Alison’s POV
A pounding headache dragged me out of my unconsciousness, the relentless thrum behind my temples like a drumbeat of misery. My eyes fluttered open, only to be assaulted by the harsh light streaming through the curtains. The brightness was blinding, and I groaned, shielding my eyes with a shaky hand.
I wasn’t in the hallway anymore. The familiar scent of lavender confirmed it.. I was in my room. But how? My last memory was of me collapsing in the hallway, my body giving in to a strange dizziness. I didn’t remember walking here.
As I pushed myself up, the duvet slipped from my shoulders, and I realized I was half naked beneath it. Tension rose within me for a moment “Who had undressed me?” but before I could think further the bed shifted beside me. My blood turned cold.
Slowly, I turned my body to the left, my breath hitching in my throat. A man I didn’t recognize lay there, his chest bare and rising steadily with each breath. He looked to be in his late twenties, his dark hair tousled, his features sharp and rugged.
What the hell was happening?
Before I could react, the door burst open, slamming against the wall with a deafening crack.
“Alison… I… ” Xander’s voice sliced through the air, but his words faltered as his gaze landed on the scene before him.
His eyes darted between me and the stranger in the bed who just turned as if he couldn’t hear what was happening, widening in disbelief. I saw the flicker of rage in them, the storm brewing behind his golden irises.
“Xander,” I whispered, my voice trembling.
He didn’t say another word. Instead, he stepped back, his expression hardening into something cold and unreadable. Then he turned and slammed the door shut, the sound echoing like a final verdict.
“Wait!” I cried, but he was already gone.
Panic clawed at my chest as I whipped around to face the man beside me. “Who are you?” I demanded, my voice rising.
The man blinked awake, startled by my sudden movement. “What’s going on?” he mumbled, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.
“Who the hell are you?” I repeated, louder this time. “And what the fuck are you doing in my bed?”
He looked at me, his expression shifting into something smug. “Relax, sweetheart. You don’t remember?”
“Remember what?” My heart pounded against my ribs, a sickening fear building in my stomach.
“You were passed out in the hallway,” he said casually, as if recounting a mundane event. “You told me to bring you to your room. Then you said you wanted someone to… take care of you. To give you pleasure. So, I obliged.”
His words hit me like a slap to the face. My vision blurred with fury and disbelief. “You’re lying!” I shouted, shoving him hard. “I would never do that! How the hell did you get here in the first place?”
He smirked, unfazed by my outburst. “Look, I don’t know what game you’re playing, but I’m just telling you what happened. I came to deliver something when I found you, why would I lie?”
“Get out!” I screamed, grabbing a pillow and hurling it at him. “Get out of my room!”
He held up his hands in mock surrender, climbing out of bed and gathering his clothes. “Alright, alright. No need to get so worked up, I enjoyed myself anyways.”
“Don’t you dare come near me again!” I yelled as he opened the door.
He glanced back with a sly grin. “You might want to calm down. Stress isn’t good for you.”
I threw another pillow at the closing door, my entire body trembling with anger and shame. My head spun as I tried to make sense of what had just happened.
“Maya,” I whispered in panic, summoning my wolf. “What the hell happened last night?”
Her presence stirred within me, her voice weak and disoriented. “I don’t know. I don’t remember anything either. Something feels… off”.
Tears stung my eyes as I clenched my fists. “I have to find Xander. I need to fix this.”
I threw on a clean outfit, not caring how rushed I looked, and bolted out of my room. The hallways seemed endless as I searched for him, desperation driving me forward. First, I checked his room. Empty.
Finally, I found him in his office, standing by the window with his back to me. The tension in his shoulders was palpable, and I could feel his rage even before he turned around.
“Xander… ” I started, my voice barely a whisper.
He spun to face me, and the look in his eyes made my heart sink. His wolf was present, simmering beneath the surface, his golden eyes ablaze with fury.
“How could you?” he said, his voice low but laced with venom.
I took a hesitant step forward, my hands trembling at my sides. “Xander, I don’t know what happened. I swear.. ”
“Don’t,” he growled, cutting me off. “Don’t fucking stand there and lie to me. I saw you, Alison. I saw him. I’m not dumb”
“It’s not what it looked like!” I pleaded, tears streaming down my face. “I don’t even know who he is! I woke up, and he was just… ”
“Enough!” he roared, his voice echoing off the walls. “I should have believed Kendrick when he told me you were nothing more than a… ”
“Don’t you dare finish that sentence,” I snapped, my voice breaking.
“Why not?!” he shot back, his hands clenched into fists. “It doesn’t change what you are, does it? A common whore”
The words cut deeper than any blade ever could. I stumbled back, my breath hitching as his accusations settled over me like a suffocating weight.
“I didn’t do anything,” I said, my voice barely audible. “I don’t know how he ended up there, but I didn’t… ”
“Save the lies,” he interrupted coldly. “You can’t talk your way out of this one, Alison. I saw you with my own eyes, You’ve ruined everything.”
“Xander, please,” I begged, stepping closer. “You know me. You know I wouldn’t-”
“I guess I never knew you… Now Leave,” he said, his voice dangerously calm.
“What?”
“Get out,” he repeated, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made me feel small. “I don’t want to see you unless I summon you. And forget about being announced as my future Luna. That’s done.”
The finality in his tone shattered something inside me. My chest tightened, and I struggled to breathe as his words sank in.
“Xander…”
“Go,” he said, turning away from me.
I stood there for a moment, frozen, hoping he’d change his mind. But he didn’t even look back.
Swallowing the sob that threatened to escape, I turned and walked out of the office, each step heavier than the last. By the time I reached the hallway, the tears were flowing freely, and I didn’t bother wiping them away.
The bond I thought we were building, the trust I thought we had… it was all gone, fractured beyond repair. And the worst part was, I didn’t even know how to prove my innocence.