I couldn't tear my eyes away as Lyra pressed a lingering kiss to Rhys's cheek, her perfectly manicured fingers trailing down his chest. She whispered something in his ear that made him smirk before they disappeared into the house together, his hand resting possessively on her lower back.
My stomach twisted with an emotion I refused to name. I had no right to feel this way. Rhys Knight meant nothing to me. He was cruel, arrogant, and had publicly humiliated me twice in one day. Yet watching him with Lyra made my chest ache in a way I couldn't explain.
"You okay?" Seraphina appeared beside me, following my gaze to where Rhys and Lyra had vanished.
"I'm fine," I lied, forcing a smile. "Just tired."
Sera looked unconvinced. "You know why they all throw themselves at him, right? Even knowing he never calls them back? It's all about status. Sleep with the future Alpha, and suddenly you're somebody. None of them care that he uses them like tissues."
I nodded absently. The politics of pack hierarchy were something I'd observed from the sidelines my entire life. As an omega, I understood better than most how much value was placed on rank and power.
"I need to use the bathroom," I said, desperate for a moment alone.
Sera squeezed my arm. "Want me to come with?"
"No, I'll be quick." I glanced around the crowded room, realizing I had no idea where to go. "Actually, do you know where it is?"
Sera shook her head. "I only know about the one upstairs, but people are probably using those bedrooms for... other activities."
Great. Just what I needed—to walk in on couples having sex. I spotted Liam chatting with some friends near the kitchen and made my way over, weaving through dancing bodies and avoiding spilled drinks.
"Liam?" I touched his arm lightly. "Sorry to interrupt. Do you know where the bathroom is?"
His face brightened when he saw me. "Hey, Elara. Yeah, there's one down the hall past the kitchen. Want me to show you?"
"No, that's okay. Just point me in the right direction."
He looked concerned. "You sure? It's pretty chaotic in here."
"I'll be fine," I insisted. The last thing I needed was more attention or for anyone to think Liam and I were sneaking off together. "I just need a minute alone."
"Okay." He gestured toward a hallway. "Past the kitchen, second door on the left."
I thanked him and headed in that direction, keeping my head down to avoid catching anyone's eye. The house was massive, obviously belonging to someone with wealth and status. Probably one of Rhys's friends, I guessed.
I'd almost reached the kitchen when I spotted a couple pressed against the wall in the hallway, practically devouring each other. I froze, my cheeks burning as I quickly turned around. Maybe there was another bathroom I could use.
As I retreated, I nearly collided with a girl carrying a plate of snacks.
"Sorry," I mumbled. "Do you know if there's another bathroom? That hallway is... occupied."
She nodded, balancing her plate carefully. "There's one in the far corner past the living room. It's kind of hidden and dark back there, but it should be free."
I thanked her and changed direction, squeezing past a group of laughing seniors. Just as I reached the edge of the living room, someone bumped into me from behind, their drink sloshing over my shoulder and into my hair.
"Watch it, loser!" a male voice slurred as he stumbled past.
I bit back a retort, feeling cold beer seeping through my shirt and dripping from my hair. Perfect. Just perfect.
Blinking back frustrated tears, I continued toward the corner the girl had indicated. The music grew more distant as I moved away from the main party, and the lighting dimmed considerably. After a moment of searching, I found a small hallway tucked behind a decorative screen. At the end was a bathroom door, mercifully unoccupied.
Inside, I locked the door and leaned against the sink, finally allowing myself a moment to breathe. My reflection in the mirror confirmed what I already knew—I looked like a disaster. Beer had soaked into my hair, making it stick to my neck in clumps. My glasses were smudged, and my eyes looked tired and sad.
"What are you even doing here?" I whispered to my reflection.
I removed my glasses, setting them carefully on the counter before running warm water in the sink. Leaning over, I tried to rinse the beer from my hair as best I could. The smell lingered, but at least it wasn't dripping anymore. I splashed water on my face, too, washing away the tension of the evening.
Without my glasses, my vision was blurry, but I could still make out the general shape of my features. People always said I had pretty eyes—bright green, my mother called them emerald—but I kept them hidden behind thick lenses most of the time. Safer that way. Less noticeable.
I dried my face and hair with a hand towel, then combed through the damp strands with my fingers. I'd have to ask Sera to take me home soon. This party had been a mistake from the beginning.
With a deep breath, I replaced my glasses and unlocked the door. The hallway outside was now completely dark—someone must have turned off the light while I was in the bathroom. I squinted, trying to orient myself in the blackness. Before my eyes could adjust, I felt a hand grab my wrist.
I gasped as I was pulled forward and pressed against a wall. A warm body crowded against mine, trapping me in place.
"What took you so long?" a deep voice murmured. Rhys's voice.
