Chapter Eighteen
Cassy’s eyes looked across the room and found Kai dancing with a beautiful lady who was putting on a short dress.
As if that was not enough, he bent over and placed his lips on her…
A couple danced together and came to obstruct the view completely causing Cassy to be unable to see what they did.
And no, she did not care. It was none of her business.
“Oh, I see he is having a great time,” she said with a faux smile, turning to look at him.
“Indeed, he is,” Gabriel nodded and put his free hand into his pocket. “And perhaps you don’t have anything to say?”
Although Cassy understood what he meant, she looked at him with a blank expression raising her right eyebrow.
This was the only way to avoid his question, at least for this moment.
Gabriel chuckled and shook his head. “I meant to ask if you do not care about seeing your mate with another,” he clarified, staring directly into her eyes.
She could not think of any word to say as all she could feel for her so called mate was anger and she did not want Gabriel to know. If not, their next meeting was going to be a disaster.Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.
“Can I have a dance, my lady?” A young lad immediately came to her rescue.
“No. She is with me,” Gabriel replied before she could come up with anything.
The lad bowed and left. The faux smile which Cassy’s face had been holding all through fell as she returned her gaze to Gabriel.
“What was that?” she asked angrily.
“What was what? You were obviously trying to avoid my question,”
“And so what if I was? What do you want to know?” Cassy hissed and went into the crowd.
She dropped her cup on a tray and stood at the other end of the room watching people twirl around on the large space in the middle used as a dance floor.
And again she could not help but feel lonely.
Damn Gabriel, if only he could stop poke nosing into others business she would not have been left alone now.
“May I have a dance?” someone asked after a few minutes of standing there doing nothing.
It was the lad from earlier. She smiled and placed her palm in his inviting one which he grabbed and used to pull her to his chest before wrapping one arm around her waist.
The action was so swift that her upper body rubbed against his chest for a moment and he tried to not think about it as they twirled around on the dance floor.
“I am a bad dancer. I might step on your foot,” Cassy knew she sounded stupid. She was supposed to say this before accepting the dance.
He chuckled. “I do not mind learning with you,”
She smiled and tightened her grip on his shoulder as he lifted her up by her waist while she threw her legs in the air.
They danced for a while before she felt tired and requested for them to return to the sideline while they chatted.
He asked her to wait for him. He left for a while and returned with two cups of wine and snacks.
“So, who was he?” he asked and took a sip from his drink. “I don’t mean to pry… I just..” he trailed off.
Cassy chuckled. “I understand,” it took a moment before she gave a reply to his question. “My mate’s cousin,”
“What?” He wanted to know if he had heard wrongly. He knew that most wolves do not joke with their mate and it was rude of him to assume that she was mateless.
“He is my mate’s cousin,” she repeated with a small smile on her face.
But her eyebrows furrowed when she saw him give a distance.
“Ah, you don’t have to be scared. He would do nothing,” she told him, taking her eyes back on the dance floor.
He was nowhere to be found. Probably he was somewhere making out with a beautiful damsel.
“Is– is he dead?”
Yes. In my heart. “No. He is here but fear not, he can’t do anything,”
The lad became confused. Even an omega would not want to see his mate with another nonetheless a normal wolf but why does she keep saying that he would do nothing?
“If you say so,” he sighed.
He needed to stop being scared. She had given him her word.
They chatted and laughed for a while. Cassy found him to be interesting and she was glad she had met him that night. If not, it could have been another boring night for her.
“Uhm– mind if you follow me out for some fresh air?” she asked, finishing the last one of the snacks he brought.
She was beginning to get tired of this place.
“Sure,” he placed out his arm and she held it as they waltzed in between lovers and drunk people out of the room.
They began to walk down the hallway in silence. Cassy wanted to say something but at the same time she loved the silence and wanted it to remain like that for a while.
“Cassy?” she heard a familiar voice prompting her to turn in the direction she had heard it. It was Marlene.
“Good day, sis” she greeted with a smile. She had not seen her since the luncheon began.
“Good day, your highness,” sis? Who was this lady to the Luna?
“How are you enjoying the party? And where are you…” she trailed off as soon as her eyes met where their bodies were joined. “Going?” she finished quickly trying to smile.
“Oh, we are just taking a walk for I was fatigued from being in a confined space for long,” Cassy explained oblivious of Marlene’s scrutinizing gaze.
“Oh, I see,” she said, her eyes never leaving the lad. “And who is this?”
“Just someone I met at the luncheon,” Cassy replied with a tight smile and Marlene nodded severally.
“Have you seen Kai?”
“No. I could not find him this morning and up till this moment I have not set my eyes on him,” Cassy felt awkward saying it in front of strangers but she needed to let Marlene.
That stupid nephew of hers. “Alright, see you around,”
They both bowed slightly as she left.
As they continued their journey around the palace, she could sense that he had questions on his mind.
“She is my mate’s aunt,” she answered before he could voice out his thoughts.
“Then who is your mate?” he wanted to ask but could not bring himself to.
Not wanting to push further he shoved the questions springing up in his head behind.
They kept walking and gazing around until they arrived at the garden.
