Chapter 48 Do I look like a puppy?

Chapter 48 Do I look like a puppy?


Arel

We are leaving for Cyrus's party soon. If there was not some pack business he decided to schedule on the same night as his party, I would not be going at all.

Maybe he wanted me there for a reason. I did not think much about it until he invited Leona. He must have known she would not go unless someone from her own pack came with her.

If I had my way, I would keep her home. But my Beta told me she wanted to go. That caught me off guard. I always thought she hated parties like this. But now I can not stop thinking that maybe she is considering Cyrus as her chosen mate. Like she said to me back at the stream.

So I had to change my plan for tonight. I was just going to do the meeting with Cyrus and leave. But now I have to stay for the whole party and watch her all night.

Cyrus might be a close friend. But Leona is mine. Friend or not, I will not let him go after her. She is mine. Even if I keep lying to myself about it.

I pulled my coat on and gave myself one last look in the mirror before heading downstairs. Leona was getting ready in the guest room. I thought I heard Zara earlier, so she must be helping her.

I had not seen Leona all day. My Beta was the one who told me he let her use the guest room. It pissed me off a little that he was making decisions about her. But I tried to let it go. I should trust him.

I stood in the hallway facing the front door and gave instructions to one of the warriors. He and another one would come with us to the party.

He nodded to show he understood what I was saying. Then his eyes went up toward the stairs and his mouth fell open. I saw his eyes change to black. He saw something beautiful. I already knew what it was. Or who.

I turned slowly to look where he was staring. Toward the stairs. And there she was. My beautiful mate coming down. She was stunning. My whole body went stiff just looking at her. Her smell was so sweet and tempting.

She wore a long blue dress that went all the way to the floor. No straps. Shiny satin fabric with a sweetheart neckline. She always looks good in fancy clothes, more than I want to admit. And blue really fits her. Her hair was straight and pulled back into a ponytail with a gold band holding it.

She had a little bit of makeup on. Not that she needs it. But it made her cheekbones stand out more and made her blue eyes look amazing. Her jewelry was just gold earrings with blue stones and a matching bracelet. Her neck was bare. No mark on it.

I do not care what Selene would say. To me, she looked like a goddess.

I clenched my fist so I would not grab her and pull her into my arms right there. Her smell was taking over my head. My wolf wanted to claim her.

All I wanted was to take her somewhere alone, just for me.

"Alpha." She nodded at me.

My voice got stuck in my throat. I just looked at her. I saw her cheeks turn red.

When I did not answer, she squinted at me and then gave me a sly smile. "Should we go now?"

I cleared my throat and nodded. I held out my arm for her. When she took it, I felt sparks all over my skin. Her body jerked a little, so I knew she felt it too.

I glared at the warrior who was still staring at her. He backed off fast, nodded like crazy, and ran out of the pack house.

Leona and I walked in silence to my black car. I was loving how she felt against me. Her warmth. Her smell. The way she held onto me like she was supposed to be there.

When we got to the car, I opened the door for her and held her hand as I leaned in close. "You look really beautiful tonight. I just wish you were dressing up for me and not for Cyrus."

A smug smile appeared on her lips. She tilted her head to look at me. Our faces were only inches apart. "Is that jealousy I hear?"

I swallowed hard. She left me without words again.

"Jealousy? Maybe not. Possessiveness, right?" She kept mocking me with that smile. "But to keep your dick from getting too excited, let me tell you something." She said it soft. Then she raised her finger and traced my lips. "I wear this color because it is almost the same as your eyes. I always wanted to wear a piece of you."

She said it in such a sexy way. She dragged her finger over my bottom lip so slow. Her eyes followed what her finger was doing. Then she bit her own lip on purpose before turning around and sitting in my car.

I took a shaky breath and closed her door while she put her seatbelt on.

She got me there.

I fixed my pants as carefully as I could and walked to the driver's side. This was going to be a long drive.



Leona

I sat in the passenger seat of Arel's car and put my seatbelt on after teasing him like that. I knew his body reacted to what I did.

With a happy smile on my face, I watched him fix his pants and walk to the driver's side. He moved so gracefully. The suit fit him perfectly but it did not hide his broad shoulders or his muscled arms. Damn this man. Remind me again why he is so perfect?

