Fated To The Lycan Brothers
Chapter 34

Suri Nightingale

"Take a shot and make a Tik Tok, b***h!" Somebody shouted and soon, every other person hanging around by the bar followed in suit and now they were all chanting it while I downed my sixth-or was that seventh? I don't know, who's counting?-shot for the night. They all cheered in unison after I drank all the alcohol and my throat burnt as liquid fire coursed through it. God, I detest the taste and feeling of alcohol, but after a while, it starts to burn less and less. But the best part? The bargain in this whole deal of killing my liver? I started to forget more of what I saw earlier.

"Damn, new girl, you've got one hell of a tolerance to alcohol." Someone with an English accent said beside me and when I turned to see who it was, friendly green eyes and a handsome smirk greeted me.

I almost thought it was Dev, but when I blinked again, I quickly realized it wasn't because Dev had golden brown hair while this guy had medium dark blonde hair. And though my Dev was more muscular than the guy in front of me, he wins height-wise, standing at almost maybe six four?

Wait, did I just say my Dev? Oh god, either I'm going out of my head or it's all the alcohol in my system. Or maybe both?

I put my hand out in a slightly drunken motion before pushing my chin up and shooting my sudden conversational partner a wide grin. "New girl? That's Suri to you, Mister..."

"Mason Linden," he answers as he shakes my hand in a just stiff enough way.

His hands are smooth but, more specifically, so much bigger that he easily engulfs mine.

Linden? Could he be related to the chain of five-star Linden hotels? I always used to see their ads in television shops or billboards around the highway. Knowing every single kid here was probably swimming in money, I'm ninety-nine percent sure that is the case. I wait for him to tell me about his last name because if these past few days here have taught me anything about introductions, it's that everyone is proud of what their name entails and they will jump at any opportunity to brag about it. But it doesn't happen with Mason and a part of me is pleasantly surprised about that.

"A pleasure to meet you, Suri. I haven't seen you around here before and I'm a constant in Raquel's parties. Are you from around here?" Mason asks and with every word I feel like he's leaning closer and closer to me, his voice trying to battle the noise of the music and the other people chattering around us.

Up close, his smile is even more captivating. Full lips, perfect teeth, dimples. He looks like the kind of guy everyone would crush on in a romantic movie. Including me.

But that's a movie, and this is real life. I can't trust anyone here. Not even cute British guys with adorable dimples.

"Um, you could say that, yeah, but I just got here a few days ago. It's my first time being a guest at Raquel's parties." I tell him honestly.

I realize I wouldn't even be here had I not come in with the Wolfe brothers because I'm a hundred and ten percent sure a girl part of Stefanie's posse would in no way in hell want to be associated with me.

Then again, I haven't seen much of their clique-especially Stefanie-since I got here, so maybe they don't even know I'm here?

My eyes wander off to the middle of the room, which has now been transformed into a dance floor thanks to Polly and Elle, who are obviously enjoying dropping it low to Tambourine by Eve.

They be watchin' while we wiggle around

Look at 'em droolin'

They ain't used to this sound

I keep 'em movin'

"Your friends?" Mason asked and when I turned back to face him, I hadn't noticed just how close he had gotten to me.

Our eyes locked at that moment and it felt like everything around us had started to disappear. It was only him and his soft green eyes staring into mine.

He gives me a smile that sends the butterflies in my stomach into a crazy fit and I don't know if it was the music, the alcohol, or just him, but whatever it was, it suddenly made me ask, "Do you want to dance with me?"

A millisecond after asking, I felt stupid. Who the hell asks someone to dance so formally in a party as if you're in a freaking Prom? Oh my god, I'm absolutely embarrassed and he's totally going to think I'm a creep now.

Way to make a guy into you, Suri. Maybe this is why I never had friends this whole time. Maybe they were right - I am a freak.

I hadn't noticed Mason was saying something as I spaced out.

"Sorry, what?" I asked.

He leaned closer to my ear. "I said it would be an honor to dance with you, Suri."

Oh. Wait, oh my god. We're dancing?

I don't have time to process that before suddenly, his warm hand gets a hold of mine and he's dragging me to the middle of the room and every time he turns back to look at me with an excited smile on his face, my heart thumps louder. Devon, who?

Earlier I was totally heartbroken seeing him cozying up with Destiny that I drank more alcohol than I knew I should, but it was the only way I knew how to make myself forget seeing them so happy with each other. I know it was my fault for letting myself think that I had a chance with Dev, inevitably leading to my own heartbreak, but did he really have to shove it in front of my face?

