Chapter Twenty-one

Chapter Twenty-one
JASMINE's POV

He looked like there was something he had to say, but decided against it.

"that.. Sounds really nice. I'm glad we've gotten to this point, where at least you don't dread the day, because you didn't get to choose your groom."

"you're right, I didn't get to choose my groom. But I like the one that was picked for me."

"ahh, Jasmine. You warm this old man's cold heart." I chuckled lightly at his words and shook my head.

"you're not old. A couple of years older than me, but you're not old."

"at least I don't have to worry about you wanting someone younger." he said lightly, and I pressed my lips together.

"you don't have to worry about me wanting someone else. Just that. There won't be anyone else."

"like wise. You have my word." he said , more seriously, and I nodded.

"you also have mine."

He left after that, and my maid walked into the room, looking somewhat apologetic.

"my apologies, I did not know you were both together."

"no need to apologize. We can always be together." and wasn't that a lovely thought? I mean, I was not going to delude myself into believing that Damien was in love with me, or he would suddenly fall in love with me. But he would always be present, he was mine and I was his and it was exclusive. We had a bond, though not one born out of love, but there would be affection, there would be compassion, and that filled my heart, to be honest.

Because at the end of the day, even though I had not chosen this for myself, Alpha Damien was the kind of man every woman needed.

I came down for lunch. The whole avoiding each other thing was sort of  unnecessary. I mean, how did I even think I could avoid a man I lived with?

"wow, Jasmine. You look lovely." Liam exclaimed when he saw me, and I smiled at him.

"why, thank you Liam. " I was grateful when he didn't ask why I had not been present for breakfast, and it was at that moment, Damien looked up from his phone and really looked at me.

"Yeah, Jasmine. You look  nice."

"thank you, Damien." I said somewhat shyly, and took my seat from across them.

"We have witch." Damien  said without preamble, and I turned to him with a curious expression. Why was he suddenly announcing that they had a witch?

I looked up from my meal to find him looking at me, and I blinked in question.

"you have a witch." I repeated, hoping he would elaborate.

"she um, she's been in the pack for as long as I can remember. She's a friend… and she'd like to meet you."

"meet… me?" I asked, feeling dumbfounded, and Damien nodded. I looked to Liam , who had an unreadable expression, and I wasn't sure if he knew about all this.

"yeah. But only if you're up for it."

I thought for a moment before shrugging.

"you say she's been in your family for as long as you can remember."

"my pack." Damien corrected and I nodded in adjustment.

"Your pack, right. And you trust her?"

"with my very life." Damien said in a heartbeat, and that was all the conviction I needed.

"then we need not think too hard on this. You can set up the date. I'll be more than happy to meet her."

"well, now." Damien said and spooned up some rice and stew, "great."

"I want to go horseback." I blurted out, after a comfortable silence filled with the sound of spoons against plates, and chewing enraptured, and I pressed my lips awaiting Damien's reply.

"now?" he asked, and I giggled, before shaking my head.

"Of course not. Of course not now. But then , today, in the evening or tomorrow after a long day of going through those catalogs you're ordering me. If you're down for any of it."

He looked like he was thinking about it, and then shrugged.

"tomorrow after a long day sounds nice. Then you can tell me about the choices you made." Liam looked at him so quick, I feared his neck would snap. Perhaps he was just as surprised as I was to hear his friend say those words.

"did I say something wrong, Liam?" Damien asked, not looking up from his meal, and Liam only smiled.

"no. not at all. If you ask me? I'd say you said everything right." Liam replied, and winked at me, making me gush.

DAMIEN'S POV

"you must not act the git every chance you get." I said to Liam, after Jasmine had left the table.

"believe me, that's not my intention. "

"and what was?"

"I don't think I had any intentions. I was just surprised by what you said. You sounded really soft for a moment there. I had to look again and make sure it was my friend."

"you made her question what I said." I said, sounding petulant to my own ears, but I could not help it. Jasmine was beginning to have a hold on me that I was finding very hard to shake off.

"oh, I would not say she doubted you. Just that she doesn’t realize how hard you've tried to claim the identity of the big bad wolf. Now all of a sudden, you sound sweet and cuddly. Ordering her a catalog, wanting to hear all about it. It's sweet really. She just doesn't know the hand she's played in bringing that side of you out."

"I'm trying to be a husband, Liam. Wasn't it you who advised me to try?"

"no, no. I did for sure. I'm not saying there is anything wrong here. Don't get me wrong."

"then.. What are you saying?"

"not much. Just that I'm surprised. But I like what I'm surprised about. Not much."

I let out a huff and shook my head, before rising.

"I've had enough of you for the day."

"sure you have. See you at dinner buddy. Come prepared." he said with a tone that spoke of the little imp in him.

And in as much as I didn’t want to offend Jasmine, I wondered If I simply could not skip dinner at the table that evening.

"No." I said, as an afterthought. The thought of leaving Liam alone with Jasmine, was a recipe for disaster. Not if Liam knew I was avoiding him.

"Damn it." I said and shook my head. Until I knew how to battle Liam about Jasmine's case. Liam would win.