Chapter 84
âBut anyway, itâs a sh ame weâll miss you there, Alpha Locksworth. Do enjoy whatever plans you
have.â
Warily, I look over to Raizel. She was pinning for a reaction. It was obvious in her taunts she was trying to get something from him. So when I looked over to the raven head and felt his aura prickle me in discomfort, I knew she had succeeded. The intense pressure coming off him making Opal move back a few steps until she stood near the doorway. His eyebrows were scrunched together, the fork in his hand bending with his knuckles whitening quickly.
I was half expecting him to shift and half expecting him to abruptly stand and storm away, but he does neither of those things. He instead just calms himself, screwing his eyes sh ut for a few seconds before his grip on the fork lessened and the scowl on his face disappeared.
âI suppose it wouldnât hurt to go.â
He says finally, his voice an octave deeper than before. The evident irritation in his voice was so blatantly obvious even Opal coughed in awkwardness. I couldnât help but look surprised. He never once attended a Gala. He was always sent an invitation but he never took the time to actual go to one before. Much less, send a response or explanation as to why he didnât want to go. Everyone knew he just didnât want to. Simple as that.
The fact that he was coming brought alive the nerves Elizabeth was talking about. Th nerves that were never there to begin with was now spiraling out of control and it was all his fault.
I felt nervous when I didnât have any reason to at first.
Wiliams and Elizabeth give each other looks that said even they couldnât believe what had just happened. I wondered what changed his mind. Although the vain part of me wanted to believe it was because he was jealous, the more humble part of me -the bigger part- tried convincing me it was because he wanted to show me respect as an Alpha.
The vain part of me was more convincing.
âI see. I guess this yearâs Gala will be unforgettable.â
Williams murmurs, looking between Raizel and I. Now he was definitely questioning our relationship. I merely nod in agreement, not trusting myself from overreacting and making a fo ol of myself. His announcement in attending has already scrambled my thoughts all over the place.
âI suppose so.â
Raizel huffs out, equally quiet.
Well f*uck me if this isnât uncomfortable.
âAnyway, since youâre attending, Iâm sure you need to get yourself a suit and maybe-â
Elizabeth cuts herself off at the sound of someoneâs phone ringing. Raizel silently curses to himself, digging his hand in his suit pocket before sending Williams a look when reading the caller ID. He gives him a hard nod, eyes not giving anything away. From my peripheral vision, I see Williams stiffen with a hard look glazing over his face. The two look at each other in silent understanding as the ringing echoes in the mansion.
Neither Elizabeth or I do anything but look on.
Just when I though the phone would just go to voice mail, Raizel answers and puts it to his ear.
Excusing himself, he gets up and walks from the dining table in a hurry but not before saying something in a language I couldnât recognize.
âFreumale, costa drendenea.â
I make a face. It sounded like something between Spanish and French, if that was even possible.
Possibly even a little bit of Latin? I watch as his broad back disappears into the living room. Williams too was watching over him with a less than pleased expression on his face. His earlier comment long forgotten about. I wanted to ask what was wrong or why the sudden cold tension but a frustrated shout stopped me.
âGrendenium! Brothernu sinvikter ladnum!â
Raizelâs harsh voice rang down the hall, filling me up with more curiosity as I look over to Williams. He ignores my gaze, knowing that I was staring but decided to keep watching the doorway from which Raizel left. A few minutes and shouts later followed by a crash, Raizel walks back in with his wh ite button shirt unbuttoned from the first three. His hair was slightly ruffled, strands of black locks falling over his face before he rakes his hand through them, to push it back into place. With a tightened jaw and a tense structure, he gives Williams a thin lipped look.
âIâm heading back. I wonât be needing that week after all.â
Raizel scans his steely eyes over to Elizabeth and gives her a curt nod before turning to look at me. His gaze softened and his tightened jaw relaxed.
âIâll be seeing you.â
He says softly.
âIs that a promise?â
I pale from my own words. My wolf yipping in excitement because to her, that was our attempt at seducing him. I donât know how I managed to say those words because frankly, I wanted to dig myself up in a ditch and just lay there until I di e. I sounded eager, infatuated, hopeful.
All of which, were somewhat a gist of what I was feeling but didnt want him to know.
The look of shock on his face was enough to make me want to crawl up into bed and scream into the pillows. The heat slowly coming over me making me feel like an utter embarrassment on this Earth.
Williamsâ and Elizabethâs silence didnât help make the situation any better for me. It just made the whole ordeal a lot more realer than I wouldâve wanted. At this point, I was tempted to just bust out laughing before telling him it was a joke, to save myself from further humiliation. And I was just about to do that when Raizelâs shocked expression slipped away and he looked at me fondly.