Chapter 9 One Reckless Night
Darius POV
The estate was unusually quiet.
The only sound disturbing the silence was the gentle ripple of water stretching across the infinity pool that overlooked the cliffs below my mansion.
The evening danced over the surface.
I swam another lap beneath the cool water, my movements slow and effortless.
Swimming had always been one of the few things capable of silencing my mind.
Not completely.
But enough.
Enough to make the endless responsibilities of ruling an empire disappear for a few minutes.
I emerged from the water, slicking my wet hair back with one hand before making my way toward the marble edge.
Immediately, one of my men stepped forward.
Without a word, he lowered his head respectfully.
“Alpha.”
He held out a freshly folded black towel.
I took it from him and draped it around my shoulders while another guard approached carrying a crystal glass already filled with whiskey over ice.
I accepted it with a single nod.
No unnecessary words.
They knew better.
The men surrounding me maintained their distance, their eyes lowered, their posture disciplined.
No one spoke unless spoken to.
Exactly how I preferred it.
I took a slow sip from the glass as I walked barefoot across the polished stone floor surrounding the pool.
Cold.
Silent.
Peaceful.
For all its beauty, this mansion had never truly been a home.
It was simply where power lived.
Before I reached the staircase leading back inside, another pair of footsteps approached cautiously.
One of my guards stopped several feet away before lowering himself into a respectful bow.
“Alpha Darius.”
I didn't stop walking.
“What is it?”
“The Lady Selene Ashcroft is at the front gates.”
My expression remained unchanged.
“She says she wishes to see you.”
I continued walking.
“She insists the matter is important.”
“It isn't.”
The guard hesitated.
“She requested an audience personally, Alpha.”
“I heard you the first time.”
I finally stopped and looked over my shoulder.
“Send her away.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
“She claims she'll wait.”
“Then she'll wait.”
“She also said—”
“I don't care what she said.”
The guard immediately lowered his head.
“My apologies.”
“Tell her this mansion isn't a hotel.”
“And I'm not accepting visitors.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
Without another word, the guard hurried away.
A familiar laugh echoed from the balcony overlooking the pool.
“Well…”
Cassian leaned lazily against one of the pillars, arms folded across his chest, a grin plastered across his irritating face.
“Poor Selene.”
He clicked his tongue dramatically.
“Rejected before she even crossed the gate.”
I continued toward the mansion entrance.
“She'll survive.”
“Oh, I know she will.”
Cassian caught up beside me.
“But honestly…”
He scratched his chin thoughtfully.
“Isn't it exhausting?”
I glanced sideways.
“What is?”
“Being you.”
He gestured dramatically.
“Beautiful women practically line up outside your gates.”
“You reject every single one.”
“You don't call them back.”
“You don't miss them.”
“You don't even remember half their names.”
He smiled mischievously.
“Remind me again…”
He snapped his fingers.
“What's your famous rule?”
I remained silent.
Cassian answered for me anyway.
“Alpha Darius Draven never entertains the same woman twice.”
He nodded proudly.
“The entire continent knows it.”
I rolled my eyes.
“You've memorized it.”
“Well…”
He shrugged.
“You've repeated it enough.”
I took another sip from my whiskey.
“It keeps life uncomplicated.”
Cassian chuckled.
“So poor Selene shouldn't take it personally.”
“She shouldn't.”
“She was…”
He pretended to count on his fingers.
“Number…”
He frowned dramatically.
“Actually, I've lost count.”
“I wasn't counting.”
“I figured.”
We entered the mansion through the enormous glass doors.
Servants immediately bowed as we walked past.
The polished marble floors reflected the warm chandelier lights overhead.
I barely noticed them.
My thoughts had already wandered elsewhere.
“Aveline.”
The name lingered quietly in my head.
Annoyingly so.
I came to an abrupt stop.
The guards behind me halted immediately.
I slowly turned around.
“What about the report?”
Every man in the hallway straightened.
The room suddenly felt even quieter.
“The one I requested.”
No one answered immediately.
One of my captains finally stepped forward.
His head remained bowed.
“We're still investigating, Alpha.”
My jaw tightened.
“I didn't ask whether you were investigating.”
Silence.
“I asked for the report.”
Another guard swallowed nervously.
“We've confirmed very little so far.”
“She attends Blackthorn University.”
“She recently ended her engagement.”
“She currently works part-time after classes.”
“But beyond that…”
He lowered his head further.
“We're still gathering information.”
The disappointment lingered on my face.
Not anger.
Disappointment.
Far worse.
“You've had an entire day.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
“And you've returned with scraps.”
“My apologies, Alpha.”
I held each man's gaze for a long moment.
No one dared look away.
Finally, I spoke.
“Do better.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
“The next time I ask about Aveline Hale…”
I paused.
“…I expect answers, not excuses.”
Every man bowed in unison.
“Yes, Alpha.”
I turned away, the towel still draped loosely over my shoulders as I made my way toward the staircase leading back into the mansion.
“Prepare my room.”
Immediately, two attendants hurried ahead.
One would have fresh clothes laid out.
The other would prepare my study.
Behind me, Cassian shoved both hands into his pockets.
“You're actually leaving the estate tonight, aren't you?”
I didn't answer.
He chuckled to himself.
“I knew it.”
I stopped halfway up the stairs without turning around.
“Prepare the car.”
One of the guards immediately lowered his head.
“At what time, Alpha?”
“An hour.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
Cassian's grin only widened.
“So... where are we going?”
I continued walking.
“You ask too many questions.”
“That's because you answer too few.”
A faint smirk tugged at the corner of my lips.
It disappeared almost as quickly as it came.
By the time I reached the second floor, servants had already opened the doors to my private suite.
I walked inside without another word.
Behind me, the mansion burst into quiet, disciplined activity.