Granted, I have no idea if he saw me, but still, if he was doing all of that in public, then I'm sure he didn't care whoever saw them.

God, I was such an idiot, but you know what? Tonight, I'm forgetting all about that because right now, I'm having my first dance with an incredibly handsome guy who doesn't seem as cocky and shallow as all the other guys around here are and that's all that matters. The loud bass making the walls tremble and the floor shake as a new song came on felt like an invitation.

I allowed myself to sink into it, to get lost in it - the music, the alcohol, the feeling of another man holding onto me, wanting to hold onto me.

We don't need these faces at the crowd

People talkin' loud

I want your satisfaction but there's too many distractions

Mason took me in his arms and we swayed our bodies to the beat of the music. There was confidence in his motions and perfect knowledge of how to make it so as if we had been dancing together for hours, each of our movements melting with one another. Most of the people in the middle of the room, including Polly and Elle, start to give more space for us. I felt shy for a moment, but Mason pulled me closer to him and he looked at me with so much intensity that I got lost in it, forgetting all of my shyness and focusing on this dance.

I see it in your eyes oh

We're only wastin' time

I can see that you want me and I need you

Your body's callin', it completes you

I could feel the alcohol in my system starting to take over me, making me tipsier, but Mason held onto me with so much assurance it made me believe he wouldn't let me fall and I trusted in him completely. I've never trusted anyone that fast, but in that moment, I felt like I could.

I need you alone

It's just for you and I

This moment's made for two and that's just you and I

What you tryna do is made for you and I

I wasn't sure when it happened or how it happened, but in between the sultriness of our dance and the rhythmic bass of the song, somebody else had invaded my thoughts.

An unwelcome image of his body, hot and inviting, and his eyes seducing me is all I can think about all of a sudden.

As hard as I tried to push it away, I can't help but imagine him being the one dancing with me. His hands on my body, caressing me everywhere, and the warmth of his touch starting to make me feel things. I'm helpless to shut him out, to shut these thoughts out.

I closed my eyes and started to imagine his hands running along my hips, his hand tightly gripping on to it before he grabs me close, making me hit his hard chest. He leans his devastatingly handsome face closer to me and I replace it harder to breathe when he's so close.

I can smell him and his scent is just effortlessly intoxicating. Heat travels from his fingers, down my arm, and settles in between my legs.

I want him. Fuck. I want hi-

"Suri."

I heard my name get called in a threatening tone, making me stop abruptly, and open my eyes wide in shock to face him.

That wild, icy stare was drilling holes in me. Atlas was standing right next to us, mostly closer to me. He's got his arms crossed in front of his chest and he looks decidedly pissed off, almost seconds from putting his hands on me.

For a few seconds, I let myself think of what would happen if he did that right here, in public, where all eyes were on us.

Would he grab me by the neck like he has done before? Spin me around in mere seconds, making me abruptly hit his chest and then aggressively push my head onto his shoulder?

But most importantly, why the hell am I even thinking that and why in god's name are those thoughts turning me on?

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" The devil in the black leather jacket demanded, his eyes burning through me and his face inches away from mine.

"What do you think I'm doing? I'm dancing," I tell him, obviously mockingly.

This doesn't go over too well with Atlas as he angrily glares at me, but I could give a shit. The douche bag has clearly scared off my dance partner as Mason lowers his head and says something inaudible before practically sprinting away. "Look what you did, you s h it head, you scared my date away!" I tell him, annoyed.

The douche bag just scoffs at me, looking like he's actually pleased with the situation. "Trust me, the only date you'll be getting out of hanging out with Mason Linden is a date with the doctor."

I blink at him confused as his words register in my brain. I think the alcohol is making my mind work slower than normal because it takes me a few seconds to realize what he meant.

Oh. Holy shit.

Atlas' lips curved into a smug smile.

He may be right and I guess I should be thankful he pulled me away from what would have ended badly for me, but still, he's so proud of himself that I want to punch him square on the face, but I control myself, knowing full well that would be an even worse outcome for me than hanging with Mason which is by the way, already making out with another girl by the bar.

Well, so much for that 'good guy' I thought he was.

I turned away from Atlas, tired of his bull s hit and obviously not in the mood to entertain him any longer, as I decided to look for my friends instead.

