The Alpha Behind The Mask-Chapter 89: Spelled

Aurora’s POV

​The heavy bass thumped through the floor, vibrating up my legs as I moved through the crowd with a tray in hand. I shouldn’t have been there. Alpha Oliver had spent hours yesterday trying to convince me not to return to my other job. He didn’t understand why I was so insistent on keeping it; to him, I worked in a normal club—a place for drinks and dancing.

​I wondered, with a sudden spike of anxiety, what he would do if he discovered the truth. If he found out it wasn’t a normal club, but a BDSM club, the Oliver I knew would lose his mind.

​"I’ll increase your pay, Aurora," he had said, his voice laced with that protective, possessive edge I was starting to crave. "I don’t like the idea of you working in a place like that. Just work for me alone."

​Yet, despite his offers and the generous amount he proposed, I refused him.

​Why? The answer was a painful truth I was barely willing to admit to myself: stopping this work meant I wouldn’t get to see Raymond. And for some reason, the thought of never seeing Raymond again felt like a door slamming shut on a part of my soul I wasn’t ready to let go of.

I ​moved through the crowd, but my attention wasn’t on my job. I kept searching the VIP booths, my eyes darting toward every shadow. I hadn’t seen Raymond or heard a word from him since the crash. I kept telling myself, Girl, focus on Alpha Oliver. He was better for me. He was kind, he was protective, and he had just confessed his love to me. But despite the warmth Oliver gave me, there was a dark, magnetic pull toward the memory of Raymond that I couldn’t seem to let go.

​In my distracted state, I mistakenly bumped into someone.

​"I’m so sorry," I stammered, raising my head. I realized immediately it was a Dom. He was masked, and from his physique, I knew he was new here.

​"It’s okay," he said. His voice was smooth, but his eyes were intense, locking onto mine.

​Suddenly, I felt intoxicated, trapped by his gaze. I couldn’t look away, and my feet felt rooted to the floor. "Come with me." He smirked, taking both of my hands and leading me back toward the private lounges of the club.

Every instinct in me was screaming, telling me to run, but my bones felt heavy. I felt like I was drowning in his presence.

​"Sit," he ordered.

​Obediently, I sat on the velvet couch.

"What’s your name?"

​"Aurora," I whispered.

​"Aurora..." he repeated slowly. "You work here?"

​"Yes," I murmured.

My head was spinning. Leave, Aurora, leave now, the voice in my head cried out, but the Dom in front of me held me in a trance. I moved my gaze around the room, and suddenly, my breath hitched.

​I saw him.

​Standing by the velvet curtain of the VIP section was Raymond. Our eyes locked, and I could sense the cold, piercing weight of his stare.

Relief hit me... then anger.

So he was fine?

And he didn’t even check on me?

Nothing?

​"What would you like to have?" the Dom asked.

I wanted to reject him, to tell him I had to get back to work, but seeing Raymond watching us triggered a stupid, reckless impulse. I wanted to see if he still cared. I wanted to make him jealous.

​"Anything strong," I murmured, leaning back.

​The man chuckled before signaling a waiter. "Get us a bottle of whiskey and two glasses," he said, his eyes traveling over me with a lustful hunger.

​I swallowed nervously, looking back toward the curtain, but Raymond was gone. Disappointed, I hissed under my breath and stood up. "I think I have to take my leave."

​"Aurora." He called my name with so much authority it felt like a physical blow. I turned, and again, I couldn’t look away. "I command you to sit... and keep me company."

​I sat instantly. It felt like I was being controlled by a supernatural power I couldn’t resist. I tried to object... I tried to leave, but I couldn’t. It felt like a force was controlling me beyond my will. The whiskey was brought by my colleague. I looked at her, pleading with her to help me. I tried to speak, to tell her I was under a spell, but my lips couldn’t move; they were sealed. The server served and left, thinking I was there of my own will, or perhaps she noticed but decided to stay out of it.

​"Drink," he ordered.

​My mind screamed at me to refuse, but I found my hands moving toward the glass. I picked it up and took a sip while I noticed him lustfully licking his lips, watching me.

​"I like you... and I’d like to fuck you," he said firmly, reaching for my hand. "Come with me."

​Just at the sound of his voice, I rose and followed him like a puppet. We walked past the private suites until he opened a door wide. I stared at the dark room, trying to pull back, but my legs were trembling and moving forward against my will.

​Please... someone help me... I screamed in my head. At that moment, I wished I had stopped this job just as Oliver had suggested, but I was damn foolish. And now... look where it had landed me.

I was about to be raped.

​Just as he was about to close the door behind us, I saw a shadow move. I looked up and saw Raymond standing in the hallway. I felt a surge of relief, my eyes begging him to save me, even though my lips were sealed by the other man’s command.

​"Is there a problem?" the Dom groaned, glaring at Raymond.

​Raymond ignored him entirely. He pushed the man aside with a strength that was terrifying and walked into the room, staring right into my eyes. His gaze was darker than I had ever seen it, a glint of anger brewing in his pupils. He turned to the other man without a word.

​They locked eyes, tension snapping between them. Before I could process what was happening, Raymond lunged. He slammed the Dom against the wall, the sound of the impact echoing through the small room. He didn’t say a word, just used raw, violent force to drop the man to the floor.

​Raymond turned back to me, his eyes filled with a terrifying rage. "Out," he ordered.

​I scrambled out of the room and waited in the hallway, my heart racing.

"I... I’m sorry... I didn’t know..." I heard the terrifying scream of the man before everywhere went silent.

Raymond stepped out, breathing heavily. There were fresh bloodstains on his hands. He looked at me, frowned in annoyance, and began walking away.

​"Follow me," he mumbled.

​I followed him up the stairs until we got to his private room. He slammed the door behind us and went straight to the bathroom to wash the blood off. When he came out, he sat on the edge of his desk, staring at me with a coldness that brought a shiver to my skin.

​I frowned. Why did he seem angry with me? The last time we met was in my apartment, and we even got intimate... so why does he look so annoyed? Or does he think I was willingly going with that Dom? He must have misunderstood.

​"Do you know what happened over there?" he suddenly asked.

​"I... I think I was under a spell," I whispered. My lips finally moved.

​"He used black magic on you," Raymond spat, sounding enraged. "I told you to stop this..." He paused and looked away, obviously holding himself back from what he was about to say.

​For a moment, he looked away; then he turned back to look at me, that same look of anger still in his eyes.

​"You’re still under the influence of the spell. sleep here and cool it off. I’ll go report the situation."

​He stood up, heading for the door.

​My chest tightened.

"Raymond..."

He paused.

"Are you mad at me?"