Chapter 23: She is Off Limits!

SEBASTIAN.

“WHAT??? You realize that it would be full of werewolves, don’t you? Thea, please, put some sense into your son!”

So, what if our next stop was going to be a party only with beasts? I would make sure Teresa would be safe. Besides that, everybody knew and respected me. No one and I meant no one would dare to even look at her.

“My son, are you sure that this is the wise thing to do?” Mother was also worried, but they didn’t know Teresa as I did. Even if the time was not enough, it was for me to know her, and I knew how daring she could be, how determined she was when she had something on her mind, and even more important than all of this, she was loyal and brave. And it didn’t take me years to figure it out. By the simple fact that I knew she was my Luna, it seemed to me that I had known her for a lifetime. “She is human, you might get in trouble”

“I would not worry about that, Mother. And besides, the event covers some other stuff. They will not talk about werewolves, vampires, or blood. This time, it is going to be a normal gathering.”

“I can relate to that, but vampires will smell her.” Although Mother was right, I kept telling myself that would not be any problem. Teresa would be under my care and off-limits.

“Maybe so, but among other packs, everybody respected Alphas. Erik Von Hagen will be there too and he is an Original, so I am covered.”

“I hope you are right, my son, and you will not be facing issues because of this girl. Don’t you think I haven’t realized your connection with her, Sebastian, but be careful!”

“I will Mother.”

I knew that maybe in the eyes of a human we were monsters and to not create panic in town, we kind of stayed hidden. Even though they knew about us, they were aware we existed. But we don’t know for how long we could keep appearances. Now that Teresa showed up, it was going to be harder. I didn’t want to frighten her, but if the situation demanded it, if her life was in danger, I would not think of her horror of seeing me as a demon from hell, but I will prioritize her life.

I already talked to Teresa, and we established I could stop by her apartment to pick her up. Needless to say, she was marvelous when my eyes met hers. She was beautiful in and out. My breathing stopped as I was following her steps coming towards me. Her sweetness was ravishing.

She was not just beautiful, she would make the space around her glow, the ground she was walking on amazing. I fancied her curves and loved her natural self. Her beauty resonated in my heart, and her kindness touched my soul. I was almost jealous of taking her with me, as for her shining being seen by other men.

After I mesmerized her perfect face, perfect lips, and perfect makeup, my eyes went down on her curves, delighting me with this delicious view. That dress that showed the best of her, red as wine, sparkling like champagne, that left a little of my imagination to go wild. It set upon her peachy soft skin as the light wings of an angel descended from Heaven. I was fantasizing about how that bareback dress hugged her as if it were me. It was a view hard, if not impossible, to resist.

She was coming one step at a time, looking just like Cinderella going to the ball, only she was already going with the prince. Only I wish the spell didn’t fall apart at midnight. Even her jewelry spoke about her and her grace. The fine necklace from her neck was like caressing her soft skin to that point where I was asking myself what if it was me the one who locked it up, tracing the pale skin, placing quick kisses on its sweet length… get a grip Bash! For now, she was off-limits.

With her hair in an up-do elegant style, sculpted around her head, and with a few loose strands framing, her sweet face was like an icon I worshiped. Her sweetness far exceeded her perfection and the closer she got, the more enticing aromas of freesia and orchids drove my nostrils insane. It was as if an entire flower garden was unfolding before my eyes, allowing me to enter and get drunk with their scent. And in the middle of that garden was her, Teresa, fitting into a perfect frame. Now I knew that this perfume was something that I would always crave for.

“Good evening, Mr. Gallagher!” Her melodious tone raised my level of desire to a point I didn’t think I would reach today. Her voice vibrated all over my body like the sound of a guitar in the hands of an artist. Sometimes I was afraid of what I was feeling. It was more than obvious that she didn’t know about our kind. I wonder what her thoughts would be if she would know what kind of beast dwelled in me. Would she be scared? Or would she accept me for the way I was? No matter how much these questions bothered me, at this moment I didn’t find them meaningful and I didn’t want to answer them now.

“Good evening, Teresa!”. Although I was a man of chosen words since I saved her, I felt like I wanted to call her by her name. It didn’t seem to bother her. Even though her courtesy was so obvious, I just didn’t feel like returning the favor. As I was leaning against the car door with a nonchalant air while I waited for her, my gesture of opening the door for her kind of took her by surprise. Maybe she is not used to such treatment.

“Thank you, Sir!” Her voice cracked with emotion, choked with words that came out hard and others that didn’t.

“Would there be a time when you would call me just Sebastian?” maybe I dared a little, but I was very curious how my name resounded on her full lips. And I even swore to myself that the time would come when she would scream it. The space in the car was getting tighter and tighter and with it, I got more nervous, eager to get there. I needed air or help from God, or I would transform right here in front of her eyes, claiming what was rightfully mine. Come on, Bash, just a little longer! And so, we arrived. The crowd gathered elegantly in front of the hall as if waiting for the entering had this feeling of jubilation. For now, we were outside and Teresa’s scent got lost in thin air, but even so, I was on guard all the time. I caught some curious and upset looks from time to time, sneaking around us, displaying intrigued grins, but I would position myself in front of her every time, thus masking everything with my scent.

In this sea of beasts, she was the only pure creature defending the little thing. I didn’t underestimate her; I was just trying to protect her. And then we all slowly moved forward. Showing our invitations at the entrance, we went inside two by two. The werewolves with their Lunas, the vampires with their soul mates that they had transformed from humans into immortals. Vampires often do that.

“Stay close to me if you want to actually learn something!” In fact, that was not the real reason. This room was full of hungry beasts that could attack her at any time. I knew the risk from the beginning, but I kind of took advantage of my position in the hierarchy. And then Teresa was my Luna, and eventually, they will all find out.

“You know, Mr. Gallagher, I sincerely don’t know why and I don’t wish to offend you, but I am not feeling quite...m, if you know what I mean. The atmosphere is a little...how should I put this...odd and dark?” oh well, like I said before, she was not ignorant; she knew something was not quite right here, but I will not strengthen her belief.

“Nonsense, Teresa. What you are feeling here are a lot of smart brains gathered into one place, waiting to expose their revolutionary theories and all the rest of us to take notes. That’s about it this evening. It may seem boring at first, but try to go with the flow. I am sure you would be just fine. And besides, I am not leaving your side!” I could already see the effect of my statement in her eyes. They sparkled emerald green I was crazy about. But then things got hectic and their voices echoed louder and louder in my ears. “Tell me you didn’t bring a fragile human with you, Bash!”, “Have you brought lunch, Sebastian? Will you be willing to share?”, “I can say that I kind of like your alternative way of operating,” it pissed me as the words exploded into my head and in the corners of my mind. But I could not lose my temper, not like this. So... “Back off, demons! She is off limits!” even my growl sounded furious as they all heard me sharing terror all over the place. I almost pulled out my fangs, trying to dominate the crowd, reminding them who’s who. And then Erik’s voice out of nowhere echoed much more enraged than mine, ordering his kind: “If you still want your heads in place, keep your distance, NOW!!!”

But I guess that was not enough. Big mistake...

“Sebastian Gallagher, you didn’t bring one of our own!”