Chapter 49 Lady Leona?

Chapter 49 Lady Leona?
Arel

I drove with nothing but the sound of her breathing and her heartbeat filling the car. It was quiet, but not the awkward kind. The good kind. The kind that felt like too much and not enough at the same time. Her smell was everywhere inside that car, and it made me calm. It made my wolf calm.

I glanced over and caught her biting her bottom lip. All I wanted was to pull it free so she would not hurt herself. So I reached over and took the hand she had resting on her lap instead. She looked at me with her mouth hanging open. Did not see that coming.

I smiled at her and laced our fingers together, then brought her hand to my mouth and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles. She swallowed hard. I saw it. Then I turned my eyes back to the road and set our hands on my right thigh, brushing my thumb against hers.

It felt good. The spark did not leave me. It just kept getting stronger. I could lose myself in this, and right then, I did not give a damn anymore.

"Do you feel it?" she asked, her voice so soft it felt like a touch. "The sparks?" Her eyes were glowing with happiness while she looked at me.

I smiled back and nodded. "Every single time I touch you."

"Do you hate it?" She kept going. I scrunched my forehead because I did not get what she was asking.

She must have seen I was confused because she explained. "I mean, do you hate that you feel sparks when I touch you?"

Her voice came out so gentle that it made me feel like the bad guy. Like if I gave the wrong answer, she would just break down crying.

"No. I never hated it. I could live with this every day, every hour, if only..." I breathed in deep. Did not know how to finish that sentence.

She shook her head and moved closer, pulling my arm against her side and wrapping her other arm around it. Then she leaned her head against me and shut her eyes. "Shhh. It is okay. Let us not think about the mate bond right now. Can we just be Arel and Leona, like before?" Her voice was so soft and sweet.

I let out the breath I had been holding and nodded. I kissed the top of her head fast and gentle, making sure I did not mess up her hair. "Just promise me you will not let Cyrus get to you. Or kiss you." The words came out rough from my throat.

"If you promise not to let some other Alpha female hang on your arm or kiss anyone, then I will behave and stay out of trouble. Fair deal?" She looked up at me with hope in her eyes. Hope I wished I could give back to her.

"Promise." I kissed her forehead and put my eyes back on the road.

She stayed right there against me, our hands wrapped around each other the whole rest of the drive. It felt like heaven. I knew this was all I ever wanted. I wished it was easy to just give in to the mate bond and screw the whole world. If only I could. The fear of losing her and losing my pack was too much to carry. But tonight, I would try not to think about it.

I stopped the car when we got to the gala. I squeezed her hand, then let go so I could put my arm around her small body. I pulled her into a soft hug and buried my nose in her neck.

I could hear her heart pounding like crazy. Her breath got stuck in her throat.

"You smell so good, Leona," I mumbled against her skin, my lips starting to drop soft kisses along her collarbone.

"Arel... please do not make me wet. They will smell it on me." She stumbled over her words, begging me in this shy, embarrassed voice.

It felt like someone dumped cold water over my head. I pulled back from her neck. She was right. That was the last thing I wanted, for anyone to smell her arousal. "Sorry. I got carried away." I rubbed the back of my neck, embarrassed too.

She smiled at me, all sweet, then cupped my face in her hands. She tilted her head up and smashed her lips into mine. She kissed me soft, her own way. I let go of my control and kissed her back, matching her pace. Sweet and slow.

We were lost in our own little world when a knock on my window snapped us out of it. I pulled away from her, my eyes saying sorry for the interruption, but she just smiled and wiped my lips. Probably cleaning off her lipstick stain.

I turned to my window and rolled it down. My Beta was standing there, trying not to laugh. I scowled at him. "What now?"

"As much as I want to leave you two alone so you can eat each other's faces, I can not do that. Alpha Cyrus already knows you are here. He is waiting by the entrance." He pointed toward the mansion where all the bright lights were coming from. Cyrus stood there with some of his people, talking to them.

I sighed and looked at my mate. She was blushing. "Ready?"

"Can we just go home? I do not want to be here," she admitted, staring at her hands in her lap.

I reached over and lifted her chin up. "Just hold on for one hour. I will finish the meeting with him as fast as I can. Then I will find you at the party. If you want to leave then, we will. Just wait for me and make sure Finn stays with you the whole time." She just nodded and started unbuckling her seatbelt.

I nodded at my Beta, and he walked around to open Leona's door.

I got out of the car and buttoned my suit jacket, handing my keys to one of my warriors, Diego, telling him to park my car right.

I looked behind me and saw Leona with her hand on my Beta's arm. I nodded at them and walked toward the entrance. I pushed down the jealous feeling crawling through me. Right now, Leona was safer with my Beta because I did not trust anyone in this place. Especially Cyrus.

'Do not let her out of your sight,' I mindlinked Finn as I walked up to Cyrus.

