wraps around my waist.


    Survival.


    It’s burned into me like the very breath I need to survive and in thest year, that will has only


    be more profound.


    When danger is at every corner, we must be ready for anything.


    No matter what.


    My body might be giving up on me, but it’s not enough to keep me down. Nothing will.


    But I also know I won’t be able to take them all, not in my current state. There are a few with decent


    auras.


    “Get over here! Help me canton de cabrón!” the man holding me growls, the smell of alcohol strong


    on his breath. I swing my hand up, punching him in the nose.


    He goes flying, the force behind my punch throwing him to the ground.


    I close my eyes as I back away, trying to remember theyout of the area when I entered the club. I


    did walk up this direction, didn''t I?


    I open my eyes, focusing on the blurred outline of a streetmp. Perfect!


    Staggering over, I brace my feet as I wrap my arms around it.


    “No, where to run to now, baby?” One of the men mocks.


    I will run… but first… I need to let Valentina know my location.


    They suddenly circle me, and I grab onto the cool metal of the streetmp.


    “Fuck…”


    “Why isn’t she out yet? Are you sure she drank it all?!”


    “Yes!”


    My eyes sh. “I’m sorry, but you forced me to do this,” I whisper, fuelling my powers to help me and


    with a groan, I rip the streemp out of the ground.


    I let out a yell of concentration, spinning around and swinging themp post clumsily as I stagger


    under the weight. It’s bing harder to move… I flinch every time it makes contact with someone.


    “Forgive me, Goddess… Ouch, that must have hurt. Yikes. Oops! Ouch! Sorry!”


    They shout and the loud crunch or thud when I connect tells me I still have enough in me to cause


    some damage.


    I stumble as themp post hits the ground and I almost trip over it. I’m too weak to run, but at least


    most of them are down. But I can see one or two are moving.


    Hide.


    I stare at the sky, knowing Valentina will be watching from somewhere nearby. I told her I’ll be at the


    club so she’s got to be close. I hope she sees this… I raise my hand, sending off a st of pink fire


    into the sky. It splits and scatters downwards like glowing cherry blossom petals.


    A call for help.


    I stumble away and hit into something metal. A bin? I’m not sure, but just as I quickly hurry behind


    it, ready to crouch down and remain hidden, I hear the screech of tyres as a car pulls up.


    Valentina?


    I make the mistake of stepping back out to look, the ring headlights blinding me. I shield my eyes


    the moment the door opens and I’m hit by that intoxicating scent that I had smelt not long ago,


    rainforest, summer nights and a hint of charcoal… it’s refreshing yet so addictive.


    Enrique…


    “What just happened here?” he sounds angry, and my body is telling me to run but I’m out of


    battery…


    I hear a groan from one of the men. “Alpha…”


    But he ignores them, and I can hear his footsteps approaching, each one resonating within me


    loudly.


    My eyes sh as my wolf surges forward, wanting to tell Enrique that they are not innocent, but


    before I can even say a word, a callous hand grips my chin, my heart pounds as I feel tingles rush


    through me, unable to deny that I’m hyper-aware of his touch.


    Even though I know he doesn’t like me, deep down, I believe that he won’t hurt me.


    “Did you do this?” he asks in English. He had spoken in Spanish earlier.


    Oh, he sounds so sexy!


    “I…”


    A strong wave of heat rushes through me and my body feels funny but before I can say more, my


    eyes flutter shut as the darkness suddenly sucks me deep into its fold and I feel my legs give way…


    A strong arm wraps around my waist holding me with ease, and his scent fills my nose before


    everything goes nk.