I was still feeling good when he got in and started the engine.

But that good feeling disappeared when the back door opened and Beta Finn slid inside. He was in a formal suit too. I almost forgot he was coming with us.

A low growl came from Arel. I bit my lip and waited to see what he would do. I knew Finn did not tell him he was coming. But I did not expect him to ride in this car with us.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Arel looked annoyed. His eyebrows were all scrunched up as he looked at his Beta in the rearview mirror.

"I am going with you," the Beta said.

Arel turned his head to face him. "And who is in charge here? I did not ask you to come."

"I told Ethan ahead of time. He will handle things. Leona asked me to come with her." He answered without any worry and put his seatbelt on.

I swallowed hard because I definitely did not ask him to come. It was the other way around. And the anger coming off Arel right now was something I did not want to deal with. But his Beta did not seem scared at all. He actually looked like he was having fun.

"Is something going on here?" Arel's eyes moved to me.

I raised my eyebrow and tried not to care about his anger. "Would it bother you if there was?" I threw it back at him. I regretted it immediately. It came out wrong. Stupid mouth of mine.

"Out!" He yelled. I jumped in my seat and got ready to leave the car.

"Not you!" His eyes were turning red and black now. He was staring hard at me. His hand grabbed my wrist.

"But... but he has to come. I am not going if he..." I could not even talk right. I was so scared of how angry he was. And I meant it. I would not go with him unless the Beta came too.

"He is riding with the other warriors. Move now, Beta!" He snapped the last part.

Finn opened the door and got out. He stopped just to talk to me. "I will see you there, Leona."

I nodded. Then he closed the door and went to the car behind us.

Arel started the engine again. We drove in the most uncomfortable silence for a while. I could still feel his anger. I found myself shrinking back and leaning closer to the door.

"So you are fucking my Beta, huh? Was he good?" He said it like he was making fun of me. Hate was all over his face. He was driving so fast, like his mood. It made me hold onto my seat.

"You really think I would just sleep with anyone who has a dick? Can you slow down? You are scaring me!" I snapped back at him. My hands were still grabbing my seat. The fact that he thought so little of me made me so angry I could scream.

As soon as I said that, I felt his shoulders relax. He took a few deep breaths. The car slowed down a little. His angry feeling faded some. It took a minute before he spoke again.

"Do you like him?" He asked soft this time.

"Yes. He is easy to like. He has a better sense of humor than you." If I was not so mad right now, I would have said something different.

He let out a sarcastic laugh. "Wow. My mate likes my Beta. I did not see that coming. Remind me to kill him soon." He said it through his teeth.

"I like him because he looks after me. Not because I want him the same way I want my mate. I could never want anyone else, even if I tried." I closed my eyes and leaned back on the soft leather seat.

I felt him go stiff next to me. But he did not say anything else.

Silence. All I could hear was my own heart beating.

I was tired of pushing him. I came here because Finn was right. We needed time alone together. I just hope Arel would stop hurting me.

I opened my eyes and looked at his side. I knew that no matter how many times I looked at him, I would never get tired of it.

He is good-looking in every way. Everything about him screams dominance and power. And as much as I hate to admit it, I keep falling more and more in love with this man. He glanced over and caught me staring. Instead of a mean look, his lips turned into a smug smile.

"Like what you see, little mate?" He was showing me those deep dimples again.

"Eyes on the road, Alpha," I told him. But I did not stop looking at him. And I did not stop myself from smiling this time.

"I can not focus when your eyes are undressing me." He turned his attention back to the road. But that smug smile was still on his face.

"And you seem to enjoy it. You are actually cute when you smile," I told him.

"Cute? Do I look like a puppy? I am a fucking wolf. A big one. Cute does not apply to me, princess. Or is it queen now?" He looked at me and caught my eyes. Then he winked.

I wanted to sink into my seat when he said that. Finn must have told him about what happened with the waitress.

"Fucking Finn!" I cursed under my breath.

He laughed at my face and did not even try to hide his smile. I looked back at the road and tried to hide the red going into my cheeks.

Arrogant beast. He was clearly loving this.