The garden was filled with flowers of different kinds giving the area a pleasant smell. The both of them found a spot to sit and they sat down side by side.
Cassy sighed loudly and looked upwards gazing at the dark sky that was void of stars.
“Thank you for accompanying me. Tonight should have been yet another boring night if it weren’t for you,” her voice came out as a whisper.
“It’s nothing. I enjoy your company too,” he said truthfully.
He found her to be interesting and adorable. She took note of the slightest thing and tended to appreciate everything.
Staring down at her, he could not help but notice her features. Her brown eyes were enticing and her pink luscious lips was one that no man would not give a second glance to and her well endowed body which had the right proportions.
He knew it was wrong of him to stare at another man’s mate in such a manner but he could not stop himself.
He found himself staring at her lips again. He was incredibly drawn to them and could not take his eyes off them. He wondered what they tasted like and brought his head closer.
Cassy sat there drowned in her thoughts oblivious of what her company for the night had in mind.
“Cassy,” a familiar voice called, jolting her out of her thoughts and him out of his fantasy as he drew his head back and pretended to look away.
Cassy immediately recognized the voice as Kai’s but decided to keep mute pretending it was not her. She silently thanked the moon goddess for allowing the place to be low lit, she knew he would not be able to see her properly.
“I think someone is–” her company tried to say but she hushed him. Can’t he see that she was avoiding him?
“What do you take me for, Cassy? I know you are there,” he declared loudly, annoyance laced in his tone. “I can smell you. Don’t allow me to go there to get you myself. Come and let’s go back, it’s already late woman,”
Cassy squeezed her eyes shut as she processed his words.
Damn it. How could he know her smell?
She opened her eyes and sat up straight. “You should leave, I can go back on my own,” she tried to make her voice sound as stern as possible but she was failing.
“I don’t want to go there by myself. Come back with me!” his voice raised an octave higher, making her flinch but the lad beside her seemed to be calm.
He was curious to know who the person ordering her was as he seemed to be possessive of her.
“I am not a baby. I can find my way back or have a guard accompany me,” she uttered, still not moving an inch.
Without another word, Kai walked down to where they were sitting and grabbed her hand tightly.
Kai’s eyes met with the lad sitting beside her and his eyes darkened. How could she be with another..
Did he have the right to ask her when his heart belonged to another?
Kai angrily gripped her hand tightly and stormed away.
The lad on the other hand tried not to look surprise as soon as Kai’s face came into view. Why was the enemy here?
He glanced at the spot beside him and it slowly dawned on him.
He had been with the enemy’s daughter?!
“Let me go!” she struggled to remove his tight grip on her hand as he dragged her across the hallway, heading to their room.
“You are hurting me, Kai!” she yelled angrily as they reached the front of their room.
At the mention of his name, he let go of her hand and she brought it close to her, rubbing her red wrist.
“We are leaving tomorrow so I expect you to behave yourself,” he scolded, glaring at her. “I have to be somewhere. Go to bed,”
With that, he walked away. Cassy could not help but wonder what was wrong with him. He had been dancing with a beautiful lady a few hours ago and having fun, now he was dragging her away from her company.
She huffed and puffed her cheeks before sauntering into the room, still rubbing her wrist.
That night, she slept late as she found it hard to sleep. She woke up later by the sound of someone’s movement inside the room.
She opened her eyes slightly and found that it was Kai. Where had he been? Was he with his lover?
Cassy shut her eyes. She should remember the pact and stop caring about whatever he does.
Without that thought in mind, Cassy drifted into oblivion.
Cassy woke up early the following morning to prepare for the journey. She glared at Kai’s large figure which was sprawled up on the couch.
“Jerk,” she mumbled and continued with arranging her clothes into the trunk.
A servant came in later and joined her. Cassy thanked the maid after they were done and went into the bathroom. By the time she was out, Kai was no longer there prompting her to wonder where he went to.
Just then, he walked in with guards clad in fresh clothes.
“Let’s go,” he said and gestured to the trunks. The guards robotically grabbed their trunks.
Cassy nodded and followed behind him.
They reached the front of the palace where Marlene and Zachary were waiting for them.
“Oh, Cassy,” Marlene held Cassy’s hand in hers, smiling. “We did not have to opportunity to spend time with each other but I hope you can visit soon,”
“I would,” Cassy replied with a smile and Marlene drew her in for a hug.
The two men watched the ladies in silence before turning to look at each other.
“I hope you take good care of her and yourself,” Zachary stated and patted his shoulder.
Kai nodded in reply and went to meet the ladies.
“You should bring her with you some other time, Kai,” Marlene spoke, still holding Cassy’s hand.
“Alright,” he gave a curt reply.
“See you soon,” Cassy hugged her one more time before leaving with Kai.
The footman opened the door and the both of them climbed in.
And as they rode down on the familiar path Cassy couldn’t help but feel elated although she knew there was still an unfamiliar feeling aside the happiness she was feeling
She was returning back to the palace. A place where she called her personal prison.
The unfamiliar feeling gradually became known as she glanced at Kai who had his eyes closed. Memories of their little encounters flashing before her eyes as she slowly realized that they were possibly never going to interact again.