Chapter 12: Possessive Much?

E M B E R

The next day seems to be busier than ever! Everyone is working twice as they usually do, and there is so much chaos here, especially in the vast backyard of this mansion. And I am just, uh, helping before Fiona orders me to get the crates with glass bottles from the kitchen.

That's how I meet Ivory pacing around.

I frown and place a hand on her shoulder, "Are you okay?"

Startled, Ivory stops and swings her head in my direction as she gasps. Her eyes widen, but then she lets out a relieved sigh and mutters, "Oh, it's you."

I let go of my hand and ask, "Is something the matter? You look tense—" her lips curl up into a snarl, and she runs a hand through her hair in frustration as she grumbles, "Well, it's unfair." what is? "I can't believe it." what can't? "How can this even happen? I am so furious." She stays mum while trying to understand my face, in vain because I am good at controlling my emotions.

Always have, especially after that night, since my pack needed a sane leader to lead.

She sighs, blurting out, "She got away." my eyebrows furrow prominently in confusion when she pouts, buries her head in her hands and groans, looking at me in defeat, "She got away with it."

I try to be nonchalant as I ask, "Uh, walk me through, Ivory. What happened?"

To which she rolls her eyes and huffs, "Jenna happened."

Oh. I let myself relax because that bitch doesn't actually concern me except that the next time I see her, I might kill her. Ivory continues, "I heard from Clayton that Jenna got away for what she did to you yesterday." I see her flinch, clearly recalling how hard I was slapped. "What did she do?" I inquire.

Ivory takes a while to answer and then sarcastically snorts and embarrassingly tucks a hair behind, "It's seriously unfair when a whole bunch of people witnessed the scene, yet they refused to recall it and pretend as if nothing happened." I don't give a damn and stay mum. "Just because her family holds an influential position, she got away by threatening people not to testify and even forced her friend to confess in her stead."

She hisses, "That thoughtless brat."

I smile at her as she murmurs, "Clayton said he had no choice but to punish the false culprit, which is okay but still so unfair. You are the victim, yet the assailant gets away."

"Yeah, it's a pretty sad and harsh reality of the world." I state when she mumbles, "How positive." Then she awkwardly chuckles before burying her face in her hands and groans. I pat her shoulder for a while when suddenly Ivory straightens up and looks back at me. "You know what—" I raise my eyebrow, and I take a step back as she smugly exclaims, "I bet if you knew how to fight like us, you could kick her ass."

Oh, please! Jenna won't be alive if she faces me as the Alpha and with my powers. In fact, I am sure this whole place would burn down if I wanted to, but Ivory ... her statement astonishes me. She doesn't know the truth about me yet. I blink and then laugh,  "Haha, I still can kick her sorry ass."

"I would buy a ticket to that show, please." Clayton grabs our attention with his appearance, and Ivory snorts with a remark, "Oh, yeah, I would like to have the first-row experience too." the three of us laugh when I look at Ivory and tilt my head, grinning, "Thanks for standing up for me, though."

She grins back as she squeezes my hand and snorts, "Of course, that's what friends are for."

"Aww, it's good to see you two getting close," Clayton states with a warm smile.

Ivory beams brightly with her eyes twinkling, and I nod before he looks back at me, quite a solemn expression on his face, as he says, "I apologize. I couldn't do anything else. Even if I tried to, she had already manipulated and threatened people—" I wave and shrug at him. "Um, it's okay, Clayton. I don't mind. I'm just fine right now."

I reassure those two with a small smile, hoping they don't read into this much. I seriously don't mind. I have to stay here for a few more days because I can sense my powers almost healed. I must think of a perfect escape plan and return to my people. They have been waiting for me now.

Ivory snaps her fingers and calls out, "Hey, where did you go?"

I blink and look back at her. "Uh?"

Those two look out of concern at me as she shrugs, "You were lost for a moment there—" when a certain sound makes me look over my shoulder, and the blonde with me steps closer as she groans, "Ugh, here comes the she-devil."

In her 7-inch heels, Jenna struts in my direction with her minions, only to stop in front of me. Our eyes meet, and she scowls, "Move." the air grows tenser every second as Ivory glowers back at the people facing us.

Clayton stays closer to my side, and his hand lingers next to mine.

"Who are you to boss around?"