My heart stopped, then started racing double-time. I couldn't speak, couldn't move. How had he found me? Why was he here?
"Did you get lost?" His voice was low, husky. "Or were you playing with yourself in there, thinking about me?"
The crude suggestion made me gasp, but no words came out. He couldn't see me properly in this darkness. He didn't know it was me.
"Cat got your tongue, babe?" His breath was warm against my face, smelling faintly of expensive whiskey. "You weren't so shy in the pool."
My mind raced, piecing it together. He thought I was Lyra. He was waiting for Lyra, and in the darkness, he'd grabbed me by mistake.
I should have said something. Should have pushed him away and identified myself. But terror and a strange, forbidden thrill kept me frozen and silent.
"Still playing hard to get?" His hand slid up my arm, leaving goosebumps in its wake. "I like games, but I'm getting impatient."
His other hand found my waist, pulling me closer. I felt the hard planes of his chest against mine, felt the heat of his body seeping through my clothes. My heart hammered so loudly I was certain he could hear it.
"Your hair's wet," he murmured, his fingers brushing a damp strand from my face. "Did you shower for me? Preparing yourself?"
I needed to speak. Needed to tell him who I was before this went any further. But his proximity had short-circuited my brain, leaving me capable only of shallow breathing and racing thoughts.
"You smell different," he continued, his nose skimming along my jaw. "Sweeter. I like it."
His hand moved from my waist to cup my face, his thumb tracing my lower lip. The gentle touch was so at odds with the arrogant, cruel Rhys I knew that I couldn't reconcile them as the same person. This Rhys was seductive, almost tender.
"I've been thinking about this all night," he whispered, his lips now brushing against the corner of my mouth. "Ever since I saw you in that white bikini. You've been driving me crazy, Lyra."
The name broke the spell. I wasn't Lyra. This wasn't meant for me. I needed to stop this now.
I opened my mouth to speak, but before I could form words, Rhys closed the final distance between us. His lips pressed against mine, firm and insistent, and my body betrayed me with a small gasp that he interpreted as encouragement.
His kiss deepened, his tongue sweeping into my mouth as his hand moved to the back of my neck, holding me in place. My inexperienced lips responded instinctively, moving against his as heat bloomed in my chest and spread through my body like wildfire.
My first kiss. Rhys Knight was giving me my first kiss, and he didn't even know it was me.
The thought pierced through the haze of sensation, and I finally found the strength to push against his chest. He barely budged, mistaking my resistance for playfulness.
"Eager, aren't we?" he murmured against my lips. "Don't worry, we've got all night."
"Stop," I managed to whisper, my voice trembling. "I'm not—"
A door opened somewhere down the hall, spilling light into our dark corner. In that brief flash of illumination, I saw the exact moment recognition dawned in Rhys's eyes. His expression morphed from seductive to shocked to furious in the span of a heartbeat.
He jerked away from me as if burned. "What the fuck?"
I pressed myself harder against the wall, wishing it would swallow me whole. My lips still tingled from his kiss, my body still hummed with unwanted desire.
"You're not Lyra," he said, his voice now cold and accusing. "What are you doing here, Vance?"
"I was just using the bathroom," I stammered, my face burning with humiliation. "You grabbed me. You thought I was—"
"So you decided to trick me?" he snarled, cutting me off. "Is this some sick game? Pretending to be someone else to get me to kiss you?"
"No!" I protested, horrified at the accusation. "I tried to tell you, but you didn't let me speak!"
He scoffed, taking another step back. In the dim light now filtering down the hall, I could see his features contorted with disgust.
"I should have known," he said, his voice dripping with contempt. "Little omega nerd so desperate for attention she'll play any trick to get noticed."
Tears stung my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. "That's not true. You grabbed me. You kissed me before I could say anything!"
"And you kissed me back," he accused, his eyes narrowing. "Does Thorne know you're such a slut? Throwing yourself at any alpha who touches you?"
The cruel words hit like a physical blow. I pushed past him, desperate to escape before I completely fell apart.
"Stay away from me, Vance," he called after me. "And if you breathe a word of this to anyone, I'll make your life a living hell."
I fled down the hallway, not caring who saw my tears now. Behind me, I heard a door open and a feminine voice—Lyra's voice—calling Rhys's name.
"There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you."
I didn't wait to hear his response. I raced through the crowded living room, searching frantically for Seraphina. I needed to leave. Now.
My lips still burned from Rhys's kiss, and worse, some traitorous part of me had enjoyed it. How pathetic was I? To be moved by a kiss from someone who despised me, who had just called me desperate and a slut?
As I spotted Seraphina across the room, one thought pounded in my head: Rhys Knight had stolen my first kiss, and he would never, ever know how much that meant to me—or how much his cruel words had shattered the small, foolish part of my heart that had begun to hope.