Chapter Seventeen
Chapter seventeen
“I am sorry, love,” he repeated, patting her back and this made her cough even more.
“Shh, don’t try to say a thing,” he began to rub circles on her back whilst locking eyes with Gabriel.
They looked like they were going to pounce on each other at any moment.
Marlene could not hide the smile that tugged at her lips. After his little act of foolishness, she did not expect him to get on track so quickly. She was proud of him.
Cassy felt uncomfortable with him touching her continuously. She tried to chastise her wolf who leapt for joy just because he was touching her.
Cassy could not help but think that she was never going to be able to hate him if Natalia kept getting excited over minor things.
She used her legs to push back the chair and stood up, with her head lowered.
“I am sorry but I would have to leave first,” she bowed her head and rushed out.
Everyone watched her leave, wondering what was wrong with her. Most especially Zachary who had no idea what was actually going on.
And then, their gaze shifted to Gabriel who was tossing his food around the plate. He felt eyes on him, so he raised his head and a smile slowly crept into his face.
“What?” he uttered nonchalantly.
Kai scoffed. How dare he try to play dumb now?
“I warned you not to touch her!” he growled glaring.
Gabriel raised an eyebrow and tilted his head slightly. “Who? I do not understand what you are talking about,”
“Oh, you don’t now? Should I make you understa–” he tried to say.
“That’s enough, Kai!” Zachary interjected, annoyed. “She is your mate. No one can take her away from you unless you do not want her and I don’t want to believe that.
Gabriel tried to hold his laughter but it ended up escaping, earning everyone’s attention again.
“May I know what amuses you, I am in need of a laugh too,” Marlene asked through gritted teeth.
Gabriel was getting on her nerves. She really wanted to smack his face but she did not know how to explain to Zach her reason for doing so.
“I just thought; Aw, that poor princess. She got a prince who is so good at acting,” Gabriel shook his head pitifully and chuckled.
Kai’s inner volcano erupted.
“Do not spit nonsense you imbecile!” he yelled and stood up. He was done here. “I am done. See you, tomorrow uncle and aunt,” and with that, he stormed out of the dining hall.
“Aren’t you going to finish eating brother? You barely touched your–”
“Enough!” Zachary silenced him, making him flinch. “Whatever it is that you are up to has to end now,”
He stood up and Marlene did the same glaring at Gabriel.
“Be careful,” she mouthed and they left.
Gabriel buried his face in his palms. Damn all of them.
•
Kai stood in front of an artificial stream, which was slightly illuminated by fire torches. He picked pebbles and threw them into the water.
His heart was heavy with a lot of unsaid thoughts. He was angry at himself for his unreasonable actions in the last few hours. He had been doing things on impulse which was very unlike him.
For the first time in ages, he had felt something like that… what was it called again? Jealousy. He could not remember the last time he was jealous. Was it because of his wolf? Or because it was Gabriel? Or because of Marlene’s influence?
He shook his head when he recalled her reaction. She was surprised too at his actions.
He understood her but what he still could not understand was where he got those emotions he felt from. It was supposed to be an act for his uncle but the feelings were real and he hated it.
Kai did not want to accept it. He was not jealous of her; he had only missed Isabella so much that he became jealous of another woman.
But has he ever been jealous of Isabella?
He shook his head. Not yet, they barely even spent enough time with each other.
Yes. That was enough reason.
He was glad that the following day was the luncheon. He could not wait to be in her arms again.
Moon, he was doing too much thinking. He needed to rest his head.
Kai sauntered back to their room. He was expecting to see her but she was not inside.
He was about to sit down on the chair when Cassy walked in with a towel wrapped around her chest.
“Goddess,” she cursed when she saw him and quickly tightened her hand around her chest to secure the towel.
Kai shook his head at her action.
“What are you scared of? Even when I had seen did–”
“Are you insinuating that you did nothing? Did you forget that you relieved yourself?” his wolf mocked him.
He shook his head and shut him out. He was right, after all, he’d do something.
“Shut up!” she exclaimed, shutting her eyes tightly.
She did not want to recall the embarrassing event. It had taken a lot for her to stop thinking about it, so bringing it back would only make things worse.
“Turn around,” she ordered, still not looking at him.
“What? Why should I?” he smirked. “I mean I won’t turn around if you cannot give me a good reason,”
Kai. Kai. Kai. You always seem to do abnormal things around this woman.
“What reason!? Just turn around you pervert!”
Kai chuckled and slowly turned around.
Goddess. What was he doing? Why was he going against what he had told himself?
He was sure this would not last though, everything would go back to normal as soon as he was back to the Night Walker pack.
“I am done,” she spoke as she pulled on her dress.
He opened his eyes and found her laying on the bed, causing him to squint his eyes.
