The message of the silver key-shaped pendant echoed in my heart, along with thoughts of the man who gave it to me—the stranger he was. His strong, unforgettable smell stayed in my mind, like a ghost in the air.
Who was he really? I had looked, but every door only led to more questions, more closed paths for my frantic wolf. I decided to try a different way to understand him: I would start by knowing his name. I closed my eyes and went back to the ballroom. I remembered his smile, how his eyes crinkled at the corners, the pure, dangerous grace in his moves.
I whispered a name, just to hear how it sounded. "Alexander." It felt right, but it wasn't that simple to shake off the feeling that it wasn't correct. "What is he called?" My wolf refused to guess.
I spent the next few days looking around the city for any sign of the stranger. I went to art galleries, museums, and nice restaurants. Just trying to see him. I called people, asking if anyone knew someone who looked like him, but I got nowhere. Each dead end made my wolf growl in anger.
"Hello?" I called one of my friends, who I knew was with the stranger that day we met.
"Yes, dear," she replied, speaking clearly.
"This guy…" I started, trying to figure out who he was. "I saw you with him that day."
"So, what do you want?" Sophia asked me. Her voice sounded strange. "Did you two agree on something? Was there an appointment?"
"No…" I said.
"I don't know much about him." Sophia finished, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I want you to understand that he acts a lot like Ethan…" Her words hung in the air, a chilling echo.
"Ethan?" I repeated the name. A sudden cold feeling grabbed my chest. Ethan? My wolf sensed a trick.
That's when Sophia hung up. A click, then silence, making the sudden, upsetting suspicion even stronger.
Days and weeks went by. Then I started to feel like I was chasing my imagination—men who were hiding things and playing games with women. But I couldn't stop trying to enjoy the idea. My wolf knew better; this was no simple human game.
A feeling held me, making me want to find out who the guy was; his hidden truths fascinated me. I had only one clue—the jewel—and that was pretty much all I had. I felt its weight because I felt linked to the stranger. The pendant pulsed with a strange energy against my skin, a tie to him.
"Who could he be?" I asked myself, turning to look at any man passing by, desperate for his unique scent. "How could he be Ethan, just a shy guy?" The idea felt like a cruel joke, a weak shadow of the powerful wolf I'd met.
Walking on the city street with the pendant, I felt my hands shaking with desire. I wanted to know his name, his story, and what was hidden behind those deep, sharp eyes, the old wisdom of his wolf.
I wanted to know if he felt the same: this bond, one that was never meant to be named, the one that had been beating in my heart since that moment. My wolf longed for its other half.
But, more than anything, I needed to have sex, which hadn't happened to me in a while. A basic, physical ache that seemed linked to him not being there.
Full of questions, my mind wouldn't rest. I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I was ready to risk everything. I would look for him no matter what. Then, just when I was ready to give up, there he was, standing across the street. Time itself stopped with a shocking jolt as our eyes met. His scent, now closer, was a physical blow, waking up every nerve.
My heart skipped, and my whole body suddenly felt alive, my wolf surging forward.
Was it him? I never would have thought.
Walking the rundown city streets, pendant gripped in my hand, I felt the strong need of my desires, as if it was very important. I wanted to find out the name of that stranger, his story, and what lay behind his secrets. I wanted to know if he felt the same connection as I did, the raw, clear pull of two wolves meant to be together.
Excitement, nervousness, and the deepest connection covered me. After a long search, he appeared, and I didn't know what to do next. I took a step forward, and he just stood there. He kept smiling and held my gaze. I think at that moment, I knew what drowning felt like because it seemed like those eyes would swallow me whole, pulling me into the depths of his powerful wolf. I think I was pulled into a world I didn't fully understand. But I didn't care. I was ready to jump in.
I stepped one step closer, and he disappeared into thin air. I blinked, wondering if I had dreamed the whole thing. But I hadn't. I had seen him, and he—he had seen me. Feelings of disappointment washed over me, but also a bit of strength; I would find him again. I would discover the secrets and learn more about him. The pendant felt like it was pulsing with energy in my hand, pushing me to go on. My wolf demanded it. I will not give up. I will find him, no matter how much searching it takes.
I stepped into a coffee shop to change my thoughts. At that moment, I saw Victoria, my rival, through the window, sitting at a table. She had the same elegant look as always, sleek red hair perfectly styled, and her outfit. Her smell, a sharp, sickly sweet scent, made my wolf bristle. She saw me clearly, stared at me, and smiled, but I could tell it was a plan, a predator looking at its prey.
"Ava, darling," she said and called me over to join her. "Come join me." Her voice was smooth, like silk, but underneath, I felt a low growl from my wolf.
I waited for a moment until my curiosity was stronger than my caution. I walked to her table and sat down. "Victoria," I asked, trying to sound strange, "what brings you here?"
"Just enjoying some quiet time," she said, sipping her coffee. "What about you? Still chasing that mysterious stranger?" Her eyes, sharp and knowing, saw right through my act.
My eyes narrowed then: how did she know about it? "What do you mean?" I tried to ask her in a calm voice, but my wolf tensed with a warning.
Victoria's smile returned, this time with something shiny and suspicious in her eyes, a calculating gleam from her own hidden wolf. "It means I've heard talk of a certain pendant floating around. Key-shaped silver pendant, if I'm not wrong."
My heart stopped. How did she know about the pendant? "I don't understand you at all," I said, trying to be blunt and push her away.
But Victoria just laughed. "Ava, you're not very good at hiding secrets. But I'll let it go for now. I want you to remember, I'm watching you." Her words were a soft growl, a hidden threat.
A shiver went up my back as I realized that Victoria was no longer just a rival; she was a danger. My wolf coiled, ready. I stood up, my mind full of ideas. "I really thank you for the warning," I said, trying to sound strong. "But I'll be just fine."
After that, Victoria's smile disappeared, and I saw something else in her eyes. Something almost...evil? In the next second, her bright smile came back, and then it was gone. "We'll see about that," she said, with a hiss in every word, a clear challenge.
That uneasy feeling followed me out of the coffee shop. Victoria left me with more worrying questions. What else did she know about the pendant? And what was her link to the stranger? My wolf told me she was hiding something and saving it for when she could truly use it.
As I walked towards my office, something kept making me think about Bob. He had given me that pendant, but does he know more about it? I felt mixed curiosity and kept thinking about what questions I could ask him. My heart raced with excitement as I walked through the streets.
I got to my office. Bob was moving around the couch, looking lost. His smell, though familiar, seemed weak after the stranger's strong scent.
"Hello," I called to him, trying to sound casual. It made me feel like I was drowning when Bob looked down at me. He smiled and turned away again, leaving me hanging.
"Can you tell me your secrets?" he suddenly lowered his voice. The deep sound had a sensual note that sent a shiver down my spine, a strange pull that felt different from the stranger's, softer, but still strong. I looked up at him, confused, not sure how to answer.
It was like the question in the air suddenly felt heavy, depending on how he said it. What did it mean, the pendant? Or something else? My mind raced through many possible ideas as I hurried along the streets, my wolf on high alert.
"Bob, what's going on?" I asked to buy time. But Bob just kept asking me the same question.
"Do you trust me?" His voice sounded again, just as I was deep in thought. His eyes held a demanding light, a need for me to say yes. My wolf felt torn.