My Alpha's Pain

Chapter 5: Not Again

-Bella-

The party was enormous! It wasn’t just people from my or Aiden’s pack—it seemed like half the town was there. Hundreds of wolves were drinking, dancing, and making out in the dark.

If I were my old self, I would have been ecstatic, but even surrounded by so much excitement, I felt nothing. I just kept thinking about when it would be the right time to excuse myself and go home.

“Come on!” Mary shouted over the loud music as we entered a grand villa.

She held my hand tightly, with her other arm draped around Aiden, and we moved further inside. The party was impressive, even if I wasn’t enjoying it, and everyone else seemed to be having a blast.

Aiden and Mary greeted numerous people, laughing, joking, and exchanging smiles with their acquaintances. I wondered when Mary had made so many friends, watching her hug someone I didn’t recognize. Clearly, she and Aiden had found the people they had been searching for and began mingling, leaving me to fade into the background.

I observed the many werewolves in the spacious living room, dancing and having a great time. I longed to feel that kind of joy again, but here I was, standing a little away from my cousin, who was happily chatting with a bunch of strangers. Or they were strangers to me.

They were likely going to become her new friends and family, while I might end up forgotten. The thought made me unexpectedly sad. I took one last look at Mary before deciding it was best to leave. She probably wouldn’t even notice I was gone.

“Aiden!”

I was about to turn away when a tall, incredibly handsome male approached my cousin and her mate, looking worried.

“Logan, where’s Keith?” Aiden asked.

The man named Logan shrugged. “I took my eyes off him for one second, and he disappeared!”

“What?”

“Let’s go find him,” Mary suggested, clearly understanding what was going on.

The three of them left without even checking if I was following. I watched them vanish into the crowd of party people, then I turned around and left. But as soon as I stepped outside into the cold night and pulled out my phone, I realized I was stuck. Aiden had driven us here, and if I called Dean, Dad, or Kyle to come pick me up, everyone would just worry about me… again.

I groaned in frustration. What was I supposed to do? I wanted to go home but had no way to get there. Even if I called a cab, they would still see me going inside.

I glanced at the people outside, drinking, smoking, and enjoying each other’s company, then looked back at the party raging inside. I had no choice but to go back in. It was freezing out here, and I doubted anyone at the party was sober enough to give me a ride home, nor could I call anyone who was.

Reluctantly, I walked back inside, pushing through the crowd, and tried to find my cousin in the sea of people. Where was she?

It was impossible to find Mary among so many werewolves, so I sprinted to the nearest staircase, hoping for a better vantage point. Unfortunately, it didn’t help much.

Frustrated, I climbed the stairs, thinking she might be on the next floor. The second floor was quieter, but a few people still lingered in the hallway, making it easier to navigate. I checked rooms with open doors but found no sign of my cousin.

At the end of the hallway, I turned and ascended another flight of stairs. This level was almost deserted, and the music was faint. Most doors here were closed, but a few were slightly ajar. I peeked into the open rooms until there was only one left—the one with the door slightly cracked. I hesitated before slowly pushing it open.

“Mary?” I called out.

There was no response, but I spotted something—or rather, someone—sitting on a balcony, their legs hanging over the side, drink in hand. The male turned, and his strikingly blue eyes met mine.

Mate…

The word was murmured so quietly that I barely caught it, but I did hear it. Not again, I thought, as he swung his leg over the side and took a sip from his glass, his eyes scanning me with obvious desire.

No, no, no, not again...

-Keith-

When I heard someone approaching, I expected it to be Aiden or Logan, but instead, it was the most stunning female wolf I had ever seen. Her hair was pure white, and her deep, warm brown eyes were mesmerizing.

She was lean and tall, with curves in all the right places, accentuated perfectly by her dress. Who is this beautiful female? I wondered as I observed her.

Mate!

Oh, damn! Was she? She looked at me with a hint of fear, which confused me, but then I remembered how this looked. I was sitting on the edge of a balcony with my feet dangling over the side, leading to a fall that would surely be fatal. I quickly swung my other leg over and took a sip from my drink. She is so beautiful, I thought, but why did she still look terrified?

“Sorry,” she said, her eyes dropping to the ground. “I was looking for my cousin.”

“Seems like you found something better,” I teased, but my joke only seemed to make her more upset.

“I’ll leave now,” she informed me, turning away.

“Hey, wait!” I called out, but she was already heading for the door.

I jumped down from the railing and into the room, following her sweet, rosy scent. It was a fragrance unlike anything I had ever encountered. The hallway was thick with it, guiding me toward the party. But once I reached the dance floor, the sheer number of people dancing and enjoying themselves made me lose sight of her. Where the f*ck did she go?

“Keith!”

I heard Aiden calling from the other side of the dance floor, but I was too focused on finding my mate. I pushed my way through the crowd until I found myself outside.

My eyes scanned the area desperately, and then I spotted a dark figure with pure white hair moving quickly down the dark road. Without hesitation, I sprinted after her. I wasn’t going to let her get away again.