Alaria:
I forced myself to walk out of the restaurant with whatever pride that I had left, reminding myself that I had to calm down before anyone saw me.
The last thing that I wanted was to deal with the press right now, and I knew that with the news spreading about us being here, about ME being back to the city, things were going to get out of hand as they would try their best to get the latest of news.
The memories of Katherine’s promise long ago played in my head, and I couldn’t help but find myself being a fool for not believing her.
Flashback:
“Do you really believe that this would beyond the engagement, Alaria?” Katherine asked, shaking her head in question as the two of us stood in the garden.
I had to take the woman out of the living room before she caused a scene that would embarrass not only me, but herself as well. But she seemed to be a sheer bomb waiting to explode, and I knew that I would either have to kick her out or calm her down.
“What do you want from me, Katherine? The two of us are getting married, and you know that it is a marriage that even Enzo agrees to. I am not forcing him to do anything, and…”
“HE IS MY MATE!” She cried out, and I closed my eyes as I knew that her voice would catch the attention of our guests. “You are stealing my mate from me, and you are having the audacity to question what I want from you? Fucks sake…”
“If you are done, please leave.” I said, nodding at the bodyguards who were already alert of the situation. It was one of my parents’ rules for me not to walk alone. And though even Ezio had his own bodyguards, he often managed to escape them long before they were able to catch sight of where he went. “Please escort Miss Katherine out of the Estate…”
“You wouldn’t dare kick me out…”
“You can leave on your own or the men are going to take you out. The choice is yours, Katherine.” I said, stopping the woman. Her heart raced and she shook her head, pulling her arm away from the men. They went to hold her again, but I raised my hand, stopping them, allowing her to carrying whatever she had left of her pride and dignity with her as she walked out.
“I am going to make you fucking pay for this. I promise you that you are going to regret even thinking of crossing a limit with me that you don’t know the consequences of. And for my mate, I am going to have him. If you think that he is going to spare you a second glance, then I give you my word that I am going to do everything that is possible to have his eyes on me and me alone.” She said, taking a step toward me. The men went to react, but I shook my head, stopping them. The woman wasn’t foolish to try doing something that was dumb right now. “I give you my word…”
End of Flashback.
I stared out into space for a second before pinching the bridge of my nose, letting out a heavy sigh as I did.
“You look like a brick wall just fell on your back.” A man’s voice said, breaking my attention. I frowned at his voice, not knowing who he was, immediately growing alert. He smiled and raised his hands in surrender for a second before he pulled out a handkerchief, handing it to me. I looked at him for a moment and he nodded in assurance. “It won’t poison you. But it can work well when it comes to wiping tears and I have a feeling that you might need to do so.”
“Thank you,” I said, taking it from his hand. The soft fabric making me frown in confusion as I processed what was going on. “Who still uses a handkerchief?”
“A man like myself when he sees a damsel in distress,” he said, and I rolled my eyes. He smiled and nodded at the bench that I was sitting on. “Do you mind if I sit?”
“I doubt that this is the only bench that this hotel seems to have? There is literally one that is empty over there.” I said, and he followed my gaze before frowning.
“It’s too exposed to the sun.” He said, and I raised an eyebrow before looking up at the sky on top of us. There was no umbrella nor tree shadow to ‘conceal’ the sun.
“You’re being serious right now?” I asked, and he shrugged.
“Not really. But I figured that you were sitting alone and why not keep you company,” he stated, and I raised an eyebrow. The only thing that had me sitting on my chair was the fact that I caught his Alpha blood’s scent. “Alpha Damon, a pleasure to meet you…”
“Alaria,” I said, and he smiled.
“A pleasure to meet you, Alaria.”
“I wouldn’t say the same considering that I neither know you and I can’t say that you know me.” I said, and he shrugged.
“You’re not too good with people, are you?” He asked, ad I took a deep breath as I tried to control what I was feeling. I was already annoyed enough as it was. To deal with a man right now was the last thing that I wanted. “I came because I saw you crying. No one deserves to be sitting alone while in pain and I figured that a little kind gesture would make a difference.”
“Thank you,” I said, getting up from the bench. “But I have to go and get my son.”
I went to hand the man his handkerchief back, but he shook his head, stopping me.
“Keep it.” He said, and I raised an eyebrow. “It might come in handy. As it seems to me that you like to push people away from you before you’ve gotten to know them.”
I scoffed and shook my head, taking a step toward the man as I did.
“Didn’t you learn to never to talk to strangers?” I asked, and he laughed.
“What are you, five?” He asked, and I frowned. “Go and get your son. We encounter one another again. Only this time, I do hope that you’re less nervous.”
“Thank you, Alpha Damon.” I said, and he smirked.
“Glad that you’ve learned your manners.” He said, watching as I turned to leave only to hear him whisper. “You’re most welcome, young wolf…”