Chapter 18

Claire's POV The cold night air hit my face like a slap, momentarily clearing some of the fog from my mind. I was vaguely aware of voices arguing—the female voice I thought was Jennifer's, and Dave's deeper tone responding with practiced charm. "She agreed to come with me," he was insisting, his grip tightening around me as I slumped in his arms. "We're just going somewhere quieter to talk. Right, Claire?" I wanted to contradict him, to tell the woman that I hadn't agreed to anything, but my tongue felt too heavy in my mouth. The tequila had hit me harder than I'd ever experienced before—making me wonder if Dave had slipped something extra into my drinks. The thought sent a chill through me before darkness began creeping in at the edges of my vision. Everything went black. When I came to, I was being half-carried, half-dragged through an unfamiliar lobby. The fluorescent lights overhead were harsh against my sensitive eyes, making me squint as I tried to orient myself. My head pounded mercilessly, and my limbs still felt disconnected from my body. Hotel. We were in a hotel. Panic shot through me like an electric current, momentarily cutting through the alcoholic haze. I knew exactly what Dave intended to do. "N-no," I managed to slur, trying to pull away from him. "Don't want... go with you." He tightened his grip on my waist, smiling down at me with false tenderness. "Shh, you're just drunk, baby. I'm taking care of you." I deliberately stumbled harder, hoping to draw attention from the front desk clerk—a young human man who was watching us with a furrowed brow. "Sir, is she alright?" the clerk called, stepping out from behind the counter. Hope surged in my chest, only to be immediately crushed as Dave turned toward the clerk, his Alpha aura flaring powerfully. Even in my compromised state, I could feel the dominance rolling off him—for a human with no werewolf senses, it must have been overwhelming. "My girlfriend had a few too many drinks," Dave explained smoothly. "I'm just making sure she gets to bed safely." "I'm not—" I tried to protest, but Dave's fingers dug painfully into my side, warning me to silence. The clerk hesitated, clearly uncomfortable but unwilling to challenge the intimidating presence before him. "Right, of course, sir. Do you... need any assistance?" "We're fine," Dave replied curtly, already moving toward the elevators. The clerk watched us go, concern still evident on his face, but he made no move to intervene. The elevator ride was a blur, and then we were moving down a hallway, Dave's arm like an iron bar around my waist. When he finally stopped to unlock a door, a fresh wave of terror washed over me. This was really happening. I was alone with a strange Alpha who had clearly planned this from the moment he spotted me at the bar. The door swung open, and with a sudden surge of strength born from fear, I tried to wrench myself from his grasp. But my movements were still slow and uncoordinated, and Dave anticipated my attempt. With a growl of annoyance, he shoved me into the room, causing me to stumble and fall to my knees. Before I could recover, he slammed the door shut and locked it. The sound of the deadbolt sliding into place seemed to echo in the silent room. "Finally," he said, his voice dropping to a predatory register that made my skin crawl. "Do you know how long I've been watching you at that club? That dress was practically begging for attention." I struggled to my feet, backing away until my legs hit the bed. "You... you drugged me," I accused, the words slurring despite my best efforts. Dave smiled, showing too many teeth. "Just helped the tequila along a little. You Omegas can't handle your liquor anyway. You can't handle anything." So he knew I was an Omega. Had he targeted me specifically because of my rank, knowing I'd be easier to overpower? The thought made bile rise in my throat. "I'm leaving," I declared, trying to sound firm despite the tremor in my voice. I made a move toward the door, but Dave was faster, catching me by the arm and throwing me roughly onto the bed. The impact knocked the wind from my lungs. Before I could recover, he was on top of me, his weight pinning me down. "Get off me!" I shouted, finding my voice at last as adrenaline surged through my system. I bucked and thrashed beneath him, managing to land a solid kick to his groin. Dave howled in pain, momentarily reeling back. I seized the opportunity to scramble toward the edge of the bed, but he recovered too quickly. His hand tangled in my hair, yanking me back with enough force to wrench a cry from my throat. "You bitch," he snarled, all pretense of charm vanished. His open palm connected with my face in a stinging slap that sent stars exploding across my vision. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth where my teeth had cut into my cheek. I fought back with every ounce of strength I possessed, clawing at his face, kicking wildly, but it was like battling a brick wall. He was an Alpha in his prime, and I was an Omega weakened by whatever he'd slipped into my drinks. The outcome was inevitable. Dave grabbed both my wrists in one large hand, pinning them above my head while his other hand started tearing at my dress. The sound of fabric ripping filled the room, mingling with my desperate pleas and his ragged breathing. Tears blurred my vision as the reality of my situation became inescapable. I was going to be violated by this monster, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. A sob tore from my throat, half rage and half terror. "Please," I begged, hating the weakness in my voice but beyond pride now. "Please don't do this." Dave's only response was a cruel laugh as he forced my legs apart with his knee. I closed my eyes, unable to bear the sight of his triumphant expression, and sent up a desperate prayer for the moon goddess to save me. The goddess, it seemed, was listening. The hotel room door exploded inward with a deafening crash, splintered wood flying across the room. The sudden noise startled Dave enough that his grip on my wrists loosened, allowing me to wrench one hand free and shield my exposed body. Framed in the doorway, radiating a fury so intense it seemed to distort the air around him, stood Theo. His normally steel-gray eyes had bled to Alpha black, his face transformed into something barely human in its rage. A growl emerged from his chest that made the walls seem to vibrate, the sound primal and terrifying. Through my tear-blurred vision and the lingering effects of whatever drug Dave had used, I could barely process what I was seeing. How was Theo here? Why had he come? The questions swirled in my mind, unanswerable in the face of the violent confrontation unfolding before me.