Hayley’s POV:
Benjamin focused on driving, his eyes fixed on the road. “You’ve been shadowing me all day. Don’t you want to take a break and unwind?”
I hesitated. “I thought about it, but don’t you have a video conference scheduled tonight?”
After spending the day with Benjamin, I realized that as an Alpha, his dedication to his work surpassed even mine. He was constantly juggling Midnight Pack affairs and making decisions for Southwell Group, seemingly without a moment’s rest. Unlike Benjamin, I had Bill to manage Shadow Pack affairs and my deputy, Thomas, to handle my company’s responsibilities. That left me with plenty of time to pursue my interests. Thinking about it, I couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for Benjamin.
“It’s fine,” Benjamin said, snapping me out of my thoughts. He smiled as he explained, “A friend is hosting a party, and I thought it’d be a good opportunity to introduce you to some people. Having you by my side makes me happy.”
I teased him, “You make it sound like you wouldn’t go without me. Networking is everything in business—you’d never miss it.”
“Nothing escapes your sharp eyes,” Benjamin laughed, shaking his head. “Looks like I won’t be able to keep any secrets from you in the future.”
“Exactly,” I joked back. “So don’t even think about trying to fool me—the consequences would be dire!”
Benjamin suddenly looked at me seriously. “Same goes for you.” His intense gaze made me a little nervous.
We arrived at the city’s liveliest bar district, where a newly opened venue stood out with celebratory decorations piled at the entrance. It wasn’t hard to spot. Benjamin handed the keys to the valet before taking my hand and leading me inside. The pounding music and flashing lights overwhelmed my senses the instant we stepped in. I raised a hand to shield my eyes and took in the scene: people dancing with wild abandon, others drunk and stumbling around. Holding Benjamin’s hand, I followed him toward the VIP section at a leisurely pace. The VIP area was on the second floor, offering a clear, commanding view of the chaos below—a setup tailor-made to feed the egos of high-ranking werewolves.
A group of men and women were jeering around a woman who was clearly in no state to keep drinking. Despite her efforts, she had barely made a dent in the bottle before her.
Someone grumbled, “Mr. Ortega, your date is such a buzzkill.”
“Yeah, if she can’t hold her liquor, why bother coming out? What a drag!”
As they spoke, the woman they were forcing to drink suddenly vomited. She slumped over the table, panting weakly. Her eyes were barely open, but none of the onlookers offered to help. They just waited for the drama to unfold, their expressions indifferent.
I wasn’t surprised. Women who sought security from wealthy men often ended up as toys, drinking themselves into oblivion. It was always a consensual arrangement. I had no intention of interfering. I moved closer to Benjamin, ready to ignore the scene and walk past.
But as we approached their booth, the woman being mistreated collapsed onto the floor, blocking our path. I glanced down, and my brow furrowed when I recognized her face. It was Kirsty. She was barely conscious, mumbling weakly, “Take me home… I don’t want to stay here. I’m done…”
One of the men jeering at her grabbed her roughly and said, “Cut the act. We’re just getting started! We even brought out the good stuff for you. Do you think you can leave?” As he spoke, he grabbed a glass of whiskey and tried to force it into Kirsty’s mouth. Kirsty struggled, clamping her lips shut. The whiskey spilled everywhere, soaking her clothes. She looked utterly pitiful, like a drenched kitten—helpless and desperate. Though she was a Beta, she had no means to protect herself against these high-ranking men.
I hated the sudden pang of sympathy I felt for her, but what I despised even more was the group of scumbags treating her like a plaything, completely devoid of basic respect for life. Fine. I decided to treat Kirsty as if she were a stranger. That way, helping her wouldn’t weigh on my conscience. After a moment of inner conflict, I made up my mind to get Kirsty out of there. Just as I was about to sneak a hand, a shot out from beside me, grabbing the man’s arm as he tried to force the drink on her.