CHAPTER 49

CHAPTER FORTY NINE
COLLINS’ POV
“You look…yummy,” I hissed under my breath. It was just a simple champagne piece of fabric clinging to right edges of her curves and nude heels and yet I was fucking turned on by just looking at her. There was something dangerously sexy about a woman with red-lipstick on, smoky eyes and her bob hair down.

She cat-walked towards me, grabbing the collars of my white dress shirt as she leaned closer, her perfume filling my nostrils,” That was the look I was going for. Who knows? Maybe I could get some hot guy to notice me,”

Grabbing her arm, I jerked her much closer to me till my lips were just inches from hers,” Then some poor fellow is going to end up in hospital in the dire need for surgery,”

She chuckled instead,” We are not exclusive just yet, Collins,”

Right. That part had seemed to slip off my mind for a second. The thought of her with another man or even in the least having his attention reiterated in my mind, my wolf snarling inwardly in utter jealous. I may have been the one that brought up the idea of us not being a thing, well, at least until this fiasco was over, but that didn’t mean I didn’t want her to be exclusively mine.

“Fine,” I let go of her. Two can play that game and before the night was even mid-way over, I was going to have her begging.

“Come on, let’s go,” she said, grabbing my wrist.

When we stepped out, the hallway was dark and she instantly cussed as she pulled her phone out of her purse, turning the torch on.

“I’m sorry for that. Mrs. Heathers didn’t tell me there was a power problem around here,” she muttered as carefully took one step after another down the stairs.

“No problem,” I said, inwardly smiling, knowing she hadn’t suspected a thing just yet.

The moment we reached the bottom of the stairs, the lights suddenly flickered on as everyone including Sasha, my entire pack and some other mortals who had been down for free drinks, jumped out from wherever they were hiding.

“Happy birthday Nadia!” Everyone shouted right at the same time as she shrieked, covering her mouth. She then buried her face against my chest, the wild thumping of her heart loud against my ears, thanks to my heightened werewolf hearing.

“No way-I mean, thank you guys,” she muttered, turning to face the crowd as she added,” So this is why people have been acting weird all day,”

I put my arm around her waist, jerking her close to me as I leaned closer, pushing my lips against her full ones. A gasp of surprise left her lips as she instantly pulled back.

“What? They all know we are fucking,” I smirked as her cheeks turned red.

“Well, fuck you,” she smirked back, pulling away from my arms as she danced her way over to her best friend. That sounded more of an invitation than a cuss to me.

From the drinks down to the last bit of decoration in this house had all been on me but I didn’t care about the expense. As I watched her throw her head back in laughter while moving her body rhythmically to the beat of the music playing in the background, I felt happiness flutter within me. How could one human possess that much power to make me feel this happy even though she was paces away and her attention was not even on me?

“I’m not happy about this,” When was my beta ever going to loosen up? There was nothing I did that he was ever comfortable with. I was the Alpha, not him for pits sake and there was nothing he’d say to me now that would down my spirit.

“It’s a party Ethan. Drink up,” I grabbed a glass from a passing waitress, pushing it on his hands before walking to join a group of pack members.

We got lost in a little bit of chitchat about the other packs. They deserved to have something lift their spirits especially considering the harsh ordeal we all had to go through after losing four sentinels in a span of a few days. When I turned around to look at Nadia, she was dancing but not alone this time. I almost broke the glass in half when the mortal’s hands steadied her hips as they both moved in beat to the music.

“Its not like you two are a thing, right?”

“What the hell are you doing here Laila?” I gritted my teeth. Here was one more person to make my night even worse.

“The pack got invited and I’m still part of the pack, aren’t I?” she took a sip from her glass.

She was wearing a turquoise dress, flattering her body in a way meant to seduce any man with just a single look. There was a time I would have been crazy about that but not anymore. She blew her chance with me the moment she cheated on me and that too, with someone I considered family and part of the pack.

“Fine. Do whatever you want. By the way, the divorce papers are ready and I’ll pick them first thing in the morning. It turns out, it pays to have the right connections and now I won’t have to through so many months just to divorce you,” I drowned the drink in my glass.

I attempted to walk away but Laila just had to be persistent, grabbing my wrist,” Come on Collins. It was a mistake and I’m sorry that I hurt you but can we please just move on from this? Do we really have to get divorced because of it?”

“Don’t ruin the party for me Laila,” I seethed, pulling my hand away from her grasp as I made my way to where Nadia was dancing.

Tapping the guy on the shoulder, I waited for him to turn around but when he didn’t, I lost it and easily pushed him away from Nadia.

“What the fuck dude?” He cussed, gaining his balance before he went tottering to the ground.

“Well, its my turn,” I said, as my hands replaced the guy’s on Nadia’s hips.

“No, its my turn,” I turned around and sure enough, Drake, dressed in an all-white suit stood smirking beside me, hands deep in his pocket. Nadia froze against me and every single member of my pack was suddenly alert.

“I don’t remember including your name on the guest list,” I pointed out, holding Nadia even more tightly.

“I don’t need an invite to attend my mate’s birthday, now do I?”

“Look, this is my day and the last thing I need is you ruining it for me. I don’t know what the fuck is going on in my life or how you think your related to me but tonight, please let me enjoy it Drake,” Nadia spoke up.

“I came here to claim you as mine Nadia, not ruin your night. Also, I need to show you something,” he said, easily grabbing Nadia’s wrist.

“Let go of her,” I snapped, attempting to pull her away from him but he was admittedly a little bit stronger than me.

“Why should I? She is my mate and on the other hand, you are weak wolf I badly want to rip apart for having the fucking audacity to come that close to her. Also, I know you have something that belongs to me and I want it back before I have to slaughter an entire town for it,” he said. The bad thing about originals, especially an original hybrid, was that they were unpredictable. I didn’t even know the extent of what he could do considering he was stronger than me.

“Don’t worry. The only time I’ll ever get to taste her sweet innocent blood, is when I’m taking her as mine,” he smirked before effortless sweeping her off her feet and speeding outside.

Panicked, I ran after him with my pack members on tow, only to stop in shock. Fireworks shot in night sky, curving the words happy twenty fourth birthday beautifully Nadia. It wasn’t the fireworks that got to me but Nadia’s reaction as she stared at them.

“How did you know that I’ve always wanted to have fireworks on my birthday?” Her voice was soft and ladened with emotion.

“I told you that you and I go way back, Nadia. One day, when you finally get all your memories back, you’ll know that what you and I have, is far much deeper than just a mere mate bond. Nothing can stop me or you once those memories come flooding back,” He added the last part while looking at me.

“Oh my freaking Jesus! If a man did fireworks on my birthday, I’m not going anywhere away from him,” Sasha literally screamed near me but then quickly added,” Unless, of course he a maniacal hybrid. He thinks he can buy Nadia with fireworks? Pfft!”

Suddenly Nadia screamed out in pain and I was quick to rush to her side as she bent over, screaming yet again in more pain.

“I-I remember,” she muttered as she sagged forward unconscious.