CHAPTER NINTEEN
As though she could notice the burning surge of attraction between us, Mia walked in front of him, breaking our eye contact and then walked with him towards the center of the podium.
“Is there a reason the Alpha is looking at you like you stole from him?” Darius whispered in my ear.
“I don't know. I should be asking you, did you say anything to him?”
“Nothing he's not already aware of,” he mused, “let's go back to our seats.”
I nodded and walked with him. I didn't even know we'd strayed so far from where we were before while dancing. That's how electrical the last few minutes were.
To make things worse, right on that podium stood another man whose rigid stance was calling for my attention, drawing me to him. If I could touch him, he'd simply deflate and feel better but to hell with that.
The bond could suggest all it wanted, I wouldn't listen. But it wasn't a tap I could turn off either.
I kept my breathing even, masking every thought. I’d trained myself not to falter, not to let my gaze betray me.
There seemed to be a flurry of activities packed into the night that I realized they'd developed over the years. Which meant that they've been having this mockery of a festival even before Lucian became the Alpha.
I was intently watching a play being displayed on the stage performed by children when a shewolf came up next to me.
“Hey,” she waved at me, still coming impossibly close into my personal space, “you must be the new girl they picked out of the gutters – sorry, don't mind my language, I mean on the pack border.”
I looked at her properly, and the mean girl energy pouring out of her small sized body was overpowering.
“Belinda, what do you want?” Darius asked before I could answer her.
“Oh nothing baby,” she chuckled, “just checking in on you,” she added as she reached across the table in front of me for the wine on his table.
“I already told you I'm busy tonight. Why can't you just do as you're told?” He snarled as I forcefully extricated my fingers from his tight hold.
“Hmm, I don't know, I was just… thirsty. Oops!” She exclaimed as she let go of the glass she'd picked, spilling its content all over the table in front of me.
I pushed back so fast the chair hit her leg but I didn't care.
“What the hell is wrong with you?!” Darius snarled, and the entire hall shushed, even the performers on the stage.
Boom, tears poured down her face as though they'd been waiting to shower down on demand.
“It was a mistake,” she cried, “why do you have to be so mean to me?”
He drew me behind him and I made way for both of them
“Carry on, everyone,” he said loudly for the people, “we're fine over here.” Murmurs spread out in response, and the drama team continued. Then he grabbed her neck in a move that looked way too practiced, drawing a deeper bout of jealousy out of my broken heart, and whispered into her ear. “Take your manipulative ass and get out of here before I make you a laughing stock.”
The girl's tears dried instantly and with a murderous glance sent my way, she weaved her way out of the area we were sitting.
“I'm really sorry about that,” Darius said as he pulled out his seat for me, taking my own side probably so he could watch anybody coming again to lay claims on him.
“Nyx?” I called to my wolf who was suddenly quiet.
“He chose us,” she whispered, a properly smitten idiot.
“Like that's a big deal. He allowed his whore to insult us and you're excited he told her to leave afterwards?”
“But he's better than Lucian!” She protested.
“Exactly! You're accepting the bare minimum because the bar is set in hell where the lava is. I'm not going to roll over and spread my ass for him just because he did damage control,” I snapped, closing our link.
She was so damn easily impressed by these males who kept playing in my face.
I decided to focus on the play but it seemed the universe was hellbent on making a fool out of me. The show didn't make sense at the beginning and with the distraction, I'd lost the plot but as the young boy wearing dark fur was fake-killed, followed by his screaming mother and then, father, I realized what it depicted.
“Are you sure you still want to be here?” Darius whispered in my ear, “we can still leave.”
“I'm good,” I hissed, gritting my teeth.
Every part of the night was testing my patience but I was trained to pretend, and pretend I did.
As everyone rose up to clap for the clowns, the Alpha walked over to the front with his mate in tow.
I won't lie, she was pretty. That type that told you she would scream her head off if a strand of hair left the tight bun she'd put the rest in.
Her manicured fingers were wrapped around the Alpha's bicep while she forced the fakest, but bright smile on her face.
It didn't reach her eyes, that's how I knew it was fake, in case you were wondering.
“That was a beautiful performance everyone, let's give them another round of applause!” The Alpha commanded and the entire hall erupted in cheers and claps
I joined in, not wanting to seem out of place.
He let it go on for longer than necessary in my opinion but it was probably a minute before he raised his hand and the noise died down.
“Yea, they did exceedingly well. Now, let's get to the part of the ceremony the children love so much!” Cheers made him pause and I could hear the voices of children getting ready in excitement for whatever it was. “It's story time!!”