Ten Years Later
The ballroom at the thirty-fourth floor of Landon Hotel pulsed with laughter, flashing lights, and deafening music. It was a grand celebration—one held in honor of Dane Bastre, the newly promoted Medical Director of Landon Hospital. A man young in years, wealthy, handsome, and ruthless in ambition.
But Aster Carello didn't want to be there.
She had shown up only out of politeness. Her department had insisted she attend—for appearances. But the moment she tasted the alcohol in her glass, her world started to spin.
Her chest was tight. Her skin felt too hot.
This wasn't normal.
She excused herself and staggered out of the ballroom, her phone clutched tightly in her hand. Her fingers trembled as she dialed her roommate.
"Pick up, Anna, please..."
"The number you are calling is out of coverage area. Please try again later."
Aster's heart dropped. That's right—Anna had a scheduled flight tonight. Off to overseas to meet her long-distance boyfriend.
She was alone.
And something wasn't right.
Earlier that night, Dane had handed her a glass of wine during the toast. She had noticed it—just a flash of white powder at the bottom, too faint for the others to catch. But she had already taken a few sips before realizing.
Her gut twisted with dread.
He had been pursuing her for two years, always lurking, always smiling like he owned her. Her coworkers envied the attention. To them, Dane was a dream—a perfect package. But to Aster, he was a warning sign wrapped in a handsome face.
She had rejected him politely but firmly. Again and again.
Maybe this was his way of forcing her hand.
Dizzy and desperate, Aster found her way to the hotel lobby and booked a room for the night.
"Room 2932. Here's your card, ma'am. Shall I escort you?" the front desk attendant asked.
"No, thank you. I can manage," she said quickly, gripping the keycard as she forced a smile.
She needed to get somewhere safe—anywhere but that ballroom.
---
29th Floor — Room 2931
"GET OUT!" a deep, furious voice thundered from behind the bathroom door.
Carl Landon, heir to the Landon Empire and Alpha of the Lycan clan, was barely holding back the beast inside him. His eyes burned red as he leaned over the sink, splashing cold water on his face.
The drug coursing through his system made every nerve feel electrified.
This was Vanessa's doing.
Vanessa Bastre—Dane's cousin, his supposed bride-to-be—had drugged him using a tonic she claimed she prepared "with love."
"Call my mother. Cancel the engagement," Carl snarled. "If I see Vanessa again, I'll tear her apart."
"Y-yes, my lord," his assistant Sean stuttered from outside.
"I don't want any woman sent here. I'll handle this myself."
Sean and the bodyguards left quickly, too rattled to remember to lock the door.
Carl collapsed onto the bed, breathing hard, trying to suppress the dangerous fire rising in his veins. A Lycan in heat was a creature of instinct. And Vanessa had dared to toy with that.
He closed his eyes, the sound of his heartbeat loud in his ears.
---
Ding.
The elevator door slid open on the 29th floor.
Aster stumbled out, struggling to keep her vision straight. The numbers on the doors blurred as she blinked hard. 2932… was it this one?
She slid her card into the slot of a nearby door.
Click.
It opened.
"This must be it," she whispered, stepping inside.
Her skin felt like it was burning. She yanked off her dress, leaving only her underwear, and rushed toward the bed in the center of the dimly lit room.
She barely registered anything before her body collapsed onto the mattress.
So hot… why is my body like this…?
Sleep took her before she could think anymore.
l
---
Moments Later…
Carl stepped out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist. His body still burned, but he was regaining control—until he saw her.
There was a woman in his bed.
"What the hell?" he growled. "I said no one!"
He stormed toward her, ready to drag her out—
—but stopped dead in his tracks.
She was… breathtaking.
Golden waves of hair spilled over his pillows. Her skin was snow-white, glowing even in the dim light. Her breathing was shallow, her lips parted softly as if inviting a kiss.
Everything about her screamed mine.
His Lycan instincts surged like a tidal wave.
Was this the drug? Or something else?
His heart pounded as he knelt by the bed, staring at her face. He reached out, brushing her cheek lightly. Her eyes fluttered open for a brief second.
And then—she kissed him.
Carl froze. Her lips tasted like forbidden fruit. He told himself to pull away. But she clung to him.
Moaning softly.
Touching him like she knew him.
Something about her scent, her presence—it overpowered every shred of logic. He gave in.
And under the haze of drugs and primal desire, their bodies came together.
---
The Dawn After
Carl lay beside her, eyes still wide open as the morning light slowly spilled through the curtains. He could feel her soft breath on his chest, her arm draped over him.
He didn't know her name.
But somehow… it felt like he had known her forever.
He turned to look at her sleeping face.
Who are you?