51

51



Red Carpet
Dante


I looked out the window silently as we drove back to the estate. I still found it hard processing that I was sitting in the same car with a lady who was supposedly my mate.


I don't know why this happened but I never asked for a second chance mate. I can only ever love Kiara and no one else.


Still, I couldn't help myself from trying to get Natasha out of this mess. I had a feeling that she was truly innocent so there will definitely be evidence to prove that. And I knew that the feeling I had was real since this wasn't the first time I would experience the mate bond.


Right now I was thinking about how I could find the evidence to prove that Natasha was innocent. To get the evidence, I would need to find out some things from Natasha but I don't think I was ready to talk to her.


I didn't want to give her any idea that I was ready to welcome her as my mate.


I will just have to go out on few trips this week.


With the estate project going on at Rivera Consolidated, it would be a very busy week.


I turned around to face Viktor and asked, "when is the gala for the estate project holding?"


He looked up from the phone in his hand and replied, "tomorrow."


I nodded and faced forward again, "good, after the gala, I am going to be busy for the whole week."


There was total silence in the car for a while until Viktor the silence.


"Ummm.... Can you stop here? I can take a cab from here to my house," he said and Nathan slowly brought the car to an halt, parking at the side of the road.


"Alright. Thanks. See you at the gala tomorrow," Viktor said before opening the door and climbing down from the car.


You shut the door back and Nathan started the car driving onto the road again.


In about ten minutes, we are arrived at the Black Cedar Pack estate and Nathan drove us to the main pack mansion. As we arrived there, I opened the door and I climbed down from the car.


Nathan and Natasha climbed down too. I looked at Natasha and saw her looking around, observing the environment.


She looked in my direction and our eyes met. I quickly looked away and I sighed internally before walking into the pack's mansion building.


Natasha walked in last and she closed the door from behind. I saw Killian walking towards us and he was about to tell me something before he stopped to look at Natasha who was standing behind me at the left.


"What is it?" I asked and Killian looked away from her, facing me.


"Four Rogues were found unconscious at the other side of the estate," Killian said and I nodded.


"Alright. Just throw them in the dungeon," I said and Killian nodded. He was about to walk away, but I stopped him.


"Yes, Killian, can you take her to any of the available rooms?" I said and Killian looked at Natasha before nodding..


"Yes."


"And make sure that she doesn't leave this building," I said and walked past Killian to go to my room.


I felt someone following me and I knew it was Nathan.


"Nathan, what is it?" I asked without turning around to look at him.


"Are you going to tell me why you're helping a stranger and bringing her to leave with us in the main pack mansion?" Nathan asked and I immediately stooped walking, sighing loudly.


"You've asked me this question so many times already and I told you that I'm just feel like doing it," I replied.


"Yes, but there's no one else here now so you can be honest with me," Nathan said and I was silent for a while as I tried to consider if should tell him the truth about Nastaha being my mate or not.


I couldn't. It wasn't because Natasha was being accused of those shameful crimes or anything. I think.


It was because I didn't want to be associated with anyone other than Kiara, but mostly because I was annoyed that I was once again tied to someone else.


"You know, instead of wasting your time and energy on this case why don't you help me interrogate the Rogues Killian found," I said and Nathan rested his palms on his waist, nodding.


"And rest afterwards so you can wake up early and prepare for the gala tomorrow," I added and Nathan turned around to walk away.


***


The car stopper directly in front of the red carpet and I climbed down. I and Nathan climbed down while the driver, Blake from the pack drove the car away.


I looked sideways as I saw press officials tried to get to us from both sides of the red carpet.


"Mr. Rivera, can you please tell us what this project is all about?" A reporter asked as I walked down the red carpet towards the building of the Duchester Hall where the gala was being held.


"Why do you think Rivera Consolidated was picked to collaborate with Starnex out of all the other major companies that were competing for it?"


"Do you think this project is benefitial to the public?"


I looked at all of them throwing multiple question at and Nathan tried to stop them from bugging me at both sides..


"You'll get all your answers in the gala. It'll be broadcasted live," I heard someone answer behind me and I looked over my shoulder to see that it was Xander walking down the red carpet with his entourage of guards.


"Mr. Rivera, nice to see you," he said and nodded before walking past me into the building. I walked into the building too and took a look around the large hall that was filled with familiar and unfamiliar faces dressed in nice suits, tuxedos, and dresses..


As I looked around, I stopped and I looked a bit back to see someone familiar.


Holy shit! What the hell was he doing here?!