A few minutes before seven o'clock, I arrived at a mansion on the outskirts of the city. The owner, a billionaire, was interested in baseball. As far as I knew, he sponsored the Silverfangs team.
The mansion was far from the main road; just getting there meant passing through rows of forest on either side. When I finally arrived, the mansion looked like a palace, grand and imposing. Luxury cars filled the expansive courtyard as more guests arrived.
These people were clearly not ordinary. I wondered how Isaac had even gotten the invitation. Maybe he used his influence in the media.
I stepped out of the cab and took a deep breath. "No wonder Isaac didn't want to come. This place is in the middle of nowhere."
I walked in and showed the invitation to the greeter at the door. Inside, the vibe was completely different. Diamonds and designer labels sparkled everywhere. Suddenly, I felt out of place in my simple black satin gown with thin spaghetti straps that reached my ankles.
I snatched a champagne flute off a passing tray and took a long sip to calm my nerves. Being alone in a crowd of the rich and powerful did nothing for my confidence.
I wandered, scanning the crowd. I was here on assignment-to find Lucas. But in a sea of people like this, he could be anywhere.
Then, I caught a familiar scent again. That perfume is faint but addictive. It filled me with a strange kind of energy and desire.
My eyes darted around, searching for the source. Without realizing it, I bumped into someone behind me.
I spun around. "I'm sorry!"
Lucas was standing right in front of me, casually nibbling on the mini quiche he was holding.
"I don't want to be interviewed," he said coldly, even though I hadn't said a word yet.
"Who said I came here to interview you?"
Lucas chuckled. "Oh, okay. Then carry on with your business."
My gaze shifted to the young men in formal suits who were chatting casually. Their tall, athletic builds suggested that they were athletes. However, their mannerisms didn't exactly scream "high class." They were definitely Lucas's teammates.
"Hey, are you guys from the Silverfangs team?" I asked, approaching the four of them.
"Yeah," they nodded.
"I'm Ophelia Perkins from the Big Flat Daily. Nice to meet you." I flashed them a sweet smile. "Your team is amazing. I'd love to interview one of you."
They glanced at each other awkwardly. How old were they, anyway? Seventeen? Or up to twenty?
They looked like kids trapped in grown-up bodies.
"What do you think? We can keep it casual. No pressure. Maybe we can talk while we dance?" I offered.
God, I sounded like a woman blatantly throwing herself at them. But, hey, that's better than getting humiliated by that arrogant jerk, Lucas. I'd rather get the scoop from his friends.
One of them raised his hand. "Sure, I'd love to dance with you."
I reached out to him, and-grab! Another hand suddenly caught mine. Lucas pulled me away from his teammates; his face was clearly pissed off.
"What are you doing?" Lucas hissed. "Do you really think getting chummy with my team won't cause problems?"
"What kind of problems?"
"If you give them a chance, you'll be the one in trouble."
"What on earth are you talking about?"
Lucas dragged me to the middle of the dance floor, causing everyone to turn and watch us suddenly start dancing. He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me close, so close that I could barely breathe.
"Listen, just go find another story, okay?" Lucas said more as a command than a request.
"No! I need an interview with you!"
"You said you didn't come here to interview me."
Our eyes locked, and my heart started pounding faster. But I forced myself to stay calm in front of Lucas. We moved to the rhythm of the music. He spun me smoothly and caught me by the waist again. Lucas actually had some moves.
Meanwhile, I felt like a wrung-out cotton rag on a washboard.
He looked at me with an expression I couldn't quite read. It made me feel trapped, yet I couldn't look away.
"You're into me, aren't you?"
My gaze sharpened. "Absolutely not! Fine, then. I'll just interview your teammate instead," I said, half-threatening.
"I won't let you. Just go away. Leave my team alone, ma'am."
With that, Lucas ended our dance.
He turned and walked away, which only made me more irritated. I followed him as he slipped out onto the balcony to put distance between himself and the noise inside. He leaned on the railing and looked out at the view in front of him: acres and acres of woods.
I cleared my throat and stood cautiously behind him.
"You're doing this mysterious act on purpose, huh?" I asked.
He glanced sideways. "There's nothing special about me."
"You're playing humble to boost your image. Do you think I haven't seen the way you play on the field?"
"Does that matter?"
"To my boss? Yes. To me? It's boring."
Lucas gave a slight smirk. "Then why go through all this trouble to talk to me? You're not going to get anything."
My heart dropped. I shouldn't have said that. Wasn't my career on the line?
I should have played nice and tried to win him over.
But the damage was done. I knew I wasn't getting anything from Lucas.
"Fine," I snapped.
I walked away in frustration and stormed out of the mansion, full of regret. Only when I reached the gate did I realize I didn't have a ride home.
"Damn it! How many miles do I have to walk?" I muttered, looking down at my high heels.
I took them off, determined to walk barefoot down the road. The cold air hit my bare skin, but I kept going anyway, moving past the dark rows of trees on either side of the road.
Over twenty minutes had passed. The main road still wasn't in sight.
I focused on walking. I tried to ignore the sounds of the night: The rustling leaves. The distant howls of animals.
But something made the hairs on my arms stand up: A wolf howled.
I froze. "A wolf?"
Another howl answered it. Then another.
This time, I was alert. The sound was getting closer.
I picked up the pace. My mind was torn. Should I go back to the mansion? It was safer; people were there.
But the main road was so close; surely, at least one or two cars would pass by.
Then, I heard the brush rustle to my right, deeper in the trees. I looked toward the sound, and there, glowing in the darkness, were a pair of yellow eyes.
Not just one pair. More.
My breath caught. "No, no," I whispered, trembling.
I backed away into the woods, hoping to throw them off the trail. My walk turned into a run, my breath ragged and my chest heaving.
The creatures chased me. I could hear them behind me.
I tripped on a tree root jutting from the ground and tumbled to the dirt. I scrambled, feeling around blindly.
Deep, menacing growls surrounded me. Death felt close.
"Oh, God..."
I crawled until I reached the base of a tree, pressed my back against it, and held my breath. I prayed they wouldn't find me.
But prayers didn't work.
The wolves came.
Their eyes glowed. Their teeth bared. Hungry.
One of them-the biggest-stepped forward. Its strength was terrifying. I couldn't move.
Tears streamed down my face. I never thought I'd die like this, torn apart by wolves.
The leader lunged at me, its claws slashing across my side and throwing me to the ground. Its fangs sank into my neck.
"Aaarrghhh!!!" I screamed.
Despite the pain and shock, I heard another howl-this one louder.
Several wolves appeared. A different pack. One of them tackled the alpha that had bitten me.
I closed my eyes and felt my blood dripping from my arm and soaking into the soil. My heart thundered in my chest, but my limbs were cold and numb.
I squinted, barely conscious, as I saw one of the wolves shift into a human. Naked men. It was as if that would be the last beautiful thing I would ever see.
One of them came closer, and I recognized his face.
"Lucas..."
His name barely escaped my lips before everything went dark.
