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 likethey 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 likeeveryone 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.