A Lone Alpha?

Chapter 7 - MAYA

I woke up my head banging. What the hell? Where were Violet and Rylee? Ooohhh my poor head !!! I drank way too much! I think as I sit up, seriously, this isn’t my room?

Shit!! ROMAN!!! I slept with him!! Oh my goddess! That is not like me. I have never done that before. I only ever had one boyfriend. Roman was the second guy I kissed, and I ended up sleeping with him?! What did I do?!.........

I look down to the bed. The space next to me is empty.

Wow, he left me! He slept with me and f*****g left! Now I feel worthless. I thought he liked me. He said he didn’t usually do stuff like that. Haha, that was clearly a line then. What a fool am I?! I feel tears building behind my eyes.

I need to go back to my room so I am with my friends. They know where I am because I messaged to let them know but the guys will be expecting us to go for lunch in a bit. I lay my hand to where the imprint of Roman’s body can faintly be seen on the bed. The bed is vaguely warm - he must have only just left.

Obviously, he didn’t want to see me. Got what he wanted from me, not that it is all his fault. I should have had better control of myself……. I just felt drawn to him.

Well, being drawn to him did me good, didn’t it?! I’m now not pure for my mate when I eventually meet him.

As werewolves, it is often expected that we wait for our fated mate before we sleep with someone. For many, it is an outdated tradition, but for others it is considered a sacred tradition that you would be frowned upon if you break it. Especially for she-wolves. Seems rules are less strict for the males. Well, it looks like I messed up!

I had always swore I would wait for my mate. But I don’t even know what happened last night. I got an unexpected surge of confidence, too many drinks….. and well, now the rest is history! And it would seem Roman got what he wanted and ran.

I need to get sorted. I step from the bed, grabbing my underwear and dress, chucking them on quickly. I will have a shower back in our room I think. As I look for my shoes I notice there is a piece of paper on the tv stand - looks to be a note:

Hey Sugar,

I am sorry I rushed off, I wanted to wake and lay with you in my arms but had to get back to pack. Last night was amazing, seriously one of best nights of my life. Certainly an amazing first time for me if you catch my drift.

But, and trust me Maya I hate having to say this, you are from way out west and me out east, it would be difficult. I have a lot of commitments unfortunately. So it may have to be an amazing memory.

I am sorry.

Ro’

Wow! I felt the tears prickling in my eyes again. He is implying that was his first time?! He certainly seemed to know what he was doing. He said some really sweet stuff. But then dismissed me. Still the same - it won’t work. Probably said all the nice stuff to butter me up. Still got what he wanted, and then says that so doesn’t have to take it any further. I shove the note into my bag. Grab my shoes, and walk out of the door.

I avoid eye contact with anyone as I wait for the elevator, nothing like a walk of shame, it is clearly obvious I am on the way back from a night out. I quickly walked back to my room and knock on the door.

“Well hello you dirty stop out!” Violet says with a grin as she opens the door.

I quickly step inside, shaking my head at her. “ I need coffee!” I tell her.

“Jump in the shower babe and I will make us some, I bet you are desperate for a shower” she smiled “Rylee on her way up with some pastries”

I grab my bag and sort out clothes for today, ready for when I have had my shower. A short pair of denim shorts, and a black cropped t-shirt. Plus some black chunky boots.

Shame Roman isn’t still here…. I could stamp on his balls with my boots for deciding I’m not good enough for him…..I think.

I quickly have a shower, washing away the smell of Roman, our night together, the smell of the club, the drink, the bed……

I can’t help but feel so ashamed! That was not like me last night. I will not be drinking like that again. I feel used. I grab a towel and gently dry myself, noticing areas of my body are a little tender from last night.

I throw on my clothes, and add a light layer of make-up so I look presentable. As, let's be honest, it isn’t like I got much sleep last night! And I head out of the door, my friends sit waiting for me grinning.

“We want to know all the details!!” Rylee says with a wink.

I don’t want them to know. They can’t know how I have let myself down. That I have failed myself. What a disappointment I am. I know they plan to wait for their mates. Just like I had…..

“Not much to tell” I lie “We went to his room, made out a little, ordered room service, watched a film, which was crap, so we had a disco in his room and danced, before crashing out” OK, that wasn’t too far from the truth.

“Seriously?!” Violet says in shock “ I thought you’d be coming back with tales of s*x and naughtiness” she winks.

Oh, if only you knew! I think.

I shake my head “Sorry to disappoint. He just said he didn’t like making out with an audience. It was fun though” I was trying to be brave. I cannot cry in front of them.

Both my friends look somewhat disappointed, but I have no intention of telling them any more than that. We sit and drink our coffees and eat the gorgeous pastries Rylee had been out to the nearby bakery and picked up for us.

There was a knock at the door. Rylee jumped up to answer, full of energy, clearly had a lot more sleep than me.

“I heard there was coffee and pastries here” I hear Jace say with a chuckle.

Levi and Jace come into the room, both now in trackpants and t-shirts, looking tired, so I assume they had a fun night. Violet offers them the bag of pastries to help themselves too, while Rylee sets about making them a coffee each.

“You girlies have fun last night?” Jace asks “that club is that damn big we didn’t even see you all night.”

“Yeah we had plenty of fun, right Maya?” Violet grins at me.

I see Levi look to me, his eyebrow raised.

Jeez, nothing like trying to make it obvious is there?!

“Oh what you get up to Maya?” Levi asks.

“Nothing more than anyone else did, dancing and drinking” I say

Vi, shut it. Don’t want anyone knowing. I mind link her so she knows to say nothing else.

Sorry I didn’t think she links back.

“Ah cool” Levi seems to relax at that.

