chapter 1

Stella pov

I dragged myself to work, still gasping from the wet dream I had during my short nap earlier. Even now, I still remember the electrifying feel of his touch… and the roughness of his voice as he pinned me to the wall saying, “You are mine.”

His lips felt warm against mine, and when he held me closer, my ass pressed against his torso area, the hardness of his dick made it even harder for me to think, his hands teasing my nipples beneath my shirt while I soaked my panties in a pool of my own juice.

By now I was already begging him to do something, enough with the kisses, the feel of his dick on my backside, the trace of his lips on my skin, his hands playing with my boobs, I wanted him inside me. Just when he bent me over and tore away my panties, my alarm clock rang loudly, waking me up from my fantasy. Now I was grumbling as I boarded the bus.

I had been working at Club Imperium for a few weeks now, and I’d grown used to the strange mix of rich businessmen, flirtatious women, and the dull hum of neon lights. It was a busy Friday night, always busy on Friday night and today, the air was thick with the scent of expensive cologne, cocktails, and the pulse of house music. I didn’t mind it much. The noise, the chaos, the endless flow of faces that never stayed long enough to leave an impression. To be honest, I preferred it that way because they kept me distracted from the man in my dreams.

But tonight? Tonight felt different even right from the start. Because my dreams have never been interrupted. I was always fucked good by the time I woke up, but today, we didn't even get the chance to do it.

And then he walked in.

I hadn’t even seen him at first. I just felt a pull, like a current tugging at my soul. The kind of pull I’d only ever felt in my dreams. It was subtle at first, like a soft whisper against my skin, but then... it grew.

I turned slowly, almost as if I knew something was coming, and there he was.

The man of my dreams.

His presence hit me like a physical blow, leaving me breathless. The entire room seemed to blur around him. His tall, powerful frame commanded attention as he stepped into the club, his dark eyes scanning the crowd like he was looking for something… like he was looking for me. A wave of heat rushed through me, and for a moment, the world around me faded and it was just him.

The pull intensified, gnawing at my insides, urging me to move toward him, to somehow close the space between us. I didn’t understand what was happening, I didn't understand why I should feel something so strong for a stranger or any of it, but it was overwhelming.

And when our eyes met everything stilled. I waited for him to come to me, and then he did.

He moved toward me, his steps slow, deliberate, as if he were walking straight toward his destiny. And I? I was frozen in place, unable to move, only able to watch him draw nearer.

I swallowed hard, trying to calm the erratic beat of my heart, but the pounding only grew louder.

“You are welcome. Please have a seat sir. What's your order?” I mumbled, forcing myself to sound professional.

“O drop it.” His voice was sharp, impatient. "You—" he started, his voice deep and commanding. I didn't wait for him to complete the statement.

"I... I’m sorry, do I know you?" I stammered, the words tumbling out before I could stop them. My head was spinning, my senses were overloaded. The way he looked at me, like he could see straight through to my soul, made me feel exposed.

"Don’t act like you don’t feel it," he said, his gaze dropping briefly to my lips before returning to my eyes. His words were low, thick with something I couldn’t name. Something primal. "You’re mine."

I gasped. The way he said it made my heart race even faster. The exact words he said to me in my dream today. A shiver ran down my spine, and I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out.

What does he mean?

I couldn’t understand how someone like me could belong to him. But it felt right hearing it from him again in real life. It made my heart flutter.

He took a step closer and his intoxicating scent of wood, leather, and something earthy caught my nose. But then, his eyes narrowed, and the spell broke.

He pulled back slightly, a flicker of disbelief crossing his face. And that’s when it hit me. He didn't want me. I could see it in his eyes, how he shifted from love and admiration to a sudden wave of anger.

"You’re human," he said, his voice cold, almost accusing. "How can you be my mate?" His words were laced with contempt, as though the very idea disgusted him.

“Mate? What do you mean mate?” I asked in confusion.

“You said I am yours… you still mean that right?” I asked, my heart sinking.

He looked at me with disgust. “You can never be mine, you weakling.”

My confusion grew into a tidal wave, and I struggled to process what had just happened. His words cut into me, and suddenly, I felt small, insignificant, like a passing mistake he could brush off.

"You’re... rejecting me?" I whispered, not sure whether to laugh or cry. The pain was too much for me to handle. I wanted to scream, to ask him what was happening, but I couldn’t. The weight of his rejection was suffocating.

"Yes," he said, his voice now ice-cold, final. "You’re human and you’re weak. You can never be my mate."

The finality of his words hit me like a punch to the gut. I couldn’t breathe. I was too shocked, too overwhelmed to even move. My heart felt like it was shattering in my chest.

How could this be happening? I had felt the bond, the undeniable connection, and yet... he rejected me. Like I was nothing.

Without another word, he went to the bar, ordering a whisky from another waiter like nothing just happened.

I felt my heart ripping apart. I didn't understand any of it, but as he left, it was as if he took a part of me with him. With every second that passed, the pain got worse. It wasn’t just emotional anymore; it was physical. My knees buckled, and I gasped for air as the pain spread through my body like wildfire.

I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think.

Everything was spinning. The world, the club, the people all blurred around me. My chest tightened painfully as I tried to hold myself together, but it was no use.

I collapsed, my legs giving way beneath me, and everything around me faded into darkness with only one thought on my mind.

It was useless now. The man of my dreams, the one that I held onto like a lifeline, didn't want me and there was nothing I could do about it.