I woke up with the sun kissing my skin, the intense warmth and light blinding my eyes. I pulled aside the satin sheets and got up straight. An excruciating headache whipped through my mind and I groaned, rubbing my temples at the same time.

While the drinking and the fun wasn't clear in my head, the moments after that was absolutely clear.

My mate.

Sparks coursed through my veins and flush appeared over my cheeks as I thought about last night. I wouldn't had ever thought that I'd be with another man, or even have sex with someone else after Evan. I believed we were endgame but the ways things had turned out with my mate made me much happier than ever.

After taking a second to absorb the events of last night, I stopped crushing over my mate and turned around to check my cellphone.

My nose curled up as I scrolled down the few hundred calls I had gotten from my parents. What was happening? I pressed on the two voicemail Mom had left me and decided to hear one of them.

'Lilliana, you need to be home quick, so does Cora and Ann. Whenever you receive this message, be on your way, immediately.'

There was panic all over my Mom's voice and it made me worried. It hadn't been a whole day since we were at the resort and already, I could sense a few problems.

When I tried to call her back, she didn't pick up so I dropped my phone and quickly took a shower to remove the alcohol, sweat and the scent of my mate off my body. Although, that wasn't possible but I could still get rid a little bit of it.

Those who could recognize the scent knew that I was marked by the beast—including the man I had met last night, during all that belly dancing and fire play.

"Ann!" I knocked on her bedroom door after getting ready, however, I received no response.

I slid to the hallway where Cora's room was and found the door open. Walking inside, I found them both, grabbing their things and packing up.

"What's happening?"

Cora's face brightened as she found me. "God, we have been trying to fucking wake you up since hours. Why was your door locked and why was your phone on silent?" she marched towards me with her impulsive wolf gaze, the claws almost appearing out of her hands.

"What happened? Can someone tell me? I was just sleeping," I looked over at them both, waiting for them to respond.

The night was great, but their reaction—not so much.

"My parents called me and told me they want us all back at the town, immediately." Ann said quickly.

"My parents told the same as well."

I shook my head and said, "And so did mine. What's the reason behind it? Did someone else die?" The sudden outburst of our parents had to mean something. Neither of our parents ever cared where we went or what we did, they were all fine with us drinking and partying as we were over the age of twenty.

"No. The Alpha wants us all three back, don't know the reason yet but there is an emergency, a real one this time." Cora explained to me before she threw in her swimming suit that she decided to wear this morning. "Ugh." She rolled her eyes and zipped up her bag.

"Yeah. I was the first one to wake up and I tried waking you both up but ya'll were passed out. I'm done packing, you should go grab your stuff, we have to leave." Ann gave me a small, little pat over my shoulder before she went back to her room.

The tips of my fingers turned cold as I tried to comprehend the situation. What was so bad that the Alpha wanted us all back? Why were my parents so worried and concerned? I hadn't ever heard my Mom so scared. And, why did they specifically want us back to the town?

A scent crawled up to my nostrils and I walked over to the window to find the source of the scent—it belonged to my mate. Was he still here? My eyes dashed across the large garden outside, it was connected with the beach where I found a lot of people enjoying the sun and the warm water.

Cora gave me a tragic sigh. "Guess we can always come another time." We had so many plans but everything was just gone.

I looked away from the window. "I've to do something important. I'll see you and Ann in 30, at the lobby?"

"Yeah, sure!"

I returned to my room, quickly shoving in the things that were out before I got a bellboy to take my things downstairs. I had a flowery, knee-length sundress on as I expected to take a swim in the beach but things turned different.

Ann and Cora were at their rooms, taking care of the mess that happened last night. I slid away from their eyes and went down to the lobby alone.

At the lobby, there was a woman, handling the check-in's and check-outs. She gave me a nervous glance before returning her attention back to her papers. I stopped by the reception and placed my arms over the glass before looking around the hotel. It was a great design, but sad that we couldn't stay here for longer.

"Is there something I can help you with?" The woman asked.

"Yes—" I wasn't sure about anything but the words came out of me anyway. "Where can I find your Alpha?"

The strange interruption during the dances last night had to mean something and when I thought about, I realized what had just happened. I was mated to an Alpha, and he just took over his throne, again.

The Horizon Resort was his pack's territory, it was in his possession, along with everyone who worked here, including the woman standing in front of me. It wasn't hard to figure it out.

Her gaze dropped and she flinched a little at my question. "Mr. Boyd is on his way to leave the premises. You can find him outside." The woman took her time to reply, she dragged for as long as she could.

I wasn't wrong.

Lorenzo, my mate, was the Alpha of the Scarlet Pride.

I rushed out of the hotel quick and stopped when I found him, speaking to someone else, right underneath the shaded area, where the cars were parked at.

I licked my lips, biting my bottom one as I gawked at his stiff muscles and the divine power casting off him. My stomach twisted as the flickers of last night crossed my head.

His mouth.

My pussy.

Who would ever reject an Alpha as a mate? Not me.

With the greed, came along a lot of problems as well. If my mate was an Alpha, things were going to astray, not only for me, but for my pack and my parents.

"Leaving without saying a goodbye?" I gave a quick glimpse at the car parked, the driver inside waiting for Lorenzo who had stepped towards me. I hated the sudden disappearance and appearance.

Couldn't he just stay for a bit?

"I'm not going anywhere, love." He watched me intensely and I did the same. "I just have things to take care off right now." The roughness of his hand brushed against my cheeks before he stepped in and savagely stole a kiss from my lips.

Mhm. I closed my eyes and ran my hand through his hair as my tongue met with his. Lost in the moment, I forgot about everything, but the instant second he pulled away, I realized something wrong.

Alpha Richard's panic.

My parents worry.

The immediate return to the town.

"What have you done?"