Chapter 15–CLAUDE

CLAUDE

I SHOULD'VE KNOWN better. Maybe I did. Maybe I just didn't want to admit it. But thinking Nikolai wasn't dangerous? Yeah, that was stupid. His words last night sent shivers down my spine—less like a warning, more like a threat.

Still, I wasn't a threat to him. Hell, I wasn't a threat to anyone here. I didn't belong here.

And that wasn't even my biggest problem. I was changing.

The pills. If I'd had them, none of this would be happening. My body wouldn't be rebelling, shedding the beta facade I'd spent so many years maintaining. But without them, I could feel my omega surfacing, clawing its way back to the forefront. And with that came the inevitable: heat. It was coming for me, and when it hit, there'd be no stopping it.

Nikolai stood behind me, his presence commanding without even trying. His hands rested on my shoulders, firm with a light squeeze and his thumbs brushing over my collarbone. His gaze pierced through the mirror in front of us, pinning me in place.

"You're getting leaner, Claude. You need to eat more," he said, patting my shoulder like I was something fragile.

I pushed my damp hair back, refusing to look away. Yeah, I was getting leaner, but it wasn't from a lack of food. It was from my body rejecting this lie. Without the pills, I couldn't hold onto this beta form.

"I guess you're right," I muttered, knowing damn well he wasn't. Nikolai gave me one of his rare smiles—brief, sharp—and went back to buttoning his shirt.

A clap of his hands, and we were moving again, out the door. This time, neither of us forgot the damned pet tag. Nikolai always had something to do and invade he did tonight, and the last thing either of us needed was a mistake. The kind where someone thought I was available. For them… or their pets.

Dinner was early, and the dining room was almost empty. Quiet, save for the soft clinking of silverware. As I sat across from him, the reality hit me like a punch to the gut. Seven days. It had been seven days with Nikolai. Seven days of too many glances, too many touches that stayed longer than they should've. And in seven more, I'd be gone. Back to a world where he didn't exist.

The thought twisted my guts. My chest tightened, and I clenched my hands under the table, forcing myself to breathe. I couldn't let this happen. Couldn't get attached. Nikolai was human. A dangerously attractive human, sure—the only one who could make me hard with a single glance—but still human. And we didn't belong in the same world.

His gaze snapped to mine, his brows furrowed. His hand moved without hesitation, cupping the back of my neck and pulling me closer. My breath caught in my throat.

"What's wrong, Claude?" His voice was low, his eyes drilling into me. "You look like you're gonna be sick. I kept calling your name but you didn't answer, so I ordered for you."

I shook my head, pulling away from his touch. "I'm fine."

Nikolai didn't look convinced, but he let it go. The food arrived, and with it, I was lost in thought again. My father. The pack. Had he figured it out yet? Did he know I lied about where I was? Worse, had he already contacted Alpha London?

"You're zoning out again." Nikolai's voice pulled me back, and I blinked, meeting his gaze.

"Just thinking," I said, washing down the last bite of meat with water.

"Clearly. So, what are you thinking about?" he asked, leaning back, eyes never leaving mine.

I hesitated, then said the one thing I shouldn't have. "That once we get off this ship, we'll never see each other again."

Nikolai stiffened, his jaw ticking and his smirk flattered before he cocked his head. "Do you want to see me again?"

I didn't have an answer. Even if I did, I wouldn't have gotten the chance. My name was shouted across the room.

Both of us turned. Jack. Or was it Jake? Whatever. He marched over, sliding into the booth next to me without invitation.

"Hey, Tate," he said, flashing a grin.

Nikolai's brow arched. Right, he was the only one here who called me by my real name.

"Uh, hey…" I trailed off, unsure of his name.

"Jace," he supplied smoothly, not missing a beat. "So, want to hit the club? Pets only. No masters allowed." He glanced at Nikolai with a pointed smirk.

I felt Nikolai's eyes on me and he frowned but shrugged it off and just as I was about to decline, he spoke. "I think it's a great idea. I've got business to handle anyway."

Before I could object, he slipped a red band onto my wrist, leaning in with a wink. "Have fun…Tate."

I barely processed it before Jace yanked me from the booth, laughing. "Let's go!"

---

The club was chaos. Heat, sweat, and bodies moving in ways that blurred the line between dancing and and dry humping.

"Tate, loosen up!" Jace shouted, his hands gripping my shoulders. His breath reeked of alcohol, his grin wild.

"I don't—"

He cut me off, shoving a drink into my hand. I barely had time to sniff it before he pushed it to my lips.

"Drink up!"

The liquid burned its way down, and Jace laughed, clapping me on the back.

"That's it! Now, let's dance."

He dragged me onto the floor, and for some reason, I didn't fight him. The music pulsed, my body moving before my mind could catch up. For a moment, I forgot everything. The pills. The lies. Nikolai.

Then the world tilted.

My head buzzed, sweat soaked through my clothes, and my legs turned to lead.

"Tate, you okay?" A voice—Jace's voice. Close, but too far. "Shit, man. You're out of it."

I shouldn't have felt like this. Not from one drink. I was a werewolf—alcohol didn't hit us like this. Hell, it barely even buzzed. So why was the room spinning? My heart slammed against my ribs, the music pounding too loud in my ears, like it was crawling under my skin.

"What…did…Jace." The words came out slow, slurred, almost foreign. My head felt too heavy, my body sluggish as I fought to stay upright.

His face blurred in front of me, shifting in and out of focus, like a bad dream and it felt like he was leading me somewhere.

Strong hand gripped my shoulders and my legs buckled. The ground rushed up to meet me, cold and hard. Knees slammed down first, then my hands scraped across the rough floor. I hissed, but the pain barely registered.

I tried to lift my head, my vision dark around the edges. Jace stood over me, with another man and I was sure I knew the scent… it was the security guard.

Jace sweet smile was now twisted in a way that stomach churn. He didn't look concerned. He wasn't confused. He was… pleased.

A wad of cash flashed in his hand, and everything clicked.

"Sorry, Tate honey," he said, voice slick like oil. "I've got bills to pay."

I stared at him, my pulse roaring in my ears, but my body wouldn't respond. Every muscle refused to move, like I was trapped. My fists clenched weakly against the floor, but it didn't matter. The darkness swallowed me whole before I could even think of fighting back.