Chapter 81
A week later.
NADIA.
The week just went by swiftly, but I couldn’t complain. My days were filled with too many activities, and I was thankful that I was having a normal pregnancy. My pup has never given me any nausea or any problems, aside from my addiction to custard cake and decaffeinated coffee.
Yes, coffee. Maybe because it was Riley’s scent. Whenever he wasn’t around me, I craved him more, and the smell of coffee helped me get through the hours without him.
And I missed Laura’s cake. Although I was able to force Jenny to help me make one, we couldn’t get the perfect taste like the one Laura made for me in Atlanta.
But when Zahra told me that Laura had made one for me and that she was taking it today, it made me happy all morning.
I could already feel the custard cake melting in my mouth.
All I was thinking right now was how to keep it to make sure no one would see it and take it away from me.
And no, Riley was not an exception. He could probably taste it, but one spoon is enough.
“Luna!” A bubbly voice greeted me as soon as I entered the big kitchen, where several lovely omega females were helping with the dinner for tonight.
My lips widened into a grin at the sight of Anya, Gamma Sebastian’s younger sister. She was in the kitchen helping out, as she promised her brother, just so he would allow her to hit the bar last night with Jenny for her after-party.
Anya turned eighteen a couple of days ago and had wanted to go to the bar with her friends for the first time, but the Gamma, being the overbearing brother that he was, had a hard time letting his sister go. Thankfully, Jenny stepped in and told him she would be watching over her.
So Anya was finally allowed to hit the bar last night with Jenny and two of her closest friends.
She invited me as well, but bars were really not my thing, plus I’m pregnant.
And I didn’t think for a second that my overprotective mate would allow me to go out without him.
And the last thing I wanted was to drag Riley and spoil Anya’s fun, so I just decided to stay home and have fun with my Alpha.
“Anya!” I opened my arms and the lovely blonde female launched herself on her feet and was soon hugging me back, squeezing my body gently.
“You always smell so good, Luna!” She mumbled, her nose digging into the collar of my shirt.
“And you are always so sweet!” I giggled, kissing her cheek before we let go of each other. “So how was your night? Did you have fun? Jenny told me you didn’t scent anyone.” I pouted my lips, faking disappointment.
She giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. “No. I didn’t. Although I got kissed by a hot guy.”
“Did you now?” My eyes widened, and my hands went to my hips. “Did Sebastian know?”
She shook her head and placed a finger on her lips. “And you’re not allowed to tell him.”
“Nope. Not telling him. He’s a party pooper!”
“You bet!”
“So how was it?” I asked her as we went around the kitchen.
My head peered in between the omegas’ shoulders as they cooked and prepared food. I smiled at them and patted their shoulders as acknowledgment when they greeted me or bowed their heads.
“Well, it wasn’t as I expected. It was like too much saliva, and I didn’t like it, unfortunately.” A scowl formed on her face, and I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Well, it’s going to be like that until you find a pair of lips you want to kiss, either with someone you have a real attraction to or your mate.”
“So it’s not icky when you kiss the Alpha?” She asked, giggling.
“No. It’s not icky. It’s yummy and explosive. Like…” I raised my hand for emphasis, letting my eyes grow wider. “... the world stops. And before you know it, you just don’t want to stop kissing him.”
“Still sounds yucky to me.”
I laughed heartily, tapping the tip of her nose with my finger. “You will eat your words one of these days. But no rush, sweetheart. You’re still young. The perfect kiss will come at the right time.”
“Like right now?” A deep, baritone voice came out of nowhere, and both Anya and I swung our heads in the direction of the voice.
Dawson, Riley’s cousin from the Green Valley Pack, was leaning his shoulder against the kitchen entryway with his arms folded against his chest. He was the third son of Alpha Vesmont, Riley’s uncle.
“Dawson!” I exclaimed and watched as he approached us, throwing an arm to hug me and kissing my cheek. “You’re too early for dinner!”
I saw Anya had moved away and went to check some of the food being cooked.
“Well, I have a good excuse to run away from Dad, so I’m taking advantage.”
“So it means he’s not coming?” I asked, my brow hiking up.
We had invited several guests for tonight, including Alpha Darvin, Katarina, and Sofia, and, of course, Alpha Vesmont and Luna Graciella with their sons.
I also requested Alpha Jacob and Luna Clair so I could finally meet her but they had to decline the invitation, as he and his Luna have a newborn, and he didn’t want to be away from them for a long time.
