Chapter 9: 8, The dinner party

Colin’s POV

Even though Adina hadn’t filled the room or closet with her things, she had filled it with her scent, Colin realized. The bathroom smelled of her shampoo and, in the bedroom, he could feel a constant scent of lilacs and lemons. He enjoyed it more than he could explain. It was like being surrounded by her. 

He stood in the room trying to get the cufflink in place when he felt her looking at him. He let her look, but his focus was on her, and he couldn’t get the cufflink in place.

“Let me help you with that,” she offered, and he looked up as she entered the room. 

His jaw dropped, and his heart stopped. She was beautiful. He had never seen her hair let down and now it fell in soft curls down one of her shoulders. She had on a black dress that hugged every inch of her curves and made him react physically. The golden belt marked her waist and the soft draping over her breasts made his eyes focus on them.

She came over to him and took his cufflink and secured it gently, and did the same with the other one. Colin took a lock of her hair and let in run through his fingers, so soft.

“You look amazing,” he said. Adina looked up and met his gaze. She beamed one of her sunshine smiles at him.

“Thank you,” she said with a small blush creeping up her cheeks. “You look very handsome”. Colin smiled back at her.

“Why don’t we tell the others we are too tired for dinner, and I’ll help you out of that gorgeous dress?” Colin said in a low, husky voice.

“Tempting,” she whispered to him. “But I really like to meet everyone.” She added and Colin gave her a brief laughter.

“I think they will be there tomorrow as well,” he chuckled.

“But then I have to get myself ready tomorrow as well,” she said.

“Baby, if you insist on dressing up like that, we might never leave this room”. 

His statement made her blush, and Colin thought it was the sweetest thing ever. He leant in and gave her a soft kiss. He felt her responding directly, and the kiss deepened. Soon he realised that if he didn’t stop, he would claim her there and then. 

It felt like pure agony, but he knew she wasn't ready for that. He took a step back. He tilted his forehead to lean against hers.

“Ready to go downstairs?” he asked.

“You need to go wash the lipstick off first and I need to apply some new,” Adina said and smiled while rubbing his bottom lip with her thumb. 

It took all of Colin’s self-control not to nibble at her thumb. Instead, he put on a smile as he went to wash up.   

A while later, they were heading down the stairs. Colin, as usual, had his arm around Adina’s waist. Sean waited at the bottom of the stairs. Colin still felt a bit annoyed by the man, but he could live with him. 

Colin heard the people that had gathered in the living room. He led Adina that way, with Sean trailing close behind them. In the living room, all the members of the pack that Colin saw as ranking members of his closest circle mingled. He smiled. He enjoyed the feeling that he was introducing them to their new luna, his mate.

Adina’s POV

Adina felt nervous. She was on one hand used to being introduced to new packs. This was more important as this was Colin’s pack. If she was honest with herself, being accepted by Colin’s pack meant more to her than she could put in to words. 

She could feel Colin relax next to her, and she realized he had just entered a room full of his friends. To her, most of them were still strangers, but she tried to take comfort because Colin considered them his friends.

Colin cleared his throat, and the room felt silent, and they all acknowledged his presence with a slight bow.

“Friends, I invited you to a small dinner tonight to welcome two new guests. But faith has smiled at me,” Colin said, looking down at Adina with a smile. 

“Today I instead get to introduce my mate to you. Let me introduce Adinalaka. She prefers to be called Adina, your new luna.” 

As Colin finished his introduction, he beamed and gently pushed Adina ahead of himself to let all focus land on her. There was a soft murmur in the room and Adina’s gut clenched for a second. 

Then she saw all the smiles that showed on people’s faces as they bowed to her and then walked towards them to greet her. It looked like these people were genuinely happy that their alpha had found his mate.

Colin stepped up to be by her side again and started introducing her to the pack members, remembering to include Sean. There were the elders Cleo and Protius with their respective mate, Mateo and Julia, Jason and the headmaster of the schools Albert with his mate.

“Adina, I think you have already met Andy. He’s the elected spokesperson for the business owners,” Colin said when the slender, redheaded werewolf with glasses approached.

“I have,” Adina replied and smiled at the man.

“It is a pleasure to meet you again, luna. Let me introduce my mate Joonas,” he said and Adina looked at the man by his side. 

The first thought that entered her mind was lumberjack. Joonas was a big man, not as tall as Colin or Sean, but not far off. He had broad shoulders, seemed to be built like a brick wall. He had black hair held together in a ponytail and a thick black beard. His deep blue eyes were kind and Adina liked him at once.

“Luna, it is an honour. I was beyond upset when I heard you had visited our shop when I was away,” he said, sending a beaming smile at her.

“I tried one of your smoothies, the lemon one. It was simply divine,” Adina said and Joonas smile got even broader, and he seemed lost for words.