'Got it, Alpha,' he answered.

"Jacob! Welcome!" Cyrus pulled me into a hug like we were brothers. We kind of grew up together, but we stopped talking much when we both got too many responsibilities. "You remember my future Beta, Krane, right?"

His Beta nodded at me. I nodded back before answering Cyrus. "Yeah, of course. Good to be here. Let us get to business. I do not want to take you away from your party longer than I have to."

"Of course, we should do that." He agreed with me, but his eyes were locked on Leona behind me. "But let me first welcome Lady Leona personally."

I stepped forward and turned so I was standing next to him, facing my Beta and Leona. I saw her grab my Beta's arm tight. She really was not used to this kind of attention.

'Relax. I am right here,' I tried to calm her down.

She shot me a quick look, then forced a smile at Cyrus. He took her free hand and kissed it.

"I am honored you accepted my invitation, Lady Leona. Please enjoy the night. I will see you after I meet with Alpha Jacob." He used this soft voice, like a mouse, trying to lure her. It annoyed the hell out of me.

I shifted on my feet and tried to look bored when really I was already pissed. He kissed the same hand I just kissed. Now my lip mark was gone from it.

'Wash your hand. Do not let his spit sit there any longer. It might be poison,' I mindlinked her. Her lips twitched like she was holding back a smile.

"Thank you for the invitation, Alpha Cyrus. I will see you later, then." She pulled her hand away from him and turned to my Beta. "Shall we go inside?"

"Shall we?" I asked Cyrus at the same time.

He nodded, but his eyes stayed on Leona and my Beta, watching them walk inside the mansion.

"This way." He pointed me toward the stairs, but only after Leona was out of his sight.

I tilted my head in that direction, telling him to go first, then I followed behind him.

'I miss you already,' she sent into my head. Just her words sent tingles all through my body. I felt my lips curl into a smile.

'I will see you soon, my queen. Behave,' I sent back, then stepped into the office.



Leona

I went to the bathroom to fix myself up when I felt it. That pull to reach out to him.

'I miss you already.' I bit my lip, wondering if I was coming on too strong. But it was the truth. The second I stepped out of his arms and held on to Beta Finn instead, everything went cold. I just wanted his warmth back.

'I will see you soon, my queen. Behave.'

I smiled at what he sent back. But something inside me hurt a little too. Because he did not say he missed me too.

Oh well. He called me his queen. That was enough for now.

I looked in the mirror one last time. I liked what I saw, so I walked out. Beta Finn was leaning against the wall, looking like he wanted to be anywhere else.

"Not my fault. You are the one who wanted to babysit me." I laughed a little and put my arm through his.

" Do not worry about me. I am used to showing up to these things alone. But it is nice having a pretty girl to follow around instead of some grumpy Alpha." He snorted a laugh and winked at me as we walked into the party.

"Wow. Alpha Cyrus really went all out for this, huh?" I looked around the ballroom, my eyes taking in all the fancy decorations. Everything screamed money and class.

"More like his father did. The old man wants his son to find a Luna so he can finally hand over the Alpha title." He said it so casual, like it was nothing.

I turned my head to look at him, surprised. "So Alpha Cyrus is not really an Alpha yet?"

He nodded. "He is a Young Alpha. He does a lot of the work, like right now, meeting with Alpha Arel. But no, he is not the Alpha here yet." He leaned in closer and dropped his voice. "Most Alphas do not pass things down until their heir has a Luna. And from what I hear, his father is getting pissed because Cyrus is taking forever to pick one."

"He never found his mate?" I was curious now. Did he reject someone too?

The Beta just shrugged and led me toward an empty table. "No idea."

I sat down on the chair he pulled out for me and waited for him to sit next to me. "What about you? Do you want to find your soulmate? I bet she will love you."

He shook his head and let out a short laugh. "I want to find her. But not yet. Not right now. I am sure she will be a lot to handle, and I have my hands full as it is."

"What do you mean? Are you seeing someone?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

"No, that is not what I meant. I still have to look after my stubborn Alpha. Make sure he does not screw up. If my mate shows up today, I do not know how I would juggle both without dropping something." He said it with this cocky confidence.

I smiled at him and put my hand over his on the table. "Your mate is lucky to have you. I hope you do not reject her, even if she is a lot to handle, like you said."

He must have noticed my mood shift. I was trying really hard not to cry.

He moved closer, covered my hand with his own, and looked me right in the eyes. "Listen, Leona. No matter how badly Arel treats you some days, do not ever think he does not want you. I have never seen him so torn up as he is right now. He just needs more time. Be patient with him."

I nodded and looked down at the floor. "Do you think he will get past it? His fear of having me?"

He let out a long breath. But before he could say anything, someone was standing over us.

"Lady Leona?" A voice called my name.