Chapter 3
THREE
LANI
I’ve got to give it to Aisling, she knows how to party.
In fact, by the looks of it, all of the Butler empire staff do.
The party didn’t get started until late – with the oldest members of staff covering the late shifts on reception, the bar, and room service so that the ‘young ones’ could go and party, which is pretty sweet if you ask me.
Everyone seems to know everybody else, their scents mingling in the humid night air, creating a head cocktail of familiarity and ease.
The mix of pheromones is overwhelming at first, a constant, thrumming pulse in the air that makes my skin prickle.
It’s not unpleasant – just new. The subtle push and pull of dominance and submission, of Alphas, Betas, and Omegas all intermingling, is something I haven’t experienced in a long time.
Although I was self conscious to begin with, once the local employees started turning up with friends in tow, no one batted an eyelid at my being here.
I find myself drawn to a group of girls who are giggling and dancing near the DJ booth. They’re all dressed in short skirts and tight tops, their hair styled in perfect waves. They look like they belong in some kind of music video. I’m a little envious of their confidence.
One of the girls beckons me over with a smile. “Hey, you’re new here, right?” she asked. “I’m Rachel.”
“Hi, yeah I am. I’m Lani.”
She introduces me to her friends – Emily, Becca, and Chloe – who explain that they’re all local girls who work at the hotel part-time.
They’re a fun group, and I find myself laughing and dancing with them in no time.
Their easy camaraderie settles something in me, making me feel welcome in a way I wasn’t expecting.
The music is loud, the drinks are flowing, and everyone seems to be having a good time. Aisling is nowhere to be seen, but Becca laughs and tells me that’s pretty standard for these parties.
As the night wears on, the party gets a little wilder.
Couples make out in the sand, individuals go skinny dipping in the ocean, and a small group of guys do shots at the bar, laughing uproariously whenever they do.
People disappear off into the dunes and don’t return for some time, and there seems to be a permanent cloud of suspicious smelling smoke all around the bonfire.
One by one, the girls all hook up with guys, until I find myself alone.
The shift in the air is subtle but unmistakable – less playful, more charged.
The scent of Alphas thickens, filling the space around me, sparking something instinctual and restless beneath my skin.
I try to ignore it, but it’s hard not to notice the way their gazes linger, assessing, curious.
They don’t know who I am. What I am. But they’re still intrigued by a new face, even if they can’t scent me.
I’m unsure what to do, feeling awkward and out of place now that I don’t know anyone who’s left on the beach.
I’m not used to these kinds of parties, and I don’t know how to let loose like everyone else seems to be doing.
I think about leaving and going back home, but something holds me back.
Maybe it’s the small amount of alcohol I had with Aisling when we were getting ready and the top ups I had with the girls before they disappeared, or maybe it’s the thrill of being in a new place surrounded by strangers where no one knows me, I don’t know, but it suddenly feels like Silver Sands has taken hold of me and I can’t bring myself to leave.
And then, just as I’m debating whether to slip away unnoticed, something shifts. A presence – strong, commanding – steps into my space, cutting through the haze of the party like a blade.
I should leave.
The thought hits sharp and sudden, cutting clean through the haze of music and heat and unfamiliar scents.
This – whatever this is – it feels like stepping over a line I won’t be able to uncross.
So why am I still standing here?
As I stand there, feeling out of place, a hand reaches out and takes mine.
The touch is warm, confident, sending a shiver up my spine.
His scent reaches me at the same time – cool ocean rain, with a subtle undercurrent of something richer, something earthy.
It sinks into my senses before I even turn to look at him.
Startled, I turn and see a tall, dark-haired Asian guy around my age standing behind me. He has a wickedly charming smile and a twinkle in his eye that makes my pulse instantly spike.
“Hi there,” he says, his voice deep and smooth, with a hint of an accent I can’t place. The timbre of it rumbles through me, something inside me wanting to lean into it, to respond to it. “I’m Finn. You look like you could use a dance.”
I hesitate.
For a second, I almost pull my hand back.
Then I don’t.
I let him lead me to the dance floor.
His touch lingers just enough to make my skin tingle, his scent growing stronger in the humid air between us.
