Chapter 11

Her blonde hair was pinned back, silver jewelry draped around her ears, neck, wrists, ankle… Celine had never worn so much jewelry before, she didn’t know how to feel, especially as she was hurried down the hallway by a maid who was getting increasingly frustrated with her.

“Walk down this hallway, the dining room is right at the end.” The maid explained to her in detail, before walking off in a huff and no doubt cursing her under her breath.

Celine couldn’t blame her, she had been a very uncooperative model, especially to the maid who had been on a time limit. She forced herself to move forward, wary that the maid would return to scold her.

It felt like she was dreaming, like she would wake up to find herself in Noah’s bed, his side of the bed cold as she got ready to spend all of her day in the library to avoid the Pack. She would never adjust to the reality that she had been drugged and sold off at an auction only to be bought by a Mafia King.

Two bodyguards were standing in front of the door she was directed to go to, which was a relief because it meant she couldn’t miss it. They were both wearing shades although they were indoors, and they took one look at her and opened the doors without saying a word.

Celine froze at the doorway when everyone in the dining room, turned around to look at her. She still hadn’t gotten over the two bodyguards outside proudly toting weapons so to see more of them was quite jarring. It wasn’t that she forgot for a moment that Asher was a Mafia King but that she had never been exposed to such blatant danger before.

She squealed when one of the bodyguards outside nudged her in with the butt of his gun so they could close the doors, her eyes inevitably drawn to Asher who looked up for the first time. He was seated at the head of the table, there were other people also seated at the table with him while some hung around the edge of the room.

There was something about the way Asher sat that even though he hadn’t been sitting at the head of the table, you could immediately tell that he was the Mafia King. His hair was in a low bun today, gold eyes matching the piercings in his brow and ears.

It felt like such an out-of-body experience, wearing unfamiliar clothes and being surrounded by a lot of dangerous Alphas and Betas who blatantly appraised her. It was a miracle her knees didn’t fail her, considering the height of the shoes she was wearing.

“Come,” Asher gestured with two ringed fingers and Celine obeyed.

Going to him was a better option than remaining where she was and although it constantly felt like she was going to twist her ankles, she somehow made it, fear dancing in her eyes.

Asher looked amused by her discomfort, right before he pulled her down to sit on him, ordering her to eat before resuming his conversation with the table.

Celine tried really hard not to focus on what they were saying, and it was the easiest thing to do because she was too hyper-focused on the fact that she was sitting on Asher while being the center of attention and he somehow expected her to be able to eat like no big deal.

However, hunger and the fear of upsetting him pushed her to pick up the silverware, her hands trembling. The very last thing she wanted for for Asher to bite her tongue in front of her audience, she didn’t think she could survive that.

She had grown up cooking for herself because the Pack refused to feed her, and ever since she was made the Luna, eating had become a luxury. She didn’t join the Pack for meals and was antagonized whenever she tried to make meals for herself, so she let herself indulge despite the fact that her stomach was doing flips and using the silverware was twice as hard. The fact that eating right in the middle of a Mafia gang was easier than eating at her former Pack had been, really said a lot.

“… take Celine to pick out a new wardrobe…”

Celine snapped out of her daze when she heard her name, focusing on the conversation for the first time. She had been pushing her food around on the plate absently, already full but uncertain if she was allowed to stop eating.

The Beta sitting to the right side of Asher rose to his feet, his black hair cut short, pale gray eyes piercing.

Asher’s hands slipping around her waist made her flinch, his rings cold against the sliver of skin that was left bare. “Go with him,” He said to her, practically picking her up and placing her on her feet.

Celine glanced at the Beta and she suddenly wanted to return to sitting on Asher, as a matter of fact, she would take being cuffed to his bed over going anywhere with the Beta any day. But she didn’t dare protest, silently nodding and walking after the Beta when he started for the doors.

She hadn’t really been listening but essentially, Asher wanted her to go shopping with this man who wore lethality like a second skin. Were new clothes really that necessary? If they could just give her cab fare, she would go back to the hotel where she left her things instead.

Thinking about that made her frown, she didn’t know if it was something she could ask for. *Could she tell Asher about her things at the hotel? How would he take it?*

“Don’t bother thinking about getting freedom,” The Beta spoke out of the blue, making Celine flinch.

They were walking down the hallway, the dining room behind them. Celine had been startled because she had been focused on the guns strapped to the Beta’s hip.

“I wasn’t,” She blurted as she was prone to do, looking away when this made the Beta glance at her, his eyes were unsettling.

He made a non-committal sound, “That’s surprising.”