CHAPTER 39: THE HEART WANTS WHAT IT WANTS

Christopher was the first to break the quiet right after Jasper’s last words. He cleared his throat, leaned forward slightly, and shifted the topic as if the heavy conversation had never happened.

"Anyway," he began, adjusting his cufflinks with an simple composure in which I admired, "we still have that club thing tonight. Jasper, you’re still on, right?"

Jasper blinked. For a moment, he was distracted by the sudden change in subject. "Oh, that." He smirked, his usual cocky tone slipping back in. "Of course, I’m still on. Wouldn’t miss it for the world."

Christopher nodded approvingly. "Good. We all deserve a little distraction once in a while."

Then, his eyes slanted toward me, his gaze painted with curiosity. "What about you, Bambi? Will you join us?"

For a moment, I didn’t answer. The idea of clubbing wasn’t exactly something I had ever considered—especially not after everything that happened between Alpha Dawn and me. My heart still carried the pressure of last night’s argument, and my mind hadn’t stopped replaying it since.

"I—" I began, hesitant.

Jasper cut in with that familiar teasing tone. "Come on, love. It’s not a battlefield. Just loud music, bad decisions, and worse dancing. You could use a little chaos."

Celeste giggled softly beside Christopher. "He’s right, Bambi. You can’t stay locked up forever. You need to breathe."

I looked between their expectant faces. Maybe... maybe it wouldn’t hurt. Maybe a little distraction was what I needed to forget the ache in my chest, to stop thinking about him.

"Fine," I said finally, almost whispering. "I’ll come."

Celeste’s grin widened instantly. "Perfect! Then it’s settled." She clapped her hands together and stood. "Come with me. We’re getting you ready."

Before I could protest, she took my hand and pulled me to my feet.

"Celeste—wait, I don’t have anything suitable for—"

She waved off my words with a dramatic flourish. "Leave that to me."

And just like that, she whisked me out of Jasper’s library, my hand still trapped in hers, while Jasper and Christopher continued talking behind us—probably about drinks, women, and the trouble they planned to stir tonight.

---

Celeste’s bedroom looked like something out of a soft pink dream. Everything about it screamed feminine. The walls were painted in a gentle blush tone, and soft white curtains framed the tall windows that overlooked the courtyard. A huge vanity stood against one wall, shattered with makeup brushes, perfumes, and jewelry. The bed was wide, layered with fluffy white comforters and decorative pillows in different shades of rose and cream.

There was a faint scent of lavender in the air. The scent was calming, warm, and oddly comforting.

Celeste’s closet door was open before I could even take a seat. Inside hung a row of neatly arranged dresses—short, long, glittery, and silky—each one more stunning than the other.

"Alright," she said, her voice bubbling with excitement as she rummaged through hangers. "Let’s find something that will make every jaw in that club drop."

I sat quietly on the edge of her bed, hands folded in my lap, watching her move around gracefully.

"Celeste," I murmured after a while, unsure why the question even left my mouth. "How long have you known Alpha Dawn?"

She paused mid-rummage, her hand resting on a hanger. Then she turned, her expression softening. "Since we were teenagers," she said. "He was... different then."

"Different?" I echoed.

She nodded, stepping out of the closet with two glittery tops in hand. "He wasn’t interested in anyone. He had this quiet arrogance, you know? Everyone wanted him, but he didn’t care. Until..." She paused, as if considering whether to continue.

"Until what?" I asked.

"Until he met Luna Odessa."

Her voice was light, but her eyes said more than she was willing to.

"Odessa?" I repeated.

Celeste nodded slowly. "She was the queen bee back in high school. The kind of girl everyone admired and feared at the same time. Beautiful, clever, untouchable. Dawn was captivated by her from the start. He’d find excuses to be around her—escort her home, walk her to class, challenge anyone who dared insult her."

My chest tightened painfully, though I didn’t say a word.

Celeste smiled faintly at the memory. "He confessed his feelings to her, over and over again. It became... his thing. People used to tease him, call him the ’Alpha with the hopeless crush.’ "

My heart sank further. I didn’t want to hear any more, but she went on softly.

"He was obsessed with her, Bambi. Completely and utterly. She was the only woman he ever seemed to want."

Her words hit like cold rain, and I forced a small nod even though something deep inside me twisted sharply.

Obsessed with her.

That phrase lingered in my mind long after Celeste had moved on to picking dresses again.

Finally, she held up a white sleeveless corset crop top and a matching upper-thigh-length mini skirt. "This one," she said, smiling. "Simple but stunning."

I stared at the outfit, my eyes widening slightly. "That’s too... revealing."

Celeste tilted her head, amusement dancing in her eyes. "You’ll get used to it. Trust me, the less you cover, the more power you hold in a place like that."

Her words made sense in my head as I took the outfit reluctantly.

At first, I hesitated, clutching the soft fabric between my fingers. But then I remembered what she’d said about Luna Odessa, the girl who had once captured Alpha Dawn’s entire heart. I swallowed the lump in my throat.

Maybe if I wasn’t the innocent, quiet Bambi anymore... maybe he would look at me differently.

So, I nodded, forcing a smile. "Okay."

Celeste’s grin widened. "Atta girl."

---

The bar was hidden in the outskirts of the pack’s territory. It is tucked behind a row of abandoned warehouses. If I hadn’t come with them, I would have never found it.

Loud music vibrated through the walls, the beat heavy and fast. The place smelled of alcohol, smoke, and faint traces of wolf pheromones. Neon lights flashed in shades of blue and purple, painting the air with color.

As soon as we stepped inside, I went straight to the bar counter. The noise, the crowd—it all blended into a dizzy blur. I didn’t care.

"Strongest drink you have," I told the bartender.

He looked surprised but nodded, pouring a dark amber liquid into a glass and sliding it across the counter.

"Take it easy, Bambi," Jasper said, standing beside me.

I ignored him and took a long sip. The burn hit instantly, sharp and biting.

"Tone it down," he warned lightly, though his tone carried a hint of concern. "You’re not trying to kill yourself tonight, are you?"

I didn’t answer. He sighed, muttered something under his breath, and after a moment, excused himself, his attention was caught by a blonde across the room. Typical Jasper.

Minutes passed. Maybe even hours. I couldn’t tell anymore. I downed another drink. And another. Yet, somehow, the alcohol did nothing. I didn’t feel dizzy or numb. Just... empty.

Then it happened.

That scent.

Rain and musk.

Familiar. Dangerous. Irresistible.

It hit me so suddenly that I froze. The music, the laughter, the crowd, all of it faded. I could smell him.

Alpha Dawn.

My pulse quickened as my eyes darted around. It was too real, too strong to be an illusion. I followed it, skipping through the crowd and into a dimly lit hallway that stretched deeper into the building.

The lights here were softer—blue and smoky, wrapping the space in a mysterious haze.

The scent grew stronger.

Then, before I could react, a hand wrapped firmly around my waist from behind, pulling me into the shadows. My breath hitched, and I stiffened instantly.

A warm breath brushed the back of my neck.

"You look outstanding, baby," came that deep, rough voice I knew too well.

Alpha Dawn.

My heart slammed against my ribs. The smell of rain and musk surrounded me, drowning every other scent. His chest pressed against my back, his fingers tracing the curve of my waist as he leaned closer, his voice low enough to vibrate against my skin.

And in that moment, every wall I had tried to build crumbled.

Because no matter how much I tried to deny it...

I still wanted him.