“Thank you luna. Now I will take this one and get him a drink so that he can calm down,” Andy said with a loving smile towards Joonas. 

“Please stop by anytime,” he said as he ushered his mate away and Adina could hear Joonas asking Andy if he had heard the same thing Joonas had, that the luna had called his smoothie divine. 

Adina laughed quietly and felt Colin do the same.

“Ah, Molly, have you lost James on the way over?” Colin asked a woman in her late fifties as she approached. She had a maternal air about her and very kind blue eyes.

“If only,” she laughed. “No, I’m afraid he had a late call, a pup that wasn’t feeling too well,” she continued.

“Adina, this is Molly. She’s one of our pack nurses and she is mated to doctor James, our pack doctor,” Colin introduced Adina.

“I’m so happy to meet you luna” Molly said with a warm smile.

“And me you,” Adina said. “I hope the pup isn’t seriously ill,” she added.

“Nothing my dear mate can’t handle,” Molly said, but her smile didn’t reach her eyes this time. 

“He wanted me to ask you to come by the clinic tomorrow, alpha, if you have the time. He needed to talk to you about something,” she added.

“No problem, I’ll make some time for him,” Colin said.

“Thank you. I brought Amy along, I hope you don’t mind alpha” Molly said beckoning to a woman Adina’s age.

The woman was beautiful with dark brown hair in an up due, a red dress that had a deep plunging neckline and bare back. But what made Adina almost jump was the look the woman gave her. It was a look of deep contempt.

Colin was occupied with something else and did not see the look the woman gave Adina, but Sean did, and he had already started moving to place himself between Adina and the threat.

‘Don’t’ Adina told him via mind link.

‘Adina, she is not a friend,’ Sean protested.

‘I know, but also, she is no danger to me,’ she replied.

‘Your mate should reprimand her for the look she is giving you,’ Sean said angrily.

‘He is occupied, he hasn’t noticed,’ Adina defended Colin.

‘Then tell him.’

‘No, let it go,’ Adina said.

Adina understood the woman. She must be an unmated wolf and what female wouldn’t be interested in Colin, Adina thought. He was a sexy, handsome, powerful alpha. Women would be stupid not to be interested in him. And, of course, these women wouldn’t be overjoyed when Adina appeared.

“What? Yes Amy, no problem, Molly,” Colin said, unfocused. Adina had the feeling he had mind linked with someone. 

“Adina, this is Amy. She is our training pack doctor,” he continued, and when he turned to Amy, she had a sweet smile plastered on her face. The glare she had given Adina was gone.

“An honour luna,” Amy said, keeping her smile. Adina just smiled slightly and nodded. She did not like this woman.

As the introductions were finished, they moved into the smaller dining room, with Colin and Adina leading the way. Colin showed Adina to her seat next to him at the head of the table. Sean sat to her right and the rest of the guests placed themselves at the table.

The mood was friendly; the food was splendid, and Colin made sure Adina felt included in the conversation. This made Adina relax, and she found herself having fun. She and Julia talked about books that they both had read and Colin and Mateo even got Sean into a conversation with Jason.

“You seem to be happy,” Colin whispered in Adina’s ear. She smiled at him.

“I am having fun,” she admitted.

“I knew you would. You are home,” he said, satisfied, letting his arm draped around her shoulders.

Adina gave him a small smile and gently shook her head. This was not the time and place to have that discussion. At this moment, she was happy to be sitting with her mate’s arm around her, listening to Sean’s voice was relaxed and surrounded by people she enjoyed spending time with.

Well, most of them anyway, she thought as she saw Amy’s eyes noticing Colin’s arm around Adina’s shoulders. Amy shot Adina an angry look. Adina responded with a smile, trying to kill it with kindness.

Sean’s POV

Sean looked at the she-wolf that kept giving Adina dirty looks as soon as Colin couldn’t see it. He had told Adina that she should tell her mate about it. But as usual, she had a mind of her own.

Well, if she wasn’t about to protect herself, Sean would do it for her. He, therefore, stayed focused on Amy the entire night. A few times Amy looked at him, as to ask why he was watching her.

Sean didn’t react, he had had stare-downs with far more intimidating opponents. When that didn’t work, Amy had switched tactics and was now trying to flirt with him. He almost wanted to laugh. What on earth could that female offer him? He scoffed and continue to watch her.

As the evening was winding down, Sean realised that he would be spending the night away from Adina. He had to fight hard against his anxiety at the thought. Not only would they not be in the same room, but he would also be two floors away. If something were to happen, it would take him a long time to get to her.  

Adina may trust her alpha mate to keep her safe, but Sean wasn’t there yet. But she had told him that this is what she wanted, so he would give it to her.