Danica’s POV
Finally, Alpha Nicholas let go of me and slumped onto the bare floor. His muscles were tense, his breathing uneven.
The night was still, save for the occasional laughter and music drifting from the Mating Ball. He reached for the bottle of alcohol beside him, pouring a generous amount into a glass before lifting it to his lips.
I stood a few feet away, watching in silence.
Alpha Nicholas. A leader who never stepped aside in battle, always fighting alongside his men. I had fought beside him twice before, but I doubted he even knew who I was.
He exhaled heavily, rolling his shoulders before glancing at me. Then, to my surprise, he poured another drink and stretched the glass toward me.
I shook my head. "I don’t drink."
His lips twitched in amusement. "Never?"
"Never."
He swirled his glass lazily, staring at the amber liquid. "Then it’s time you start. If we're not at that damn ceremony, we should at least be wasted."
I hesitated. "I don’t see how that’s necessary."
Nicholas scoffed. "Necessary? Nothing about tonight is necessary. The ceremony, the mates, the expectations. It’s all—" He waved his glass in the air before downing the rest of his drink. "Exhausting."
His words surprised me. Alpha Nicholas had been mateless for over a decade, yet he spoke about it with the same indifference I felt.
I folded my arms. "Then why don’t you just take a chosen mate?"
He let out a short laugh. "Because I don’t want one."
That made two of us.
Just then, a flash of torchlight cut through the night. Nicholas stiffened, his sharp instincts kicking in. Before I could react, he grabbed my hand, the bottle of alcohol in his other, and yanked me forward.
"Come on," he murmured.
I barely had time to grab my sword before he pulled me through the darkness.
"Who is it?" I whispered as we ducked behind a stone pillar.
"Guards," he replied, eyes scanning the area. "They’ll assume we’re deserters and drag us back to the ball."
I frowned. "You’re the Alpha."
"And?" His smirk was barely visible in the dim light. "You think I want to deal with questions about why I skipped the Pack’s mating ceremony?"
Fair point.
We moved quickly, slipping past the patrolling guards until we reached his private quarters. The door shut behind us with a quiet click, locking us inside.
Nicholas leaned against the wall and, of all things, laughed.
I stared in awe. Alpha Nicholas just ran away from his own guards.
He smirked at my expression. "Go ahead. Say it."
"I have nothing to say."
He arched a brow. "Liar. You’re thinking plenty."
I crossed my arms. "I just never thought I’d see you avoiding responsibility."
Nicholas scoffed, pouring another drink. "And I never thought I’d meet a she-wolf who doesn’t want a mate." He handed me the glass again. "Drink."
I hesitated.
"You fight like a warrior," he murmured. "But do you have the courage to handle this?" The alcohol was still stretched at him and I knew he was challenging.
Daring me to drink.
That did it.
I took the glass. Lifted it to my lips. Took a sip. The alcohol burned, warm and sharp, but there was something exhilarating about it.
Nicholas grinned. "See? Not so bad."
I took another sip. Then another. Before I knew it, one glass turned into two. Then three.
Everything blurred around the edges, the room spinning slightly, yet my mind felt oddly free. Lighter.
I laughed, an unexpected, careless sound.
Nicholas watched me, his expression amused. "You’re enjoying yourself."
"Maybe," I admitted. "It’s… different."
He stepped closer, his presence suddenly overwhelming. The heat of his body, the scent of whiskey and something purely him.
My breath hitched as he reached out, brushing a stray lock of hair from my face.
"I think I like this version of you," he murmured.
I wanted to step back as he touched me but I couldn't. I had no idea if it was me or the alcohol.
I wasn’t sure who moved first either. Maybe it was me. Maybe it was him. All I knew was that one moment, we were standing apart, two wolves without a mate, without a bond. And the next, his lips were on mine.