Jenna smugly looks over at Ivory and then scoffs at me, "Isn't she working here as a maid? Jenna can order her to move."

Ivory shakes her head and groans, "You got to know that it's annoying to talk about yourself in the third person, and also, you can't boss around Emmy, who is my friend. What you did to her, you will pay for —" Jenna interrupts her, "Gosh, Iv, you gotta know that befriending the help doesn't mean they are your friends. You have to have self-respect and maintain distance. Still, you have always been an outcast among all of us." her words taunt Ivory, who I notice has her fists clenched, her jaw tightened, and her face hardened.

Annoyed at her ridiculously plastic face, I clench my fist, but it's that smug look in her eyes which makes me pounce because, in a blink of an eye, there is a loud smack noise and then a painful cry, stringing along with a few curses, reach my ears. I hear gasps and sense people stopping by and looking in utter shock. I blink back to what's in front of me and notice the blonde crouching down and— blood dripping out of her nose. "

Emmy!" I hear Ivory call out and turn my head to see her glance at my hand.

I frown and follow her gaze, only to find a bloodied fist. Shocked, I raise my eyebrows and then look back at a crying Jenna. "Oh, my God! Oh, my God! My nose! My face! Look what you did?" she looks up at me with moist eyes. Oh, she can speak properly, that pretentious bitch. Did I do that? As realization sinks in, I feel better — that's when a hand touches my elbow, and I blink out of my trance. "Hey, you okay?" Clayton whispers, and Ivory looks worried as she settles her hand on my shoulder as if that's the most normal thing to do.

I give him a brief nod and turn my head as I wonder. Did I daydream? Did I not punch this annoyingly smug woman in front of me? Her face looks ridiculously fine, with no sign of bruise or blood, which disappoints me. I would have loved to get my hands on this bitch and show her never to mess with me. Instead, Jenna clears her throat and steps forward as she pushes me to the side, "Ugh, just move and get lost, slut."

Ivory voices my amusement, "Ha, look who's saying." I scoff.

Jenna snaps her glare at her. "What did you say, virgin? Are you still waiting for your mate, who is unlikely to exist?"

Ivory's face hardens, she glowers and steps closer with the intent to harm the haughty bitch in her eyes, but I stop her. Instead, I make both of us step out of her way completely.

But, argh, I really should just punch the living breath out of this woman, for real.

Why was it a dream?

Ivory clamours in frustration, "Why did you stop me? You should have let me rip those overpriced extensions off her bitchy head. I can kick her ass too."

I turn back to her and grin. "I do not doubt that."

"Yeah, neither do I, but rein in it for tonight." Clayton butts in, which is surprising because I thought he would have gone before the whole-mean girl drama scene.

Ivory takes a couple of deep breaths, calming her down as I raise my eyebrow, "Tonight?" Her excited self returns as her head snaps, and she beams with her big brown eyes twinkling at me. She claps and exclaims, "Well, now that I remember, let's forget about that." she eye-rolls and continues, "As much as I want to be pissed, I can't wait. I'm so excited."

I frown. "What for?"

Her excitement dims for a moment when she sighs and asks, "uh-oh, you don't know? I mean, look around, Emmy."

I quickly scan and shrug, "Yeah, it's total chaos out here."

She looks even more disappointed when Clayton rubs his temple and huffs, "Iv, Emmy's been living here for a couple of days. Of course, she has no clue what's going on right now."

I mouth a thank you to him and look back at Ivory as I mutter, "Uh, I mean, Fiona did inform me about some event party happening tonight."

And that's that. Her spirit returns as Ivory says, "It's not just some event party. It's the Annual Bonfire Bash!" she enthusiastically moves her hands and jumps around as if this party is important.

I stare at her eager face in silence and then turn to Clayton, who clears his throat, "At this time of year, the community holds a summit with other packs' Alphas or their representatives, and there is a bonfire party in the evening where everyone mingles, and yes, it includes the townspeople. This year, it's Midnight Hunters' turn—"

"It's a very happening event of the year."  Ivory interrupts him impatiently and avidly. Clayton nods at the strong emotion wafting off her and smiles at me.

"Oh."

I think I have heard about this werewolf community summit from Dexter now and then and how I did not attend such trivial things before.

I can't say I can't attend since I'm already here. I smirk at the irony when Ivory takes a deep breath and exclaims, "I wonder if they would come this time."