Orders were relayed.
The Rolls-Royce would be brought around.
Fresh clothes prepared.
Security assembled.
Whatever destination their Alpha had in mind...
No one dared ask again.
Aveline POV
Hours had slipped by, yet neither Lyla nor I had left my room.
Somehow, we'd managed to jump from one topic to another without realizing how much time had passed.
Now...
We were back to staring at the white lace lingerie lying in the middle of my bed.
It almost felt like it was staring back at me.
I sighed dramatically before dropping backward onto the mattress.
“Do you seriously think I should wear that?”
Lyla looked at me as if I'd just asked the dumbest question imaginable.
“Seriously?”
“Yes, seriously.”
She folded her arms.
“Aveline, I could literally give you a thousand reasons why you should wear it.”
“I only asked for one.”
“Well, too bad. You're getting all one thousand.”
I laughed.
She pointed at the lingerie.
“Reason number one.”
“You're single.”
I blinked.
“Your cheating ex is officially yesterday's news.”
She clapped her hands together.
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
“No more crying over Ethan.”
“No more wondering why he cheated.”
“No more asking yourself whether you were enough.”
“You were.”
“He just wasn't worth you.”
I smiled softly.
She continued before I could interrupt.
“So...”
She pointed dramatically at the lingerie again.
“Put that on...”
Then she pointed toward the window as though Darius' mansion was somehow visible from there.
“...and go see your new man.”
I burst into laughter.
“My new man?”
“Yes.”
“The Lycan King.”
“Oh, please.”
I laughed harder.
“Do you even hear yourself?”
“He's...”
I gestured wildly with my hands.
“Older than me.”
“So?”
“So?”
I stared at her.
“He's old enough to be my father!”
She shrugged without the slightest concern.
“And?”
“And?”
She nodded matter-of-factly.
“Girl... that's called an age-gap romance.”
I laughed so hard my stomach began to hurt.
“You've completely lost your mind.”
“No, I found it.”
She grinned proudly.
“Listen to me.”
She crawled across the bed until she was sitting right in front of me.
“Who cares if he's older?”
“If he's a good man...”
“If he respects you...”
“If he makes you feel safe...”
“If he appreciates you instead of treating you like yesterday's trash...”
She gently squeezed my hands.
“Then why are you running?”
I lowered my eyes.
“I don't know...”
“You're scared.”
“I guess.”
“And that's okay.”
She smiled reassuringly.
“No one's asking you to marry him tomorrow.”
She leaned closer.
“Have fun.”
“Enjoy your life.”
“You're turning twenty soon.”
“You've spent years doing everything the 'right' way.”
“And look where that got you.”
“Ouch.”
She shrugged unapologetically.
“I'm just telling the truth.”
I sighed.
“You actually have a point.”
“I know.”
“I hate admitting it.”
“I know that too.”
I narrowed my eyes at her.
“You know...”
“For someone who gives relationship advice this good...”
She smiled proudly.
“I was wondering.”
“Oh?”
“How are you still single?”
The smile vanished from her face.
A split second later—
A pillow flew directly at my head.
I squealed, laughing as it knocked me sideways off the bed.
“You little witch!”
She pointed a finger at me.
“Take that back!”
Still laughing, I rubbed my shoulder dramatically.
“Ow!”
“That actually hurt!”
“It was supposed to.”
She folded her arms.
“I was trying to help you find your soulmate.”
“And you attacked me personally.”
I laughed so hard tears gathered in my eyes.
“I'm sorry!”
“No, you're not.”
“I really am!”
“You're lying.”
“Fine... maybe a little.”
She shook her head with a smile.
“Hopeless.”
I remained sitting on the floor, resting my elbows on the edge of the bed.
“So...”
“What exactly do you expect me to do?”
The grin that spread across Lyla's face instantly made me nervous.
“Oh.”
“I've been waiting for you to ask that.”
She jumped off the bed with so much excitement it almost startled me.
“What I want...”
She dramatically picked up the lingerie.
“…is for you to put this on…”
She threw it into my lap.
“…then march yourself to the Lycan King's mansion…”
She pointed toward the bedroom door like she was sending a soldier into battle.
“…and go get your man.”
My mouth fell open.
“What the hell?”
I stared between her and the lingerie.
“You want me to walk into that man's mansion wearing lingerie?”
She looked offended.
“Do I look stupid to you?”
“Well...”
“Aveline.”
She sighed dramatically.
“Use your brain.”
She hurried toward my wardrobe, throwing the doors open.
A second later she emerged holding one of my elegant cream-colored dresses in one hand and a long tailored coat in the other.
“There.”
She held them up proudly.
“You wear the lingerie first.”
“Then the dress.”
“Then the coat.”
She wiggled her eyebrows.
“Nobody has to know what's underneath.”
I stared at her.
Then at the clothes.
Then back at her.
“Oh my Moon Goddess…”
I couldn't stop laughing.
“You've actually thought this through.”
“I've been thinking about it since I saw the lingerie.”
I shook my head in disbelief.
“You're dangerous.”
“No.”
She smiled mischievously.
“I'm the best friend every girl deserves.”
I looked down at the white lace resting in my lap.
Maybe it was crazy.
Maybe it was impulsive.
Maybe it was exactly the kind of reckless decision I needed after everything that had happened.
A slow smile tugged at the corners of my lips.
“I hate that I'm actually considering this.”
Lyla gasped dramatically before snapping her fingers.
“That's my girl!”
I laughed.
“One reckless night...”
I looked down at the lingerie once more.
“…might not be the worst decision I've ever made.”
Lyla clapped so loudly I nearly jumped.
“Now we're talking.”
She rubbed her hands together with excitement.
“Come on.”
“Let's make the Lycan King forget every other woman he's ever met.”
