Hannah’s pov
Bridget decided to have a party and was kind enough to do it at her house, meaning there would be drinks flowing freely. I didn’t tell her about the run-in with Damon and Luke, but I can’t deny it has been on my mind since it happened.
I keep putting them into categories with pros and cons, and every time Damon wins out, but I can’t figure out why Luke is even on the list. This party will do me some good. He won’t be here, neither will Damon, and I can let my guard down for once.
Bridget, looking full model, bounces over to me, drink in hand but a slight frown on her face. I keep my eye-rolling; I really want a drama-free night.
“What’s happened? I say as she approaches me. She comes to stand beside me, our backs to the wall as we face the room full of drinking and drunks.
“Oliver said I smelled good,” she says, her face twisted in neither disgust nor joy.
“Ok, Oliver probably says that to everyone,” I tease, knowing he’s usually a flirt. He hasn’t found his mate yet, but it’s still pretty uncommon for lone wolves to be so open. Plus, Bridget is human.
“I know that, but he’s never said it to me, and there was something strange in his eyes,” Bridget says, then sips her drink.
“Could it be the beer?” I say. She grunts and finally looks over me in frustration. “Ok, I'm sorry. How was he looking at you?” I say. Perhaps I am being a bit short with her because of my own boy problems.
“Like I was prey,” she says. She didn't look scared, especially not for a human thinking she was in the path of a potential predator. But I couldn’t explain the look in words, but I definitely knew it.
Just before I could respond, my own face mirrors hers as Luke walks into the room, his d*mned blond hair blinding as it literally lightens up the dim room. Then, he smiles and laughs, and Oliver stumbles over to him.
I can’t hear it, but I see how relaxed and easygoing he seems, the complete opposite of the last time I saw him. A part of me wants to kick him out, but then I'd have to explain why and though there are vampires here, I don’t feel like making a scene.
“Wow, I hope my face doesn’t look like that,” Bridget teases, drawing my attention back. I look away from Luke and his lean but muscular physique.
“We have a complicated history,” I try to dismiss her comment, but she knows me too well. “And perhaps an even more complicated future, one I haven't figured out how to get out of yet,” I add.
“Seems boy troubles are in the air today,” she laughs before walking away from me. I find nothing funny about it, but I won’t let him ruin my night.
Avoiding him proved harder than it should have been. Even when I find myself in a group of friends laughing, the hairs on the back of my neck flare. After the first few times turning and finding Luke’s gaze on me, I now fight to keep from looking back at him.
It doesn’t help with the shivers, but keeping my back to him still feels like a victory to me.
I eventually lose that battle when a figure stalks across the room and heads right for Luke. I hate myself for shifting to get them within my line of view. It’s Illeana, a vampire that always seems to find her way into wolf parties.
She's gorgeous and deadly, and everyone knows she has a thing for Luke. I should help her secure him, but the thought makes me want to growl low in my voice. I tune out the group I'm in and give them my full attention.
“Oh, I wasn’t expecting to see you here,” Illeana says, her voice as sexy as she can make it.
“Illeana,” he says in greeting. I almost chuckle at how callous it sounds.
“This party is pretty lame. I mean, sure, the drinks are flowing, but the energy is off. It doesn’t feel sexy in here,” she says, looking him up and down, her face extremely readable. I wonder how many drinks she’s had already.
I noticed that his eyes caught mine when she said sexy, but I refused to blush or look away.
“It’s not bad; music is good,” he answers, looking back at her, bored and clearly over her already.
“Yeah, but definitely not a wolf party,” she says, licking her lips. “I almost forgot, congratulations, I heard you were going to be the next alpha,” she adds. D*mn vampires, always sticking their noses into everything.
“I’m next in line. There is still a lot of red tape to uncover,” he answers. He gives her a curt nod and, to his credit, tries to dismiss her.
Suddenly arms wrap around his waist, and Illeana presses her body against his. I gasp before I can stop myself and already feel my feet closing the distance between us, a heat rising inside me for some reason.
“Let me be your Luna,” she whispers, her free hand reaching around the front of him.
He stops her hand and untwines himself from her, his face unable to keep the disgust away.
“Don’t touch me. I already have a Luna,” he snaps at her, and his words halt my advance. She smacks her lips together and pokes her hip out.
“The alpha’s daughter. Isn’t it time to change traditions, Luke? I’ll give you everything you’ve ever wanted. Let me show you,” she says, trying to reach for him again.
“Yes, it’s Hannah, and I like this tradition,” he clarifies. At the mention of my name, my feet start again and don’t stop until I stand before them. I’m now pissed at both of them, but seeing the smug look on Illeana’s face, I decided to race Luke first.
“Don’t go around telling people stuff that isn’t true, Luke,” I hissed at him. It’s a pretty lame first attempt, but I won’t admit that my rebuttals get easier the more he talks.
“I’ve told you that I’ve felt the bond. We are fated,” he told me again. I step in front of a shocked Illeana and stare him down.
“I will never marry you,” I say, making sure each word is spoken. Thankfully my words don’t feel as unsure as the rest of my body. I don’t know why having people know about this proposed union pisses me off, but once they know, then comes the questions.
I glare between the two of them, Luke watching me closely while Illeana finds all of this amusing. I couldn’t stand it and decided to leave, knowing I was close to snapping at both of them.
“Seems to be trouble in paradise,” Illeana says, sipping her drink cheerfully as I walk away. I start to turn back when Luke catches up to me and grabs my arm as he drags me away.
“Let go of me,” I snarl at him, but for his ears only. I don’t want to cause a scene. He doesn’t let go or answer me. He drags me into a room and slams the door shut before pinning me against the wall.
“What? Going to steal another kiss? Haven't you figured out I want nothing to do with you!” I snap finally. My eyes shift to his full lips, and I block out the memory of them on mine. “Now let me go!”
“I’m not going to hurt you,” he says. I chuckle.
“You already did. You’ve hurt me for years and now accepting the alpha title means you’ll hurt me forever. I won’t ever be yours, so keep your lips and everything else away from me. I hate you!” I buck against him, but it's pointless. He’s got me pinned.
“Why?!” he yells at me, his face getting closer to mine. “Why do you hate me so much? Because I was a stupid boy who teased you at school? I was younger. I was a follower, but I’ve grown, and you won’t even give me a chance. Think your father would let me marry you if he didn’t think I was fit enough?” he riddled me with questions.
I swallow and blow my wayward curls from my face, ice eyes studying my face. I square my shoulders, refusing to back down.
“I could get over teasing, but that’s not what keeps me up on a moonless night, not what makes me jump when I hear thunder and watch as rain turns the dirt into mud. I can’t forget the sounds of my heart pounding in my ears. Then you show up and pretend to be the hero and save me. How could I ever get over that?” I question him.
“That wasn’t me. I never sent you there. I wouldn’t. Let me explain, please,” he tries again.
“Don’t bother. I won’t believe you anyway. Now let me go,” I repeat. From the look in my eyes, he can tell I speak the truth, so he releases me. He looks at me for a moment, almost as if he wants to say something else.
Whatever he was going to say, he swallowed it and left me alone in the room. Alone, my heart is pounding, and I'm shaking, though if I were being honest, I couldn’t be sure of the exact reason for either.