"Who?" I blurt out and look back and forth at them as she grins, "Crimson Shadow."

As soon as the name slips off her tongue, it makes me pause and wonder about them.

My people.

They are reliable, but how are they working without their Alpha? How is Dexter handling things? I miss them all, but most of all, I wonder too. Will they come to this party this time? Meeting them and informing them about my lack of powers predicament would be great. Dexter will understand.

"—it's such an awesome name, but those people never come." The origin of the name was meant to be darker, but it turned out to be awesome.

I chuckle internally with an amused wolf of mine before I look back at them.

Clayton stays warm and quiet while Ivory continues with a sigh, "Yeah, The Crimson Shadow Pack has never shown any interest in building a relationship with us or the community. They have always been to themselves, never interacting, and it's something about what happened six years ago."

I raise my eyebrow, and my heart pounds. It aches a little at the harsh memory etched in my brain when she shrugs, "Maybe it has something to do with our ideologies being different, or I don't know. But I like them." she grins, "They are mysterious, especially their Alpha." I smile slightly and tilt my head. "Really? How so?"

Ivory looks at me and then clears her throat as she answers, "Well, for starters, no one knows whether the Alpha is a male or a female. It would be cool to have a woman lead that pack. This world of ours has always been a male-dominated one, but not anymore. Ladies are making their way to the top. I mean, we have a few more women chosen as Alphas now than before."

I smile with pride, not that I have accomplished anything great and not even been able to capture my parents' killer, but it feels good to hear that someone out there who doesn't know me yet roots for me.

Ivory lets out a deep breath and crosses her arms across her chest as she taps her chin and sighs thoughtfully. "No one really knows who the Alpha is, though." She straightens up and looks back at me, clicking her tongue, "That's why I wish I get to know the mystery of that pack and its leader."

Well, you are looking at the Alpha right now.

"You're so overdramatic," Clayton taunts with an eye roll.

Ivory childishly huffs and pouts, but I smirk.

"Ooo, that reminds me." Clayton grabs our attention before Ivory, and I make our way out, and then he says to us, "Alpha sent dresses to try on." But why does it feel like he is speaking to me? Ivory jumps at the opportunity and beams, "Really? I hope they are of the correct size." she looks at me and snorts, "because my cousin doesn't know my size. I'm clearly an M, not an S."

No, she is not because I am. I briefly glance down at my body and tighten my fist. I don't know whether to be confused or surprised right now.

Shouldn't we be glad that our mate gave us gifts?

I let out a sigh.

Oh, I almost thought, where did you go?

Rayne beams, but my thoughts make her less enthusiastic.

Still, why? Why would he?

Maybe he wants to apologize for everything he made me do, or Jenna— ha, funny! I roll my eyes and internally scoff. Sebastian Knight doesn't seem the type to apologize, no matter what.

Wait, I don't even want to think about things that seem so trivial and irrelevant.

Ugh, because our mate is thinking of us, and I am happy about it. Can you not be cynical and doubtful for once? It's a party you never attended as the Alpha, so why not loosen your hair and enjoy tonight?

I don't want to. I blink back to reality and notice that oblivious smile on Ivory's face. She links our arms and clears her throat, "C'mon, we should go and just get ready." she sounds cheerier and grins ear to ear at me. "What are you doing?" I frown when she looks at Clayton and exclaims, "See you later."

"Yeah, sure." Clayton beams at me when I look over my shoulder for one last glance. However, it was not only his face that came to my notice.

I almost stop in my path as Sebastian's deep green eyes lock with mine. He is expressionless or wants me to believe that. But I feel tingles all over my toes with warmth and a tinge of gloom in my chest as Ivory continues to drag me along with her.

***

After spending two hours at the mess Ivory created in her room to choose a dress, I take a break and begin to march toward the maid's quarters when suddenly a hand wraps around my wrist and pulls me to the side with my back hitting a wall. I shut my eyes as I gasp in shock and wince in pain.

"What the heck!" I snap and flutter my eyes open, only to shudder under his softly intense gaze. I blurt out in a dreamlike trance, "Sebastian."

His name sends shivers down my back, and what surprises me more is the silence between us when I feel his hand on my face, more like his palm cupping and caressing my cheek.

