Chapter 7
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“UGH!” Serena winced as she opened her eyes, immediately feeling the throbbing pain in her head. She was a little out of it, until she heard a familiar voice that jolted her into sitting up straight. She frantically surveyed the room around her. recognizing it since she had previously stayed liere in one of the largest hotels in their city.
“I told you not to get up so abruptly. How are you feeling?” Alpha Perez offered her a glass of water, and Serena accepted it in a daze. Her head throbbed again, reminding her of the amount of alcohol she had consumed.
“My head’s killing me… But why are you here? North was miles away from here,” she asked before drinking the water, recalling how what had happened earlier. Honestly, seeing Perez was a surprise for Serena, and for a moment she thought she was hallucinating. Before she could fully process the situation, she had already blacked out.
The fact that she was alone with him meant she had successfully evaded her father’s warriors, and that brought a wave of relief over her.
“I was invited to your sister’s birthday.” Serena’s eyes grew wide as she spewed out the water from her mouth. She coughed, clutching her throat in pain afterward.
“What?” She blinked a few times while Perez took the glass from her. He then nonchalantly sat on the bed, causing her to watch him in a daze. “You were invited?”
“I received an invitation from Alpha Robert last week, but I didn’t plan on attending because knew he just wanted to discuss business with me, and I wasn’t really interested,” he explained, looking at how red the corners of Serena’s eyes were. It was obvious she had been crying, and he couldn’t ignore the fact that she had been running from a group of warriors earlier, which hinted she was facing some problems inside their pack.
“But, since I abruptly left the war two months before it ended, I felt like I should come and visit you,” he added.
Serena’s thoughts wandered as she pinched her bottom lip, taken aback by the invitation her father had sent to Alpha Perez. She had no clue he was interested in doing business with Perez, but what really caught her attention was his last statement. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but it nagged at her thoughts.
“So, you’re implying that your decision to attend the party is solely because of me?” she asked the question hesitantly, feeling self–conscious about how absurd it sounded. She looked at Perez and flinched when she saw the mischievous smile on his face.
She had already noticed it before, but he didn’t seem like the rumors made him out to be. He didn’t seem like a threat to the Alpha King, and despite their brief interactions during the war and their limited communication, she witnessed his kindness towards her.
“That’s right… I’m glad I don’t need to spell it out,” he remarked, causing Serena’s heart to skip a beat. However, she quickly shook the fluttering feeling inside her and cleared her throat to change the subject.
“I see, that’s too bad. I won’t attend the party.” she said as she smiled bitterly, “Aren’t you curious why I was being chased earlier?”
“I am curious, and if you don’t mind me asking, what’s going on he asked, concern etched on his voice, “Maybe I can help you somehow.”
Serena tightly clasped her hands on the blanket covering her lap, her gaze fixed on the fabric. For a moment, there was a silence between them while Serena collected her thoughts.
It was strange to her how much Perez seemed to genuinely care for her. She couldn’t tell if it was out of pity for her situation if he truly cared. Regardless, it was a comforting feeling to have someone willing to listen and offer support in moments like this
And so, Serena poured her heart out to him, recounting every detail from the very beginning. From Marga’s sudden appearance to Calix’s neglect, she held nothing back. She was aware that she shouldn’t overshare, but her emotions were loo
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Chapter 7
raw for her to keep then inside any longer, especially given her current state.
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While she was speaking, her tears began spilling again and Perez tried his best to control the anger that slowly started building inside of him. Part of him was relieved that her relationship with her mate was beyond repair, But at the same time, he couldn’t help but be angry that she had to endure this pain alone.
He was already aware of her older sister’s appearance, but it never occurred to him that Marga could be the one causing trouble in Serena’s relationship with her mate. It also bothered im how poorly she was treated within their pack. Her parents were horrendous, and they all deserved to be punished.
“Do you want me to kill them?” Perez couldn’t help but blurt out the question before he could stop himself, causing Serena to freeze in place. He knew she would react this way, and yet he still reached out to gently wipe away the tears that stained her beautiful face, “Just joking, why not reject him and get a divorce? Leave your pack, and I’ll gladly take you.”
“Why…” Serena muttered, her eyes not leaving Perez’s. “Why are you so kind to me?”
“Why not?” A soft smile formed on his lips as his thumb gently traced the outline of her cheek. His gaze almost devoured her whole, and Serena found herself lost in his eyes without a second thought. She swallowed hard, noticing how he was slowly leaning closer to her, his face now only a few inches away from hers.
She tried pulling back, trying to get away from his intoxicating scent and his close proximity, but it became harder and harder with each passing second.
When his lips touched hers, she froze in shock, finally realizing what was happening. Her entire body went numb as she stared at him, unable to react even after she understood they were kissing. Was it the alcohol making her act like this? Or was something else at play?
“Part your lips more so I can enter. Perez muttered, his low voice making Serena shudder. Her instincts urged her to put ait end to this and push him away. But when his thumb grazed her lower lip, she shut her brain off and threw away her morals.
She parted her lips and let his tongue slide in, eagerly responding to deepen the kiss. Initially, her instincts warned her not to get too caught up in the moment, but when she felt his strong hand move to her waist, she couldn’t resist wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer.
They continued their heated kiss as their tongues battled for dominance, causing Perez to lose himself in the passion of the
moment
He was not anticipating her reciprocation, as she had previously rejected him when he suggested something regarding her mate. Even though he knew it was low of him to take advantage of her vulnerability, his urge to claim her overwhelmed his rationality.
“Wait, Alpha Perez.” Serena came to her senses and gently pushed him away, panting and blushing as she looked at him. It shocked her that she had just kissed someone other than Calix, but oddly enough, she didn’t feel guilty about it given the fact that her own husband had done far worse things.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to force myself on you.” He stood up, realizing that this approach wasn’t appropriate. No matter how desperate he was, he should not take advantage of her, especially when she seemed to still be under the influence of alcohol. He clenched his fist and was about to leave before he completely lost control, but Serena instinctively grabbed onto him, causing Perez to freeze.
“You didn’t force anything. I could have easily pushed you, but for some reason, I didn’t want to,” she admitted quietly, her gaze averted from his eyes while still holding onto the sleeves of his black button–down shirt. She was aware that her actions were out of character for her, but at this moment, her heart and mind were overwhelmed by raw emotions, perhaps even fueled by alcohol.
All she wanted was to keep herself occupied, to escape from her thoughts and feelings. But deep down, there was a desire to make Calix pay for his mistakes. She wanted him to taste his own medicine, she wanted him to suffer the consequences of his actions, to experience the pain he had caused her.
burning
bit down on her lip and took a moment to inhale deeply before shifting her eyes back to Perez, who was staring at her
She b
Chapter 7
with affection. It did something inside her stomach, and it fueled her courage. Even though she knew it wasn’t fair and she might regret it later, she couldn’t stop herself from blurting out the question that had been tormenting her.
“Your offer before about me, using your body… Does it still stand?”
