Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Moon Dance 3
When he finally pulls back, his eyes are silver again, locked on her, shimmering with want that goes far beyond what they just shared.
"Come back to the condo with me now that we’re fully bonded mates," he murmurs. "Please?"
---
Nyra doesn’t respond, her chest rising and falling in harsh bursts.
Her wolf is sighing happily, finally fully joined to its mate. But Nyra’s head is ringing warning bells.
Did she really just let the same man who called her loose and desperate touch her again?
The same man expecting a baby with her sister? And not only did she let him knot her. Again, but now he has marked her too.
They’re irreversibly joined.
As if reading her mind, Adrian sighs and carefully adjusts her dress until she’s properly covered again. Then he tucks himself back in and adjusts his clothes.
"Nyra..." His voice is almost inaudible, very soft. "I know those screenshots really hurt you, and I’m so, so sorry. But I swear, I didn’t mean anything I wrote. I was just- I was just desperate to get her back, I wasn’t thinking straight."
He sighs, looking heavy with guilt. "I swear to you that I’ll never do something like that again. No, I don’t think you’re loose. I actually can’t believe how incredibly lucky I am that I was your first, and I promise to make every moment special from here on out. I’m so sorry."
Nyra blinks back her tears. She can’t cry here, especially in front of him.
Adrian notices, and instantly pulls her into a cooing hug, whispering against the mating mark. "I know, I know. I’m so sorry." He kisses it again, "and I also know you’re skeptical about Anna and the pregnancy, but I promise that I’m completely over it. Please trust me just this once--I’ll never let Anna come between us again, no matter what."
Then he kisses the fresh mark again, sending an unwanted shiver down her spine. "Mine!"
Nyra still doesn’t respond, long enough that Adrian finally pulls back with an unreadable expression. "Or... do you like Jason already? Did he win you over?"
Her brown eyes meet his silver ones, her voice hoarse. "And what if I do?"
Adrian’s expression doesn’t change. "Then I’ll kill him." The way he says it isn’t with malice or as a threat... he just says it like it’s a matter of factly. "I’ll kill anyone who tries to take you away from me."
Nyra looks at the beautiful crazy man in front of her, not knowing if she should be worried or drawn to him.
Finally, she sighs and looks away. "I’ll think about it. I mean, about moving back into the condo."
The Alpha grins happily, dimples on display. "Thank you so much! I’ll get the house cleaned up, waiting for you."
He looks so bubbly and happy in that moment that Nyra almost forgets he’s the same boy who just pounded her against the wall a few minutes ago.
Speaking of which... her legs are sore and feel like jelly. There’s no way she can go back into the ball to dance. What’s worse is that the dress is a backless, halter-neck dress, which means her mating mark would be visible to anyone with a pair of functioning eyes.
Fuck her life. Why did this jerk have to mark her tonight of all days?
Adrian chuckles when he catches her expression and softly restyles her hair, adjusting it so the carefully curled strands covered the exposed mark.
"Okay?"
Nyra rolls her eyes at him, but her face is red. "Yeah..." she clears her throat, voice rough from moaning for so long. "Yeah, I’m good."
--
Nyra takes a careful breath as she steps back into the ballroom beside Adrian, but every muscle in her body protests.
She keeps her expression neutral, lifting her chin as though nothing has happened, but her steps are noticeably slower.
She silently prays no one notices. Especially her nosy friends.
The music is still playing, though not so many people are dancing anymore. Instead, they’re staring at them curiously, trying and failing to be subtle about it.
Adrian notices how uncomfortable Nyra is with the stares and glares at a few students, who quickly look away.
The moment they reach the middle of the hall, Jason spots her almost immediately. He looks relieved as he starts toward her.
"Nyra, hey, are you okay-"
The last word dies in his throat when he catches sight of the side of her neck, where a strand of curled hair has shifted just enough to reveal the fresh mating mark.
He stops dead a few feet from her.
Adrian grins smugly, taking a long sip from his can as he watches the color drain from Jason’s face.
The Alpha looks like he wants to murder Adrian in that moment, his fists curled at his sides.
Jason’s lips part, but no words come out. His gaze stays fixed on the mark hidden beneath her curls, his shoulders slumped.
Before he can force himself to move again, three familiar voices crash into Nyra.
"There you are!"
Leah throws her arms around her first, glaring daggers at Adrian, who quickly excuses himself from the group.
"Oh my Goddess!" Leah pulls back, looking her over anxiously. "Are you okay? Adrian literally dragged you out of here!"
"What happened?" Naya demands, glaring at Adrian’s retreating back. "Did he threaten you?"
Nyra’s cheeks instantly burn. "I-I’m fine."
Lena folds her arms, narrowing her eyes. "Then explain. You were both gone so long, we were scared something happened."
Nyra clears her throat awkwardly. "Umm... the dress."
"The dress?" all three echo.
She nods. "It... wasn’t from Jason." Her eyes flit toward Jason, still watching her with obvious disappointment. "It was from Adrian."
Lena gasps dramatically before pointing at Nyra. "I KNEW IT!"
"I told you guys too!" she announces triumphantly, turning to the other girls. Clearly, they’ve had some sort of conversation about it before. "Anyone can tell how expensive this dress is. I was wondering how a cop’s son could afford something like this."
"Wait..." Leah frowns. Then why did Jason claim he bought it?"
Nyra is just as confused. "I don’t know. I guess I’ll have to ask him, but..." Her hand unconsciously comes up to adjust the hair over the fresh mark. "...but I don’t think he’s ready to talk to me now."
Naya’s eyes suddenly narrow.
"Wait." She gently pulls Nyra’s wrists from her hair. "What are these?"
Red fingerprints circle her skin from when Adrian had her pressed against the wall. The memory of it makes her thighs quiver slightly.
Her friends’ smiles disappear.
"Nyra..." Leah whispers. "Did he hurt you?"
Nyra nearly chokes. "N-no!"
All three girls exchange knowing looks. Then their eyes slowly drift toward her bright red face, then to the angry red skin close to her neck.
"...Oh." Naya coughs into her fist, suddenly becoming very interested in the ceiling.
Leah clears her throat. "We... um... we’re not asking," she blurts.
"Nope," Naya agrees immediately. "Definitely not asking."
"But congratulations..." Lena, the chaotic of the three grins widely. What is she even doing here? Where’s her date?
Nyra wishes the floor would just open up and swallow her whole.
Perfect timing. Adrian returns carrying two glasses of sparkling punch.
He slips beside Nyra as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world, then offers her the drink first, brushing his thumb lightly against her fingers before leaning down to kiss her cheek.
"You like this one, right?"
Nyra can’t meet their eyes. Instead, she shoves Adrian’s shoulder lightly. "Stop doing that."
Her friends stare between the two of them with identical expressions of disbelief.
Adrian merely grins, completely smug and unbothered. "Will you dance with me?"
Before Nyra can answer...
The ballroom doors slam open with enough force to silence the entire room. Nyra, Adrian, and the entire group turn at the same time to see what the commotion is about.
Standing there, seething with rage, is no one else but...
Anna.