A minute or so later, I replace them coming out of the bathroom with Elle tightly holding onto Polly who's hugging my faux cow fur handbag like it's her most prized possession. I was wondering where that went, but it looks like I've found my answer. "She's fallen in love with your bag," Elle comments.

"Please keep it safe," I tell her and she nods with a small chuckle.

"Sorry we couldn't stay to finish your impressive dance moves. Polly's bladder was about to burst." Elle points out and Polly just made incoherent noises. She is so drunk.

"No worries, some dick head ruined it, anyway." I said, annoyed, but the thought of Atlas close to me again somehow has me feeling hot and achy. Damn it.

"Don't you think Polly should go home?" I looked at our friend who could barely keep her eyes open.

Elle shook her head. "Not after truth or dare finishes. She never misses one, and she'll kill me when she's sober in the morning and after realizing I brought her home before it."

I laughed. "Polly Antoinette has some serious FOMO issues."

"The French, am I right?" Elle comments and we both laugh.

"Come on, it's probably starting in the pool house already." She says and she ushers me to go to the other side and I help her keep Polly from making out with the floor.

We dodge a bunch of other people in the rooms and hallways as we make our way to the pool house where apparently, the annual truth or dare happens. I guess no matter how rich you are, that game is just a must at all high school parties.

"It's tradition," Elle tells me. "And of course, all the juicy gossip happens there." She says with a wink that I can't tell if it is reassuring or not, because the thought of becoming the academy's next gossip doesn't sound good to me.

I just need to keep a low profile, I tell myself. Don't get involved with any one of them no matter what, but at the same time, join in on the fun so I don't look like a snob.

Yeah, that all sounded easy enough until we stepped into the glamorous pool house with flashing lights, an abundance of alcohol, and three brothers that had all their eyes on me.

I swallowed the lump of nervousness that had suddenly lodged itself in my throat and urged myself to look away from the three before I turned into a mountain of ash on the floor.

"I seriously still can't believe Destiny is here, and she's back to dating Devon? Something is definitely up there." Elle says as she suspiciously eyes the two, Destiny walking towards Dev in a barely there white two-piece bikini that shows off her amazing body full of curves in the right places. She looks straight out of a Victoria's Secret fashion show.

Note to self: Never wear a bikini next to her unless I want to feel and look like a prepubescent child.

"Back to dating? So they dated before?" I asked, curiosity getting the best of me again when I told myself I didn't care.

Clearly, I cared and that's what's bothering me. Ugh. Whatever.

Elle and I replace a spot in the circle, the opposite side to where the brothers and Destiny are seated. Wes is busy flirting with a girl, his hand snaking around her waist. Devon is talking with Destiny, but sometimes I feel like he's shooting me quick second glances. Then there's Atlas, who has two girls surrounding him, but he doesn't bother paying any attention to them, his cold stare still focused on me.

I stuck my tongue out at him, a childish act, but I couldn't help it. He was annoying me and that was all I could think about doing before focusing on what Elle was saying next to me.

"There wasn't really any confirmation even then, but they had been together almost every single day since the middle of freshman year so we all just assumed they were dating each other. At first we thought he was only doing it because Devon wanted to be nice to Destiny whose brother had just gotten into an accident, but they seemed to be getting closer as time passed by. It didn't take long for two gorgeous people to become a popular couple around the academy."

It turns out I was right to assume that the first time I met Destiny that they had something going on with each other by the way she looked at him. I remember the longing in her eyes and suddenly feel my heart ache at the thought of it. Damn. I never stood a chance in the first place.

"Then junior year came..." Elle continued just as someone was talking about the start of the truth or dare game, but I couldn't focus on that at all.

"What happened in junior year?" I asked, inching closer to my friend.

"Rumor has it that after Devon went to Destiny's place to meet her parents, then something happened because when they got back, they were much more distant with each other. The three boys also disappeared a little before Fall break and then it was just different. They stuck together even more than before."

Whoa... Now that's news to me.

I was seconds from asking Elle if she knew what had happened, but my name got called, followed by simultaneous gasps. When I turned, there were horrified looks from everyone in the room while I sat there, confused.

"Uh... what?" I asked, blinking at each of them unaware that my plan to not get involved had gone up into flames while I was distracted.

The next thing I know, Raquel is giving me a pleased smirk with her blood-red lips before she turns to one of the brothers and says, "Looks like you've found your kissing partner."

His what partner?!