Natalia’s POV

The water blurring the glass slightly obscured the outside world. Numerous plants enhanced the restaurant's ambiance.

By the time I'd finished dinner, I felt relaxed. I'd chosen to dine alone at this restaurant, rather than the hotel's, because I craved fresh air.

Eric had wanted to join me, but he was busy dealing with several Alphas in his role as our pack's representative.

"Miss, what would you like?" a waiter asked with a warm smile.

I consulted the menu and said, "Bring your restaurant's best signature dish."

The waiter looked shocked. Did he think I couldn't afford it?

"Any problem?" I asked.

"Oh, no, Miss. Drinks—what about a glass of wine?" He seemed eager to upsell.

"No thanks, water will be fine," I replied with a smile. He nodded and left.

My gaze drifted around the restaurant. I observed wealthy businessmen dining with women, most likely their mistresses. What else could one expect from wealthy Alphas? Their wives, their mates, were presumably at home.

I scoffed upon recognizing an Alpha I knew—he didn't recognize me. I'd seen him at a pack meeting with my father once. The woman with him, however, was not his wife.

"Just as I expected," I muttered, watching him enjoy himself. "Nowadays, true love is hard to find," I sighed, remembering my own past love with Adrian, the happiness of our marriage, and the subsequent humiliation.

The waiter returned with the signature dish. It was beautifully presented and looked delicious.

"Time to enjoy this," I murmured, indulging in the meal.

After dinner, I paid with my credit card and left. Walking back to the hotel, I realized it was late—I'd lingered longer than I'd planned.

The road was dark and deserted. I considered a taxi but couldn't find one. The walk would take twenty minutes, so I started walking.

I took a road and turned left into a nearby alleyway, lined with trees. The fresh air was pleasant.

Smiling, I walked on. Then I saw a group of boys talking. In the dim light, I could make out their features.

I tried to ignore them and walk past.

"Hey, beauty. Where are you going?" one called out.

Ignoring him, I quickened my pace, but they followed, sprinting to catch me and grabbing my arm.

"Leave me alone," I demanded.

"Why would we? You clearly cultivate that body to attract men," one sneered, pulling me along. The others laughed and joined in. He tightened his grip as I struggled.

"Let us have our way and you won't get hurt," he added.

My eyes widened, recognizing them as rogues. What were they doing here? Wasn't it illegal?

A flash of memory—a past attack by rogues—flooded back as one of them touched my bare arm. I was wearing a long, sleeveless blue dress. His touch made me flinch.

I could defend myself, but I lacked extensive training against rogues, and the traumatic memories paralyzed me. As another man touched my waist, I growled, glaring and shoving them away.

Surprised by my resistance, they recoiled. I ran, but they pursued me. The hotel was still fifteen minutes away.

"You can't escape. We've seen this many times. Once we set our sights on someone, their body becomes ours," one yelled.

Disgusted, I prayed for strength, running faster. Glancing back, I suddenly collided with someone. My legs froze, fearing it was another rogue.

Raising my head, I saw a hard chest. Slowly, I looked up.

"Adrian?"

The final line is cut off. The repeated "Search the FindNovel.net" is advertising and has been removed. The numerous grammatical errors, run-on sentences, and awkward phrasing have been corrected for clarity and flow.