Chapter 21: Part 21

The smell of wood burner filled the entire study with cosy warmth. It crackled and creaked but did little to lift the heavy silence that has settled over us. I wrapped my arms tighter around the upper body, my fingertips digging into the spaces between my ribs.

A shiver coursed through my body, and it went along with the tingling I felt at the back of my neck. A kind of unease that made my body thrum with it, heart beating fast.

His elder son. I thought with a lump in my throat, eyes shifting between both of them. There were no possible similarities that I could figure, except for the hair colour.

"Abel." The sound of Pack Alpha clearing his throat snapped me back into reality. "This is Avon's girlfriend, Emma."

I cringed as those words slipped past his mouth, biting the insides of my cheek. Avon remained motionless next to me.

"Is she now?"

The Alpha Professor gave me a fake smile and bridged the last couple of feet between us. He was so close that I could smell a subtle, earthy aftershave that's still like a punch to my senses.

This is it. He would call-out on our bluff and make a fool of us. Abel knew that there was no way we were dating after I made it clear several times. Leon will kill us.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Emma. Welcome to our pack!" Abel cleared his throat, and for a split second, he hesitated, seemingly unsure, which was an odd look on him. I watched in rapt attention as he thrust his hand in my direction.

Why was he not saying anything? I gawked at the extended hand, slowly clasping it. His hands almost enveloped mine, feeling rough, warm and calloused against my smooth, cold palms.

"Uh...nice to meet you too, si—A loud cough spluttered out of me as I quickly corrected myself. "—Alpha Abel."

We shared a handshake with tight-lipped smiles, and all I wanted now was for Abel to leave and Avon to leave as well. I wished I hadn't come here in the first place. Why would my friend not tell me about him? What could he possibly gain from this?

Avon was quick by my side, draping a heavy arm over my shoulders and pulling me close. I watched with a bated breath as Abel's eyes followed the movement, widening slightly as they zero in on Avon's hand curling around my upper arm. Oh no.

"Now that all the introductions are done, we should start with our work. Pack Alpha told me we should set up the tables in the yard, Abel."

I gaped at my friend informally addressing our Professor and more over with a fierce look. No wonder they always glared in classes. They already knew each other well.

Looking at my feet, I hoped for the ground to open up and swallow me. Anything to get rid of this awkward tension lingering in the air.

Thomas interrupted with a chuckle, "Ah yes, Abel let them help you out. I am sure the others must be busy."

"Of course, Pack Alpha."

I knitted my brows at that, my eyes flickering between Abel and his father, watching him bow. It's not uncommon to respect the head of the Pack, but he's also his father. Why would he address him do formally?

Abel came to Avon's side and tugged on his arm, all while maintaining a playful smile on his face. The force was enough for Avon to stumble back, his grip on my body falling. "Let's go, buddy! We have a lot of work to do."

***

"You must be Emma!" A cheerful voice rang through my ears, head tilting to stare at the older woman approaching me. I watched as the Alpha next to me rushed to her side, his face red.

"Mom!"

I stared between the two, my lips folding awkwardly as I nodded. "Yes, hi! Nice to meet you..."

"Nina." She added softly, her eyes crinkling by the sides.

"Nice to meet you, Nina."

"When my son told me he was bringing someone special, I thought he's joking."

"Your son's not that bad, Nina! Trust me; he has a fair share of omegas swooning in our university."

She giggled. "I like you already!"

Avon beamed at us, shaking his head and muttering something under his breath. The Alpha wanted to say something, but Abel called him straight away. I had no idea what was going on between them.

Nina pulled me to the side, and we got to talking for a good half an hour, where she told me about her family. Avon’s only son and her Alpha was out on business, so it’s just them two at the moment.

***

The early dinner commenced after an hour in the yard, and it was indeed an experience. Avon did not let me interrogate him, for starters. As soon as we exited the study, a few more pack members joined us. There was no way I was making a fool of myself in front of them.

Abel also remained quiet, instructing us on what to do. The Alpha seemed out of his element, dressed in a casual dark green sweater that matched his eyes and black jeans. He appeared young and boyish, with messy hair plopping over his forehead.

Thomas was seated at the head of the table; a lady sat next to him who kept on pampering Alpha Leon. It was a dead giveaway that she was his mother. Again, Professor Abel did not resemble her a bit. The whole situation was confusing.

Fortunately, Leon did not corner us yet, having arrived at the dinner late. He immediately went to sit next to his mother, and his mate appeared unwell by his side, picking at her food and avoiding Luna’s glare. She looked seconds away from fleeing the table and hiding in a room—poor woman.

I was asked to sit next to Avon, across from Abel, an unfortunate circumstance that meant I was hyper-aware of everything, even with the distance between us. I could also smell Alpha Abel’s scent quite distinctly throughout the meal.

In the first half, Thomas gave a speech about his pack members who worked hard to make the feast possible and then his sons, making sure to name Abel as much as possible. All the while, his mate fumed by his side.

Tension permeated in the air as we kept on staring at each other.

"Emma..." Avon nudged at my side. "Here, take this. This is my mom's speciality." With that, the Alpha dumped a scoop of cajun fried potatoes on my plate. I gave him a tight-lipped smile, still chewing onto my chicken.

"Thank you." I stared at my plate that was already filled to the brim with rice, a piece of chicken breast, fried asparagus, a bowl of curry and fryums.

A prickling sensation overtook me, almost as if I was being watched. Lifting my head, nearly doing a double-take, when I realised that Abel was staring at me. The Alphas expression was unreadable, and I almost shivered under the weight of it. I could hear Abel's nostrils flare as he took a deep breath.

Abel gripped his glass so hard I was worried it might break. His jaw was set, clenching with tension, and the Alpha looked genuinely distressed.

Half-way through the meal, I decided I couldn’t take it anymore. The food and Abel’s penetrating gaze was too much for my appetite. So I politely stood up and excused myself from the table.

Walking away, I could feel heavy gazes on my back, but I did not dare turn back. Being near Abel did odd things to me... those of which I was almost convinced I should not be experiencing.

Once inside the washroom, I splashed my face with cold water and dabbed it furiously. As I exited the room, my body collided with a strong wall. To my shock, muscular, solid arms wrapped around my waist and my nostrils filled with a familiar heady scent.

I froze, eyes slowly taking in the person holding me.

Abel tilted his chin, his gaze unwavering with the same level of intensity and uncertainty as it always seemed to hold. The unease in his frown gave way to a small smile, turning up into a wolfish expression as he watched confusion flitter across my face.

“Watch where you are going, Miss Emma.” The Alpha chuckled, his arms still gripping around my middle.

“Did you follow me here?” I yelled, planting my wet palms on his upper body and shoving at him, trying to free from his grasp. My heart pounded treacherously in my chest at the closeness, throat going dry.

“No. You are the one who crashed into me, Miss Emma.” Abel said, his lips pressed in a thin line, his body backing me against the wall. I cringed at the cool surface behind.

He smirked when I glared at him, not in the least bit fazed at the silent threat.

***