ALPHA LYALL.
My fingers wrapped around the stem of my champagne flute before I brought it to my mouth and took the last gulp.
I gently placed it on the flat surface of the column before wiping the sheen of sweat that had built up around my brows.

"Are you okay, man?" Trey, who was standing beside me, asked.
I turned to look at him and nodded. But my mind was in disarray. I had pulled myself away from a kiss I didn't want to end because I had nearly marked her. I'd been restless since I returned from the rooftop, trying hard to tear my mind off the intense moment I had shared with her. But it was stuck to my head like glue, refusing to leave.
I could still feel her soft lips against mine, her slender body with curves in the right places, the way her body reacted to my touch. The way my wolf had violently reacted to her explosively.
It wasn't this way with Sheila. Yes, I enjoyed having sex with my wife. Our sexual life was satisfactory and great, but it didn't match hers, and we hadn't even had sex! I raked my fingers through my hair and sighed, blowing out a breath.
I had nearly marked her. I had lost control. If that had worked, it would have been a seal, never to separate us. I was glad I hadn't done that even if I was filled with regret. I wanted her to be mine. Being away from her messed me up in ways I couldn't understand.
Sheila wasn't around to witness all of this, and I was glad. She had gone on a trip a week ago and was to be back early next week. She would have noticed the shift in my balance. She would have known that something was wrong, and I was glad that she wasn't here.

"Yeah, I am okay." I nodded. "Just bored."
Trey laughed and snatched two glasses of champagne. He handed one over to me. "You have always been bored by all of this. You forget that Sheila forced you into enjoying parties."
We clinked glasses and I returned his laugh. "Yes, we did. Never hold parties."
"Till she came into your life. She took the women and brought the party along with her," he said, and took a sip from his drink. His eyes were fixated on a woman dressed in red. She was standing alone and quite confidently with a fan in her hand. Utterly attractive. "That's a beautiful one. Sad you can't work your charms on her anymore.."

"Go ahead." I nudged him.
He gave me a look of disapproval. "Still can't believe you believe in Beijing with just one woman after your whoring ways. One would have thought you were going to end up with several concubines or cheating on Sheila."
"Oh, please. Go after her before someone else snatches her for the night." I tipped my glass at him and watched him cross over to the other side of the party where she stood.
He had no idea what I had done tonight, and I planned on keeping it from everyone.
Raking my fingers through my hair, I let out a heavy sigh and leaned back against the wall.
I was startled by an angry yell.
"How dare you?!"
I immediately turned in the direction it was coming from to see Marcellina standing in front of a maid with her dress stained. I groaned and slapped a hand over my head. Was this a thing with parties? It wasn't a party until there was some sort of disaster. My eyes narrowed when I saw who she was yelling at.
She was the one. The rooftop lady.
She looked scared. Shakily, she pulled out a kerchief from her pocket and tried to help her clean it up.
"I'm so sorry. I'll help you clean it."
I stopped myself from going over to where they stood and pulling her from Marcellina. I wasn't going to let anyone talk down on her in that manner. How dare she speak to her in a derogatory manner?! She was my...
Fuck! I sighed and stood back. I was starting to react strangely. I was becoming overprotective, wanting to let everyone know that she was my mate and belonged to me alone. It was the wrong thing to do at such a time, so I stood and watched along with the others, trying hard to rein my wolf in.
"You can't! This is a mink dress and stains take so much time to go away!" She screamed, her face going all shades of red as she shook with anger. "Do you know how much I got this dress?! I bet you can't even afford it." Her eyes raked up and down her body in disgust. "You are a maid!"
Anger shot through me at the words she used. My fingers curled into fists and I kept my feet planted on the ground, trying hard not to make a move, but my patience waned with every passing moment as I found it hard to watch her get humiliated.
She immediately fell to her knees, eyes on the floor as Marcellina kept screaming and screaming. By now, the party had stopped and everyone was staring in their direction. She couldn't even look up. I could feel her shame and fear. That kiss had ignited some kind of connection between us and I hated the hell out of it.
I couldn't stand by and watch anymore. I was starting to grow angrier by the moment and Ryan, my wolf, threatened to break out of me if I wasn't going to do anything to salvage this situation.
I walked over to where they stood, stopping behind Marcellina.
"Marcellina," the rooftop lady raised her head to look up at me. I noticed the recognition in her gray eyes as they widened slightly. I could bear the heavy thud of her heart against her chest as she tore those eyes that had unknowingly seduced me tonight. Being this close to her intensified things over and over again. I regret coming here and, at the same time, I didn't.
Turning to Marcellina, whose face was already purple with anger, I spoke. "One of the maids will clean your dress up, and you'll be given a new one to wear. I believe Sheila has something similar."
With one last glare, she turned and walked away from us. The maid remained on her knees. Sighing, I walked over to her, pushing back the urge to lift her up by myand self and take her to my room, so I could savor every part of her.
I was losing so much control and I hated it with everything in me.
"Get on your feet and go back to your duty."
With those words, I walked away from her, wishing we had been in a more intimate area, so I could pick her up and kiss her again. I hated that I had to leave her.
I walked back to the party, towards Trey, who looked pretty confused by the whole thing.
"These maids are starting to have audacity. Marcellina should have slapped her."
"Say another word and I will snap your neck and rip your head off your neck."