“You guys pull last night?” Rylee teases the guys.

Jace laughs loudly “nah, chatted to plenty, lots of dancing and drinking with them until the early hours but we were good boys”

Just a bad night he means where they had no luck with the ladies hah!

“There a store near here my Ma wanted me to grab some cakes from, apparently the best in the whole country. Say beaut’ you fancy a walk down with me?” Levi sits down on the bed next to me, looking to me.

Why is he only asking me? Though a walk wouldn’t hurt. And would stop me thinking about the mess that was last night.

“Sure, only if you are buying me a cake though” I smile at him.

“I am sure I can stretch to that” he ruffles my hair.

So Levi and I head out of the room down to the elevator.

“You have fun last night beaut?” he asks.

“Yeah was fun, that view from the club was amazing” I say with a smile.

Even more amazing checking it out in Roman’s arms. No, I can’t keep doing this! He obviously doesn’t want me. I feel tears in my eyes again and try to blink them away as we enter the elevator.

“Maya what’s up?” Levi says, suddenly sounding serious. Must be serious, he never calls me Maya.

“Eh? Nothing” I try to dismiss it.

“You look like you want to cry” he says, and suddenly I am in his arms. “You know you can talk to me you know”

“I will be fine Levi honestly.” I move away, and wipe the tears from my eyes, trying to be strong.

I feel him suddenly reach for my hand. “Maya, please. Something doesn’t feel right” he tells me.

How can he know?Maybe I could confide in him…..

“Levi can I tell you something but you can’t tell anyone? I haven’t even told Vi or Rylee” I say quietly.

I feel him squeeze my hand “didn’t I say you could talk to me? We are friends beaut’ always have been, always will be.”

“You might change your opinion of me after this,” I whisper, barely holding back tears.

“What?” he says, suddenly looking at me just as the elevator opens at the ground floor.

Great timing!

Levi doesn’t let go of my hand. Instead he leads me by the hand and takes me down a corridor to the gardens of the hotel. They are beautiful, done within the centre of the hotel, flowers of all kinds from around the world, beautiful blossom trees and sculptures catching the morning sunshine. We find a bench near the back of the gardens where we are alone.

“Right beaut’, sit down, you know you can tell me anything, and I meant what I said earlier” he squeezes my hand.

I gently sit down next to him “I messed up Levi” I whisper.

“How so?” he asked. Brushing some of my curls back off my face.

“I drank too much last night,” I start.

“Beaut’ I think we all did that,” he smiles.

“No Levi, I met a guy,” I saw his jaw muscles tighten slightly at the mention of that. Had he guessed? “He was so nice, we were dancing, having fun” I see him nod his head. “We kissed”

I could see Levi’s jaw was clenched now. Did he not like the thought of me with another guy? Though I guess last night he had mentioned taking me out when we got home.

“We danced some more. Kissed some more and he invited me back to his room to watch a film and chill out as he said wasn’t comfortable making out with an audience. So I agreed. I know I shouldn’t have” I dropped my head to my hands, I feel Levi rubbing my back.

“It’s ok Maya, drink can make you do crazy things,” Levi says.

“It gets worse though,” I look to him, tears in my eyes.

He smiles sadly at me “I can probably guess the rest no?” he says.

“Maybe. We danced, drank more, and I messed up. I know I shouldn’t have done it. But I felt drawn to him, felt so confident. Now I feel so stupid. My mate won’t want me! I failed myself.” I begin to sob.

Levi takes me in his arms “ Maya, anyone would be blessed to have you as their mate, trust me. And anyone can make a mistake. Drink can be a nightmare.”

“I feel so dirty Levi. He had gone when I woke up” I say with a whisper.

“What?!” he says sounding far from impressed.

I nod, fumbling in my bag for the note, and pass it to him, “all he left me was this” I tell him, looking down to my feet feeling so ashamed.

I watch his face as he reads the note, his jaw clenching as he nears the end “so he is dismissing you then” he mutters, turning the note over in his hand, looking at the back, I’m not even sure what is on the back.

“Yeah, that is what I thought. Thought he was being sweet to start with, then read the end and was definitely being dismissed wasn’t I? I already felt dismissed waking up to an empty bed” I say.

I notice a frown on Levi’s face. “Beaut’, what was this guys name?” he asks me. Weird…

“Roman,” I say quietly.

“s**t Maya,” he looks to me.

Wait have I missed something?

I look to him with my eyebrows raised, waiting for a response.

“You know who he is right?” he asks.

I shrug “Other than being called Roman and he said his pack was out east. He didn’t say much else, and obviously saying in the note about commitments but I assume that’s a bullshit excuse.”

“Erm beaut’, he is Roman Carter, next Alpha of Blood Shadow Pack,” he says quietly, turning the note over and showing me the back of it. It is a booking slip for the hotel that he must have written on, stating the booking was for Roman Carter, booked by Kane Carter. And Kane Carter was a name I did know, one of the most feared Alpha’s in the country, their pack was one of the biggest and most feared in the country too.

Shit! I had just slept with their upcoming Alpha?! No there must be some mistake?! Surely he would be saying if that was the case?! Wait, don’t they own this hotel?!

“Seriously?! Maybe there is a mistake.” I say.

“Beaut’ I know their upcoming Alpha’s name. I have trained with them at camps.” Levi says, fiddling with his phone, “Here is this him?” he shows me a picture on his phone…… of Roman.

I slowly nod. I really don’t want to accept this is happening!

Levi pulls me close to him in a tight embrace and says “Well Maya I hate to tell you, but you slept with the upcoming Alpha of the most feared pack in the country. You are definitely best to forget him.”