“Yup. Riley told him that Zahra was invited and that if he was going to say anything bad to Zahra, he should not come tonight and that you and he would just visit him one of these days.” He explained in one breath.
“Riley told him that?” I couldn’t believe what I just heard. But I knew if Riley did, he was doing it not for Zahra, but for me. But I was thankful, nevertheless.
“Yup. I was there, and he was on speaker, so I heard it loud and clear, like Riley was saying, Uncle, you’re not invited. So fuck off and do your own thing on that day.”
“Wow. I didn’t expect that.”
“Dad, too. I think he was sulking. Imagine being told to fuck off by your favorite person. So that means Mom couldn’t be here either. She wanted to make sure that he wouldn’t change his mind and just pop up here.”
“I understand. It would have been lovely if your mom were here. But yes, we will just visit them.”
“So that means you’re my favorite Luna tonight because Mom is not here.” He put his arm around me and pulled me close to his side while chuckling.
“And you better take your hands off of Luna Nadia, because I’m pretty sure once the Alpha sees you doing that, you’ll be thrown out of the territory. In an instant, you would have a bloody nose. And dismantled bones.” Jenny added as she strode in, winking at me as she went to hug Anya.
“Yeah, fucking possessive Alphas.” He huffed and let go of me as his eyes followed Jenny, and his mouth widened into a smug grin when his gaze fell on Anya.
“You must be Anya. That blonde girl who helped me out of the fountain years ago.”
Anya smiled and nodded her head. “You remember.”
“I fucking do. You were the only one who helped out while all the fuckers around me were laughing. But you were so skinny and small way back then.”
“It was five years ago. I was still a kid.” She answered shyly.
“But damn, Caleb was right—you’ve grown into a hot chick!” He said while licking his lower lip.
I rolled my eyes at Dawson’s flirty ways, shaking my head as I grinned at Jenny.
Alpha Vesmont has three sons, Caleb, Trent, and Dawson. And among the three of them, he was the most easygoing type. Probably because he has fewer responsibilities on his shoulders compared to his two older brothers.
Anya’s smile faded as her cheeks started to tint red at Dawson’s words. “Alpha Caleb said that?”
“Yes. And he told me you’re not 18 yet. He was hoping you were his mate, but I think he was mistaken because I’m fucking sure you’re my mate, given how my heart flutters at the sight of you.
When are you turning eighteen?” Dawson asked, a smug smirk still on his lips as he crossed his arms over his chest.
Jenny and I started giggling this time while Anya gave out a shy smile, biting her bottom lip.
“What’s funny?” He asked. He looked lost as his eyes shifted from me to Jenny.
“Anya is already eighteen,” Jenny answered.
“And since you are both not acting strange, I assume she is not your fated mate,” I added, and Dawson’s jaw opened before he turned his whole body to face Anya.
“No fucking way. Something might just have gone wrong.” He pretended to be heartbroken while clutching his chest, then strode quickly to Anya, gripped her arms, leaned forward to try to scent her, and started chuckling as Jenny and I giggled even more.
“Damn, this is fucking crazy, you smell sweet… but…” He kept trying to smell her hair and neck.
“She’s not your mate, Dawson.” I couldn’t stop myself from laughing, and Anya started giggling too. And then all of a sudden, her body stiffened as her eyes widened like she had seen a ghost.
The grin on my lips was wiped off the moment I saw the fear that crossed Anya’s eyes. And before I could understand what was happening, a loud growl erupted behind me.
“Mine!”
All eyes moved in the direction of the growl, but everything happened so fast. A large body came directly to where Dawson was.
A hand coiled around Dawson’s shirt, and he was shoved to the kitchen floor as all the omegas scuttled to the far end to watch the commotion, while Anya stood frozen in her spot.
“Did you fucking kiss her?”
YOUNG ALPHA CALEB.
I had nothing scheduled for the day, so I pulled Dawson away from his computer games, and we drove off to Riley’s territory. I knew we were too early for Nadia’s birthday dinner, but I had been wanting to visit my cousin’s territory for another reason.
Anya.
When I met her almost six months ago, I asked when she would be turning eighteen, and she told me the exact day.
It was a couple of days ago, and Nadia’s birthday dinner was just perfect timing.
I was hoping she would be here tonight, but if not, I had to find a way to see her, even if that meant visiting her home.
But the thing was, I just couldn’t ask Sebastian.