Chapter 2 ...
Noah’s POV
I grab a pillow and clamp it over my ears, desperate to drown out the shrill noise drifting through the air.
This woman has got to be kidding me!
Maybe I should suffocate myself under this pillow.
Anything would be better than enduring her violin scratching. It sounds like an assault on my eardrums.
This woman just ruined my childhood. I’ll never enjoy the memory of my mom playing the violin again.
It used to be my peace, my happy place. Now, I’m not even sure I’ll ever pick up a violin again.
It’s been two hours. Two.
There’s no way I’m sleeping tonight. I pace the room like a madman, barely restraining myself from storming out, banging on her door, and yelling,
"Shut the fuck up and put that damn violin in a box!"
But no. I don’t want her to even know I exist. She’s tutoring someone? Fine. I’ll stay quiet. I’ll show her crazy.
I hook up my sound system, scroll to the loudest playlist I can find, and blast it at full volume.
Not just to annoy her though, yeah, that’s part of it but because I’d rather listen to club beats at 2 a.m. than suffer through her murdering Beethoven one string at a time. This isn’t exactly me, I know. But I’m in the human world now, pretending to be one of them. It’s only fair if I act like it.
"My annoying neighbor is the last thing I need right now," I mutter.
"Is she?" my wolf, Khair, teases with a smirk. "I love her scent."
I pinch my eyebrows. You love her?
"Khair, she’s human," I snapped.
"I can’t explain it, but there’s something about her scent. It’s sweet and…”
"That’s not what we’re here for," I cut him off sharply. "My mission is to find the beast who murdered my parents. That’s why I’m in the human world, not to hook up with girls. And besides, I can’t risk getting involved with one."
"So you care about her?" Khair teases.
"Shut up."I roll my eyes. "I met her yesterday. I don’t even know what she looks like."
"I do. She’s pretty, and judging from her art, she’s got a dirty mind."
"Doesn’t impress me," I hissed.
"But you liked her scent. It stirred your skin."
"She’s human!" I snap.
"Stop fighting it, Noah."
"No." I grit my teeth. "What you should do is keep your eyes off human girls. Forbidden territory. I want nothing to do with her."
"So we’re just going to starve because of your ego?"
"This isn’t ego. Humans are forbidden. I don’t even like them. The last one didn’t satisfy me, and for the last time…Khair…I’m not here to lust after girls."
"We can have some fun while hunting our guy. I want this artist. Get her into your bed."
"Absolutely not!"
Suddenly, a loud bang-bang-bang on the door pulls me out of my thoughts. I quickly turn down the music and rush over.
Whoever it is sounds like they’re about to break the door down.
"Dude, what the hell?!" I bark as I open it. "Why the fuck are you blasting music at this hour? Are you crazy?"
"What’s crazy," she snaps, narrowing her eyes, "is that thing you were playing that snatched my sleep."
I blink. "So your solution is to shake the whole building with your speaker? You’re not the only one who lives here, bro."
"And you should have remembered that before trying to murder my eardrums with that violin murder session."
She groans and clenches her fists at her sides, mad properly pissed. And damn… she looks kinda cute like that.
"If you play that music again," she snaps, "I will call management." Then she spins around, hips swaying in those tiny bum shorts she’s wearing. Cute ass. I notice. Of course I notice.
I sigh and jump onto my bed.
"Come on, Noah. She’s hot. You can’t deny that."
"Shut up," I brush Khair aside. The last thing I need right now is that annoying woman.
I wake up with a pounding headache… and, of course, my usual early-morning rage.
The headache? Thanks to my neighbor’s awful violin playing. The rage? Since my parents were murdered, it’s simmered beneath the surface, never fully gone.
That bastard who did it didn’t just destroy us; he cursed us. That curse has left us weak, divided, bleeding.
It’s been over fifteen years, and the fire still burns. We’ve searched endlessly for a cure, a loophole, anything. Nothing works. If we don’t break this curse soon, I’ll lose my wolf. My pack will too. We’ll be reduced to helpless humans vulnerable prey. When enemies come (and they will), we won’t survive. The wolf kingdom will either cast us out… or wipe us out.
My bloodline cannot end with me. My generation cannot fade into nothing. I’m dying every day this curse is eating me alive. But I won’t give up.
That’s why I’ve been here all these years playing hockey, building my name, staying in the spotlight.
The Moon Goddess whispered I’d find my answers here, that something in this place would lead me to the one who destroyed my pack… and maybe even to her, my fated mate, the one who holds my redemption.
That’s why I pushed for a transfer. I pressured management until they sold me to a new club. And now, here I am. Right where fate wants me. Even if it means dealing with that annoying neighbor who plays the violin like she’s strangling it.
I go through my routine, throw on my gym clothes, grab my duffel bag. The gym’s my escape way to burn off this anger.
And just as I step out, I hear that familiar sound again. That same awful violin she’s humming now, even badly.
I try to ignore her, but almost bump into her in the hallway.
"Oh, sorry," I mutter quickly.
"You’d be sorry if you actually hit me," she snaps, her glare sharp enough to cut through steel.
"Excuse me?" I blink. But she’s already turning away, hips swaying in those tight gym leggings. She’s hot, thick, and curvy. Damn hard not to notice. Fine, I admit it. But she’s so damn annoying. I cannot stand her.
And, judging by her matching workout set, she’s heading to the same gym.
Of course.
Inside the elevator, she leans back against the wall, arms crossed, like she’s shielding herself from me.
She groans softly, as if my presence offends her.
The only upside? She doesn’t know I’m Noah Lawson. She probably doesn’t care about hockey. And I’m glad.
Suddenly, she presses another button. Changing floors. Why is she doing that?
"You’re not going to the gym anymore?" I ask.
Not that I care. Really.
"How is that your business?" she retorts.
"Miss, you were the one who pressed the button for the gym floor first."
"Bro, mind your fucking business! You’re so annoying!" she snaps, chin lifted like she’s ready for a courtroom battle.
I say nothing, but I want to snap back.
I don’t know how a stranger has this effect on me. I don't usually act like this, especially not with people I don’t know.
I’m supposed to stay low-key, avoid drama. So instead of escalating, I shut my mouth.
When the elevator dings on the gym floor, I step out silently. But I can feel her eyes burning into my back, like she’s not finished yet. But I have no time for her.
