Chapter 168 Engagement Banquet Part 2

Chapter 168 Engagement Banquet Part 2
\[Osiris’ POV\]
I keep my gaze fixed on my flame as she pretends to be happy about her engagement with Ray, and once their introduction is finished, they disappear backstage.
Remaining in place, I watch while the crowd around me starts to move, some heading to the buffet that is set up to the right and others to the dance floor as a DJ starts to play something upbeat.
“Care to dance?” Someone asks from behind me, and when I turn, I find Adeline smiling back at me. “Surprised?” She chuckles while I stare at her. “Did you think I would let you come without me?”
“No,” I respond. “But why are you bothering me?”
Right now, the only thing I was concerned about was seeing my flame and finding the chance to talk to her.
“Bothering,” Adeline repeats. “Is that what you say to someone helping you?”
“Helping.”
How in the hell was this woman helping me by bothering me?
“You see,” she continues with a smile. “I may have gotten a bit of information on where the lady for the evening is hanging out.”
Instantly, I understand what it is that Adeline is saying to me, and I rise to my feet.
“Where is she?” I ask.
After a few days away from my mate, I was feeling deprived.
Every night when I closed my eyes, I saw her face, and in my dreams I felt her warmth, but the minute morning light came, it was gone, and I was left feeling empty.
“Oh,” Adeline laughs. “Now you want to be nice to me.”
“Stop fucking around.”
“Spoilsport,” she sighs, crossing her arms. “But I will forgive you since you’ve been deprived of Raelyn. However, you better remember that you owe me.”
“Whatever,” I grumble. “Just lead the fucking way.”
For a moment, Adeline doesn’t move, but I can see her gaze slowly drifting around, clearly making sure that the coast is clear for us to start moving. Once she has determined that it is, she motions for me to follow her.
Not needing any more encouragement, I do as instructed.
Together, we move through the crowd, all the while being ignored since we weren’t the stars of the show.
Honestly, this was perfect. As long as no eyes came to rest on me, I could go and see my flame with no issues, but I know that it wouldn’t be that easy, not when my stepmother was roaming around somewhere.
And as I remember the biggest threat, I start to look around until I spot her speaking with some women who I recognize as wives of pack leaders.
I allow my gaze to remain on the group until the husbands of the ladies return, but then something strikes me.
Father.
During this whole mess, Father hadn’t made his appearance.
What the hell was that man doing while his wife wreaked havoc?
Was he still enjoying his vacation as everyone took care of the business he left behind, or was he maybe seeing another woman?
I didn’t know, but once this was all over and done with, I had half a mind to call the bastard. How could he possibly leave my stepmother to her own devices?
With this thought in mind, I watch as the woman in question moves onto the next group, acting like the perfect hostess of the evening, and once I’m certain that she will be distracted for a bit, I continue to move until Adeline and I head out of the banquet room and down the hall to the lounge, where I feel my flame waiting for me.
“Go on,” Adeline urges me, stopping. “I’ll keep watch.”
Nodding, I move past her and don’t even hesitate to head into the lounge, where I find my flame sitting.
“Osiris!” She gasps as I move toward her. “Why are you…”
She doesn’t finish her words as I pull her to me, allowing her warmth and solidity to slowly chase away all of my uneasiness.
“W-wait,” she hisses. “What are you doing?”
“Isn’t it obvious? ” I ask, inhaling her scent. “I’m holding my mate.”
As I speak, I slowly release her and then drop to my knees so that I can place my ear on her belly.
For a moment, I listen intently to the pitter patters of my pups’ heartbeats, and that too starts to relieve me.
“Fuck,” I groan, wrapping my arms around my flame. “Do you know how fucking hard this has been? All I have wanted to do was come here and steal you away. Every moment apart was torture.”
“You’re acting like we have been separated for eternity.” She points out. “But I do know what you mean.”
“To me, it was like eternity.” I point out, lifting my gaze to hers. “Did it not feel like that for you? Did you not miss me at all while you’ve been pretending to be happily in love with my brother?”
“Of course, I’ve missed you!” She gasps, eyes widening. “And who has been acting in love? I’ve done no such thing.”
“Then tell me what you’ve been up to,” I sigh, standing and dropping onto the couch she was previously sitting on. Once I’m in place, I wrap a hand around her wrist and tug so that she falls onto my lap. “If not pretending to be in love with my brother, then what?”
“I’ve basically been trapped in my room with Jean.” She points out, cuddling into me. “Even though your stepmother thinks I’m still under Jean’s power, she hasn’t been allowing me to move freely.”
“She may fear that someone loyal to me would try something,” I murmur.
“I’m sure you informed them not to do such a thing,” my flame sighs.
“That is correct.” I confirm. “Since you asked me to go along with this ridiculous plan, I have been doing everything to do just that, but that doesn’t mean that I haven’t had eyes on you.”
“Then you shouldn’t have accused me of pretending to be in love with your brother.” My flame pouts. “How could I do such a thing when you’re the most important person to me?”
“Am I?” I challenge wanting to tease her a bit.
Now that we were together, all the tension and unease I had been feeling was faded and in its place was a light feeling.
“Of course you are,” my flame responds seriously. “How could you even question such a thing?”
“Because you didn’t know me just a few days ago,” I point out.
Instantly, memories of that time return along with the confusion and disconnect I saw in the eyes of the woman who is sitting on me.
Fuck, that was painful, and even though I knew that I shouldn’t take offense since it wasn’t her fault, I just can’t help but be a little sore.
“Do you know how painful it was to have you look at me like a stranger?”
“I’m sorry,” my flame murmurs, shifting herself so that she can wrap her arms around my neck. “But that was completely out of my control.”
“Was it?” I ask, raising a brow. “Weren’t you the one that decided to go off with Jean by yourself from the start?”