Theo's P.O.V
"It hurts..."
I can't move. My waist, my whole body—completely numb. I try to lift a finger, but nothing happens. What the hell is wrong with me?
My eyes dart around, taking in the unfamiliar room. This isn't the hotel suite I booked for my heat phase last night. It's too big, too luxurious. Sure, it's nice, but my wallet's already crying at the thought of the bill.
Groaning, I push myself up on the bed, the sheets a tangled mess beneath me.
I sigh, scanning the room. Oh my Goddess… who did I spend my heat with this time?
When I arrived, I was supposed to meet Kayle. We booked the same room we always used. But now? My chest is covered in bite marks and hickeys, my nipples are sore and swollen, and my body feels like it's been through something intense.
"Damn it. Please tell me I didn't do it with someone I know." I grumble, trying to shift my legs.
The second I do, pain shoots through me. Fuck. My legs won't cooperate, my waist aches, and it feels like I've been wrung dry.
Who the hell did this to me? If I ever find them, I swear, I'm never letting them near me again.
This is a disaster. That guy—whoever he was—took advantage of me when I was completely out of control.
With shaky arms, I crawl to the edge of the bed and grab onto the nightstand. Using every ounce of strength, I force myself onto my feet, leaning against the wall for support as I stumble toward the bathroom.
The moment I reach the cool tiles, I collapse onto the floor, turning the shower on and letting the water pour over me. The warmth soothes my aching body, washing away the remnants of last night.
Slowly, I start regaining feeling in my limbs. The numbness fades, leaving only soreness behind.
As the water streams down my face, memories start to resurface.
I came here to meet Kayle—to get through this unpredictable heat cycle that hit me out of nowhere. It wasn't supposed to be like this. I hadn't eaten or drunk anything unusual. I was busy with work all day, and then suddenly this happened.
And that guy…
A face flickers in my mind. A guy staring at me in the coffee shop that morning.
A deep gaze. Intense. Like he knew something I didn't.
After that, everything spiraled. My meeting with a client went to hell, and my body felt off—hot, restless, on edge.
It sounds crazy, but it was like I was being pushed into heat.
Then Kayle. The nightclub. The usual plan. So why am I in this room now? Where is Kayle?
I shut off the water, wiping my face, and step out of the shower without bothering to grab a robe. My eyes scan the room again, searching for any sign of the guy I was with. Nothing.
No scattered clothes. No lingering scent. No traces at all. It's like he went out of his way to erase his presence.
"He planned this." I mutter, heart pounding. "He didn't want me to find him."
I grab my clothes from the floor. At least they're clean—no stains, no mess. But my scent lingers, faint but unmistakable.
I need to get out of here.
I dress quickly, making sure I haven't left anything behind before heading toward the door. My legs protest with every step, but I force myself forward, staggering slightly as I make my way to the main lobby.
The second I step out of the elevator, I spot Darcy, the nightclub's owner.
She smiles at me, but there's something knowing in her expression. Before I can ask, she reaches out, shaking my hand—and slipping a business card into my palm.
"Are you okay? How's your body?" she asks, too casually.
I blink. "I—I think I'm okay?"
Darcy hums, unconvinced. "Good. But listen, he might not take your call, but there's no harm in trying."
I frown. "What are you talking about?"
She waves me off. "Don't ask me. I was just told to make sure you were okay. The rest, he said he'd handle it."
My stomach twists. "What the hell are you saying?"
"I'm busy, Theo. Come back later if you want to talk for everything."
"No! Wait—who is he?!"
Darcy turns, already walking away with her bodyguards. But just before disappearing into the crowd, she throws one last comment over her shoulder.
"Oh, and don't lose that card. He said if things get worse and you don't find him, you'll need it."
Then she's gone.
I stare at the business card in my hand. It's pitch black, the only design an intricate Pack logo—a wolf's head, a dagger wrapped in a snake, and a rose stem woven through it.
A Pack?
I don't recognize it. And there's no name, no number. Just the logo.
I swallow hard, my curiosity burning. Who the hell is he?
But I have no one to ask. No answers.
With a sigh, I step outside and call for a taxi.
During the ride home, I keep turning the card over in my fingers, my mind racing with possibilities. Until—
Shit.
I forgot to pay my bill.
Panic shoots through me, and I immediately call Darcy through the club's receptionist.
The second I hear her voice, she drops the bombshell.
"Oh, don't worry about it. He already paid for everything. Five nights, all covered."
What?
My breath catches. "Five nights? That's impossible."
"Nope. That's what the system says. You checked in five days ago. Today's your checkout."
Five. Days.
No. No way.
My heat phases have never lasted more than two and a half days. This—this is insane.
What the hell triggered something like this?
My chest tightens, panic creeping in. My breaths come faster, my heart hammering. I feel—like I'm losing control.
Who is he? And why can't I remember anything about him?