Chapter 166: Something Feels Off

Hayley’s POV:

I watched Benjamin conversing with someone while nibbling on a small pastry. A waiter approached me with a tray of colorful glasses. “Miss, our bartender just created a new cocktail. Would you like to try it?” I accepted a glass, offering him a polite smile. Since I had a bit of interest in cocktails, I decided to take a sip. It turned out to be quite tasty. “The bartender is pretty talented,” I remarked, taking another sip before setting the glass down. Then, I got up to find the staff.

I’m Hayley Carson. I’m here to collect my room card. The staff gave a small nod. “Please wait for a moment.” He returned shortly, handing me the room card. “Ms. Carson, here’s your room card. Your room’s in the hallway on the right. Follow this way.” Glancing at the card, I noted the number 2202 before heading in the indicated direction. After arriving at the door, I swiped the card to enter.

The room was spacious and luxurious, with elegant furnishings that exuded comfort. I stepped onto the plush carpet, closed the door behind me, and made my way further inside. Tossing myself onto the large bed, I realized I felt a little dizzy—possibly from motion sickness. My head was spinning, and an odd sense of unease settled in. “Hera?” I called out to my wolf, hoping for a response, but she was silent. It wasn’t unusual for Hera to slip into a deep sleep after being away from the Shadow Pack for too long, but she usually woke up quickly.

Not thinking much of it, I pulled the blanket over myself and decided to rest for a bit. Out in the hallway, a drunken man stumbled about, weaving from side to side. His appearance screamed trouble. “Ugh, why am I not there yet?” he muttered irritably. He paused, squinting at the room card in his hand. Blurry-eyed, he made out the number 2203 and continued shuffling down the hall.

When he reached the door marked 2203, he pulled out his card to swipe it, but an error beeped, indicating he had the wrong room. Crashing onto the floor, the man grumbled in annoyance. “Who shoved me?” Without bothering to process his surroundings, he picked himself up and wandered into the room.

In the large room, the fragrance of roses filled the air, and the soft lighting set a romantic tone. The man’s grin widened as he hurriedly moved forward, his excitement growing. Madeline had finished her shower and changed clothes. To avoid being caught, she took some drugs and lay quietly on the bed, waiting. “This drug works well,” she murmured. “My scent will make Ben’s wolf crave me. He’ll come here and mate with me.” Just then, she heard the door open.

Madeline was thrilled, thinking it was Benjamin. Without hesitating, she turned off the lights and hid under the blanket. She could feel the footsteps coming closer.

Hayley’s POV:

I wasn’t sure how long I’d been asleep. But when I woke up, I felt increasingly uncomfortable, and my throat was unbearably dry. I quickly got up and poured myself a glass of water. Even though it was cold, my throat still felt burning hot, and nothing seemed to help. “What’s going on?” As an Alpha, I was used to being in good health, rarely ever getting sick. That was strange. Unfortunately, Hera was still asleep and couldn’t offer me any guidance. I drank another large glass of water, but it did nothing to ease the discomfort, and I started to sweat heavily. “Maybe the room is too warm and stuffy.” I thought it might be the case, so I decided to go outside for some fresh air on the deck. But as soon as I stepped out of the room, I collided with Benjamin.