It makes me flinch a little when I raise my gaze and find him staring at me. Sebastian locks his eyes with me after what feels like hours of studying the red imprint of a feminine hand on my face and then murmurs softly, "It must have hurt. I'm sorry." making Rayne's heart skip a beat, and my toes curl in a girlish way.

Silence settles over in the air between us when he takes a deep breath and sighs, "I should—no, I shouldn't have made you go through all that. I know who you are," alarmed, I raise my eyebrow as he continues, "— to me." I look back at him. His eyes are apologetic. No, his entire face is sullen with grief and misery.

He caresses my face, which is actually quite distracting here. He is making my mind blurry, and wanting to lose myself to the sensations all over my body because of that one touch. "I shouldn't have abandoned you like that when you're my mate. I should have taken responsibility and been a man you deserve to lean on."

Wait, what?

He regretfully smiles at me. Having him with me is shocking yet wonderful, but I frown at him this time. I try to lose myself in his eyes when I clear my throat and rip his hand away, taking him aback.

"Emmy—"

I straighten up and step back. "No, I don't need anyone to rely on. I have me. I don't need anyone to motivate me. I just want them out of my damn way."

Sebastian stares at me in disbelief, and we stay silent, facing each other when I take him in and like really notice how hot he is. I see from his taller-than-ever height, his messy "bed hair", his glowing green eyes getting darker every second, and his ripped muscles flexing underneath a black tee.

Oh, God! He is hot!

What!?

I am shamelessly checking him out.

Yes, you go, girl! Rayne cheers, and I scoff at her.

But I can't help but shudder and gulp, feeling his eyes intensely moving all over my body until they meet mine, and he growls with a tightened jaw, "Mine." That pisses me off more because I am not. Then, out of the trance-like situation, I cough up and snap, "Uh, I am not yours, and what are you doing here?"

Our eyes speak to each other in silence when I notice him walk toward me, and I take steps back until I feel my shoulder blades collide and press against the wall. I briefly look over my back when he startles me by pulling me close as he snakes an arm around my waist and smirks, "Oh, you are mine, and do I need permission to roam in my own house?"

I try to wriggle out of his clutch as I narrow my eyes and snarl, "Ugh, the house may be yours, but the room belongs to someone else. What if Ivory was here changing instead of me? What would you have done then?"

He looks away and grimaces dramatically, "Ugh, don't. I don't even want to picture that."

Continuing trying to flee out of his clutch, I click my tongue, "Exactly!" he looks back over me, and I sigh, "You should have made your presence known by knocking —" when he interrupts me by lifting his fist and tapping on the wall beside my head.

Knock!

He raises his eyebrow at me, "Cool, now?"

What the hell! "No, not cool."

He tilts and sneers when I scowl, "You're insufferable." I clench my fist and hit him in silent rage, but he bursts out laughing. I wriggle and snarl, "Let me go, jerk!" Grinning, his grip tightens, though I don't grace him by looking up this time and staring at his chest in defiance.

"You speak and act like you don't know and understand who I am." His voice comes out a little strained.

I laugh bitterly. "Oh, no! I know exactly who you are." I nod, continuing, "I have heard things about you. I know you are a cruel, vicious man who doesn't have a heart." my tone is sharp enough to make me cringe, but he looks at me unfazed.

He tilts and states, "Yet you are here disrespecting me."

I can feel anguish boiling inside me as I glare at him and snap, "I don't even respect you. You are so annoying that you don't even scare me. I am not afraid of you." Lie, for sure.

Though I hope he doesn't catch it on.

He then startles me when he admiringly touches my face with the back of his hand. He leans over me and whispers, "But I fancy you. For that." Sadist or what— I shudder at his hot breath when his lips make contact with my earlobe, and my whole body feels on fire just by mere touch and words from him. I tighten my jaw and motivate myself not to lose my senses, but I fail when I feel his fingers tracing my face, and he smirks against my skin.

"Loosen up, love."

Sebastian leans in to press his lips against my jaw—oh, god.

But he forces me to maintain eye contact as he slowly strokes his fingers from my hair to my arm. I stumble on my boots in a daze, but he holds onto me with his arms wrapped around me and pulls me closer to his body. "You don't know what you do to me, sweetheart." I blink and look into his eyes when I startle him by pushing myself away and shrieking, "Don't sweetheart me. I am not your sweetheart, and stop manhandling me. Just let me go—" I struggle against him and begin to pound my hands at him, but damn, he's too strong.

