Chapter 30

SOMA:

The serenity — yes, that’s what I like about where I’m in. Feels divine and every other satisfying word I can use to quantify this place.

Music hitting out solemnly from obviously a jukebox. Nah, jukeboxes because the effect seems to be from more than one despite the solemness of it all. The activities of people trying to get their night kicked off with a meal or two alongside their partners, as well as the waiters and waitresses trying to meet up with the demand of the clients — that was everything about my location.

Not for a long talk, because I’ve affirmed now that I’m in a restaurant. And like every other client, I was with a partner. To sum it up, I was brought here on a date which I would say is the first in years.

Came like a shock to me in some way when I received a call from Luis yesterday stating he would like to take me out for dinner so we could have a time out together for the very first time. He actually came with the quote, ‘let’s see where this leads us’.

I had jumped on it immediately after the request because I sure as hell was not planning on losing out on a date with the man that I’ve set my mind on now. And what even made me more surprised was when he brought me here because this was a little expensive. He should have taken my words when I told him that I do not do expensive.

I can’t even say how long we have been here, except that I know I have hardly touched my meal. I’ve been digging into it occasionally but looking at the content on the plate was enough to tell that it was hardly anything that have been touched on it. I’m just pretty nervous about tonight.

Luis and I have not had a conversation in a while. And it was cool with me because I kind of detested talking in between meals. Makes me cringe.

I’ve stolen glances at him, though, but was quick to take my eyes off him on those occasions because I do not want him to catch me staring at him like an obsessed puppy. That didn’t mean I was unaware of the few times he stole glances at me alongside.

“You are not eating. Why?” Luis’ voice makes me look up from the plate to see him staring at me with worry in his eyes.

I look back down at the meal before putting my free hand on the dinner table to use as a support to my face. The tone of the bangle on my wrist flashes straight into my face for a brief moment. “It’s nothing,” I say while using the fork to sort of play with the meal.

“At least tell me what’s on your mind,” he says, still sounding worried. “Am I doing anything wrong with this dinner?”

“Oh, no,” I drop the fork immediately so I could look up at him. Thank goodness I didn’t hit it too hard or it would have seemed I was kind of pissed. “The dinner’s perfect,” I tell him and then hold out my hand to grab my wineglass filled with red wine. “I’m just a little too nervous to stay put,” were my words before I take a sip from the drink.

I lick my lips after taking another sip from the wine and it was at that time I decide to look at Luis only to see him staring right at my lips. The knot in my stomach could not be explained.

He snapped out of his reverie, looking away embarrassed. I can’t even remember the last time I found myself in this kind of situation. It’s been way too long, and the moon goddess worsened it by choosing not to give me a mate in time. For hell, I became a mature wolfing seven years ago. That means seven years of flings with different kinds of men. Humans, only.

I have to try to look down instead as I drop the wineglass on the table. My choice of cloth for the night got right back in my eye. A tiny strapped red dress revealing a minimum amount of my cleavage. The dress has even got a liner below which reaches up to my thigh despite it being a long gown. And everything about it was the idea of Cassie that wanted to bring out the best in me. Like I wasn’t good enough already.

The only thing I can confidently say I like about the dress is the fact that it goes in line with my hair color. I’ve adorned the red hair for years now so it was kind of like my otaku symbol. ‘Weird, I must say,’ was the thought that flows into my head as I pick up the wineglass for the second time.

“Did I already tell you how gorgeous you look in that dress?”

I must have stared too long at myself to not realize that Luis would discover what I’m doing. His statement is enough to almost make me choke on my drink.

“Are you okay?” he asks as I release a slight cough after dropping the wineglass back on the table in haste.

I can only nod in response because I am still stunned by the effect. My hand’s on my chest to try to suppress myself from coughing again and it thankfully doesn’t last for long.

My cheeks instantly become red after reminiscing on the compliment he just showered on me. Stuns me for a long time that I do not know how to react to it. This man is sure a man of surprises. Who knew he could be this sweet?

Okay, I’m starting to exaggerate.

“You’re not saying anything, you know,”

“I’m sorry,” I adjust my sitting position. “I just didn’t expect to hear you make a comment about me,” and from there, I proceed to look at him directly.

A few seconds later, he says, “Wasn’t it okay with you?”

“It was,” I admit, “but with your type of character, I wouldn’t expect that you make such a statement.”

To my amazement, he suddenly smirks. And no, it wasn’t the creepy type that Leonard always expresses. It has more of this playboy vibe than anything else and I really can’t believe he’s actually doing this.

“You seem so surprised,” his tone was completely different when he speaks that I can already tell where the game was getting to. I guess I’m almost into it already.

“Of course, I am,”

“And I don’t think you should be. I’m doing nothing here that should be much of a surprise to you,”

I knew it. He was trying to play games with me. More of a flirtatious game that I’m already used to. Well, he’s in for a showdown.

“What are you even trying to do?”

He picks up his untouched wineglass and then leans back a little on the seat whole shaking the content. “As I said before,” he says, “nothing.” and then takes the glass up to his lips.

His intentions become obvious when he takes his time to drink the content of the glass. And I can’t help but smirk in return.

“I see you like to play with fire,”

“Don’t we all do?” was his instant response.

“I’m sure you wouldn’t want to play with this fire here. You’re gonna burn so bad you would wish you hadn’t tried it,”

“The fire itself led me to it. Tell me why I shouldn’t get burned after it has shown me how cool it can be?”

The smirk on my face increases. “You really think I’m cool? Like that’s your thought about me?”

“Do I think you are cool? I know so already so why should I think about it again?”

I just can’t help but say, “Oh my goodness, I can’t believe this is really you, Luis. So you’re trying to tell me you have this kind of attitude locked up inside of you?”

He folds his arms below the chest region of his retro suit. “It was never locked up. Just never had the chance to reveal it,’

“Hmph. Sounds like something my brother would do,” and my voice trails off after that as I look down to the floor.

“You’ve got a brother?” I hear Luis ask.

I firstly nod before looking back up. “I do,” I tell him. “Do you also want to know something?”

“Yes, I guess,”

“I should have never been Alpha of the Blood Crescent pack. Not by gender, and not even by birth position. Every identity of mine automatically disqualifies me from being the alpha of my pack,”

“How then did you end up being the Alpha?”

“Because my brother was just too irresponsible to take up the mantle of overseeing our people. He gave excuses concerning the situation, stating that he doesn’t want to be the leader of a pack of wolves that do not worth any of his being. The weird thing about this whole issue is that he’s the first child of the family asides from being the first son so it was automatically his responsibility. But he rejected it.”

Luis doesn’t give me a genuine reaction yet to my explanations and I just have to wait for him to process everything I just mentioned. It was never my intention to bring such a topic into this matter but I felt like talking about it. At least for him to know something about me that no one else knows. Or should I just say something that hardly anyone else knows?

“Guess it didn’t sit well with anyone in the family,” Luis finally speaks. “And where is your brother now?”

“Well, he’s there overseeing things that concern the family business. Basically something that suits his style as mentioned by him,”

I could feel the irritation mounting in me from talking about my family issues with him that I can’t help but set it aside already.

“Do you know what your scent’s like?” I suddenly ask, much to the surprise of Luis.

“No?”

And slowly, almost a little intensely, I inch forward on the table so I could cover up a little distance between us. The words I’m about to say shouldn’t fly out into the air.

“You’ve got the scent of something I would want to chew on and leave the rest for myself over and over again. And I really want to do it now...”