“I’m Flynn,” I tell him with a smile, giving him my surname in place of my real name for the sake of security.
He tips his head back and laughs, and I’m fascinated by the movement of his Adam’s apple. With a jolt I realise he was one of the guys laughing at the bar and doing shots. His laugh is infectious. “Finn and Flynn. Aren’t we just a match made in heaven?”
“Let’s see shall we?” I reply wryly.
He looks me straight in the eye, all amusement gone from his face, and says “Yes, let’s.” It sounds like a promise, or a threat. But either way the intensity of his dark almond eyes makes my breath catch.
It shouldn’t feel like this.
Like he already knows something I don’t.
As we start dancing, I can feel the electricity between us. Finn’s body moves with mine in perfect synchronicity. Something dark flickers in his expression, an edge of challenge, or maybe possession.
He holds me close, his breath hot on my ear. I shiver, and he pulls back slightly to look at me.
“You’re beautiful,” he whispers.
I feel my cheeks heat up, and I look down, feeling suddenly self-conscious. But Finn takes my chin in his hand and lifts my face back up to meet his gaze. His pupils are blown wide, dark pools of hunger and heat. I swear I can feel the weight of his gaze pressing against me, testing, waiting.
I should think.
I should slow this down, ask questions, make this make sense.
Instead, I lean in and then he’s pulling me closer and kissing me deeply.
His lips are soft yet firm, and he tastes like whiskey and desire. Something instinctual stirs, a warmth unfurling low in my stomach, something in me urging me to get closer, to take in more of him.
I groan into his mouth as he deepens the kiss, his tongue exploring every inch of my mouth. A purr rumbles in his chest, deep and satisfied, and I feel the sound more than hear it. Something in me loves it though.
When we finally break apart, we’re both gasping for breath. His eyes flicker to my throat for half a second before he looks away, like he just can’t help himself. It’s a dominance thing, I’m sure.
Wordlessly, Finn leads me away from the makeshift dance floor and along the beach away from the party.
We walk in silence for a while, with only the sounds of the crashing waves and our own breathing for company, as the party fades right into the background.
I steal a glance at him, and he catches me looking. A relaxed grin spreads across his face, and I can’t help but smile back. Something about him makes my body hum, like my instincts recognise something before my brain can catch up.
He stops walking and turns to face me, his eyes intense.
“Do you trust me?” he asks, and I hesitate for a second.
Do I?
I just met him. We’ve not exchanged more than ten words with one another, and yet I’ve kissed him and wandered off from the party with him.
My heart is racing, my skin tingling from more than just the sea breeze.
His scent clings to me now, mixing with mine, a subtle reminder that he’s still close, still watching.
Maybe I’m an idiot and I’ll end up on the news tomorrow – missing or dead – but I can’t deny that there’s something about Finn that calms and excites me. So I nod, not sure what he has in mind, just hoping that my intuition doesn’t fail me and I don’t end up as shark bait.
Without another word, he leads me towards the water. The waves are languid, and the cool, wet sand shifts beneath my bare feet. Finn stops where the water is just lapping at the shore and turns to face me again.
“Hold on tight,” he says with a devious grin, and then he’s pulling me into the water with him.
“Fuck!” I shriek, shivering as the shock of the cold water takes my breath away.
But his hand is firm in mine. He’s got me. His grip is strong, steady. Protective.
I know I’m safe as he tugs me towards him, wrapping his arms around my waist. I let him guide me through the shallow water and then push me back against the rocks, my back resting against the solid wall of stone.
He kisses me again, his hands running up and down my waist. His scent surrounds me, heat meeting coolness, sparking something molten in my veins.
Where the water has soaked my clothes, my dress sticks to me like a second skin and the heat of Finn’s hands burns me through the icy material.
The desire boiling up inside me is like nothing I’ve ever felt before. My body responds to his without thought, instincts overriding logic. I should be questioning this, but I don’t. I can’t.
His erection presses against my thigh and I grind against him, needing him, needing more, as we kiss like our lives depend on it.
I’m no prude, but I’ve never hooked up with a stranger within a few minutes of meeting him before. Yet it doesn’t feel like a mistake. It feels inevitable.
That should scare me.
It doesn’t.