Rayne pouts and whines about how I am being unreasonable, but I scoff at her. I don't care. You got your sweet moment with your mate, so get over it. We have better things to do than find love, understand?

"Just stop!" he growls demandingly in his Alpha voice, but that scares me no shit. "You took my words," I mumble. I do not wish to follow, but for some reason, I do as I'm told. So I sink back into his arms and watch him almost relax.

I narrow my eyes and snarl, "Go to hell."

He chuckles and shrugs, "Look around, sweetheart! I manage hell."

I pout and then growl, "Fine, go fuck yourself."

"But that's your job, love," he smirks.

I cringe and snap, "You're despicable."

"And you're beautiful."

I almost blush when I tighten my jaw. Oh, no! He doesn't get to compliment me. No way, but before I can respond, he whispers, "Ah, and you look ravishing." my heart skips a beat at his wink.

"Well, you're the devil." I come up with a childish comeback only to make him smirk as he leans over me and retorts in utter cockiness, "And you're mine." running his large hand against my fishnet thigh.

I flinch and kick him. "No, I am not. I will never be yours." is all I manage to hiss as I throw him a glare. His grip on my thigh makes things blurry when he pushes my back against the wall ad his mouth too close to mine for my liking.

"Listen up, love."

I raise my gaze to match his.

"Reject all you want, but you are mine. You will always be mine. You are my mate, and I will not stand by and let you treat me so disrespectfully. You belong with me and here, whether you like it or not. I do not wish to hurt you, but I don't guarantee anything if you keep your attitude up." his voice is all authoritative, making me weak in the knees.

Yet, I stare at him. "Possessive much?" I scoff, "I'm not an object to possess, it might be cute in the books, and girls would swoon over it, but it's not." taking him aback when I clear my throat and snap, "Well, I must pray for someone who would take me off your hands so you won't have to deal with my attitude."

In the blink of an eye, he roars with rage, "NO ONE IS GOING TO TOUCH YOU," he states with clenched teeth. He pulls me closer and presses our foreheads together as he locks our eyes. I shiver at how angry he looks as he exclaims, "I SAID YOU ARE MINE." he doesn't even realize he's hurting me enough for my eyes to well up.

I sniff to make him go away, and he tenses.

"What?" I bark.

He loosens his grip.

"Don't cry." the words startle me, and so does his voice. He sounds in pain.

For some reason, that sets me off, and I begin to sob. "Why? Why do you care?"

"Ah, fuck, no, sweetheart, don't cry. Of course, I care. I didn't mean to make you cry. I don't always know how to express my feelings, but I care about you." He cups my face—the side where I was slapped, and I flinch, trying to stifle my sobs. He notices my reaction, but before he can do anything, I yank his hand away and snap, "Leave me alone."

"Love—" "Just leave me alone." I snap and throw him a glare when the door creaks open, and someone calls out, "What's going on?"

Startled, I turn my head away from him when I hear my mate, "Clayton." I quickly wipe my tears off and turn around, forcing myself to smile. "What happened? Is everything alright?" I see Clayton's confused look back and forth between us. His eyes have so much concern that fills my heart, much to Rayne's dismay.

I can sense Sebastian's gaze when I shake my head and force a wider smile. "Everything's good. I just got dust in my eye."

I pretend to rub my eye and chuckle.

"You sure?" Clayton looks unconvinced and eyes the two of us suspiciously.

Sebastian lets out a jealous growl. "Who are you? Her brother?"

"You know me, Alpha. I do not like seeing anyone in this pack get hurt or sad." Clayton responses. It sounds like a bullshit reason but anything for him to stay right now.

Rayne growls in disapproval when Sebastian snaps angrily, "As if. You are the Beta, not a healer."

Clayton shrugs in response, which is not much response, and silence settles between us. I watch Sebastian frustratedly runs a hand through his hair and groans. His hair falls on his forehead, and he begins to walk out of the room. A pang hits, and my heart aches as I raise my eyes and find him looking over at me one last time.

I shudder and look away, but not for long.

Because I look back to watch him disappear from my sight in hurt until Clayton brings me back to him by clearing his throat and asking, "So you ready for the party?"