“What are you trying to tell me? We should sleep together?” he teased.
Cassy grabbed a pillow and placed it on her chest, her face a shade of tomato
“I don’t know what you are talking about. All I know is that you would sleep on the couch tonight,” she threw him a pillow. “There is a quilt over there.”
“What?” Kai was surprised by her gut. It was the first time someone spoke to him like that. Not even Isabella.
Kai was speechless as he couldn’t find the right word to say.
He sighed and bent over to pick up the quilt.
Glancing at the lady who was sprawled up occupying the entire bed, he went to the couch and laid down facing upwards.
This was only going to last for tonight. Only tonight and everything would go back to normal.
Sleeping peacefully in her bed, Cassy cradled a pillow close to her chest.
The sun which beamed through the window blinds caused the woman to stir, informing her that it was yet another day of her existence and she needed to be up.
Cassy stretched her limbs, sounds escaping her lips as she did.
Her eyes went to the couch where Kai had slept the previous night. The quilt and pillow she had given him were there but he was nowhere to be found. She could not help but wonder when he usually woke up.
She got down from the bed and went into the bathroom. She did her morning business before coming out.
She got dressed and came out of the room. She was elated that her foot was feeling better as she moved around the palace with ease.
When she saw servants moving to and fro she realised that it was Marlene’s birthday luncheon.
She felt sick in her stomach when she realized that they might leave on that day.
After joining the servants in preparing, Cassy returned to the room to freshen up and get dressed for the luncheon. All through the day, Cassy had not set her eyes on Kai. She had seen Gabriel but he had not.
Cassy got dressed and entered the hall that was already filled with people putting on gorgeous dresses. Cassy admired them and at one point, she felt insecure about her dress.
Kai had not told her about the trip in detail so she did not take the right clothes but she had picked this one because she felt it was suitable.
She beckoned on a servant who was carrying a tray filled with glasses of one and took a glass. She took a sip from it and held it in her hand.
Looking around the hall, Cassy could not help but feel lonely. Almost everyone was in twos or groups and she felt left out. She did not know anyone there and she did not know how to interact properly.
She sucked in a deep breath and sauntered to a group of girls. There was no harm in trying to interact, was there?
She stood there listening to them talk about men, parties and so on. They kept discussing topics which she had no idea about until they started talking about fashion.
Cassy had always wanted to design dresses so she read anything that had to do with drawing and fashion.
“This dress was designed by madam Victoria from night walker pack. A close friend travelled there so I asked her to get it for me for a lot of silver coins,” one of them spoke proudly and turned around.
The rest of the girls marvelled at the dress excluding Cassy who was sceptical about the dress. She had been wearing Madam Victoria’s dresses since young so she could identify her dresses from anywhere.
“It’s not her dress,” Cassy spoke in a small voice but it was loud enough for them to hear.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.
“What!?” The lady exclaimed. “What do you mean by that, you servant! I paid a lot of silver coins for this dress!”
Cassy smiled and went to stand in front of her. She turned the hem of the gown and beckoned on the girls to look.
“Madam Victoria always signs her name at the hem of her dresses. Just like mine,” she turned the hem of her dress and there was a signature done with a yellow thread.
“Oh, moon goddess! I am going to kill Christabel!” she exclaimed loudly. “Thank you.”
Cassy bowed slightly and moved away from the group. She did not want any more drama.
“Ow!”
“Ouch!”
She had not looked in the direction she was going so she had bumped into someone.
“I am so sorry. I was not looking–” she tried to wipe off the little stain on the person’s coat.
“I am okay, sister,” she recognised the voice as Gabriel’s. She looked up at him and a smile appeared on her face.
Finally, someone she knew.
“Oh, Gabriel, where have you been?’
“Perhaps I have been around the corners,” he raised his eyebrows playfully, passing her a message that she understood, making her chuckle.
“How long have you been here?” he asked and grabbed a glass of wine from the tray a servant held.
“Maybe an hour? I have just been around, trying to interact,” she replied truthfully.
Gabriel nodded and their eyes turned to the dance floor, watching people dance.
Cassy’s finger rubbed the base of the glass she was holding. She had a question at the tip of her tongue but she did not know how to ask especially when she knew the kind of relationship they had.
“Where is everyone?” she asked loudly, trying to make her voice louder than the music that the orchestra had begun playing.
“Are you trying to ask me about his whereabouts?” Gabriel asked grinning and Cassy looked away.
“Well, I have to confirm who you are asking for,” he said, twirling the cup and causing the drink to move. “Are you asking about Kai or your mate?”
Cassy’s face contorted into a confused one. What was he talking about?
He smirked and pointed in the opposite direction with the hand that held his drink.
“There is Kai,” he uttered.
Cassy’s eyes looked across the room and found Kai dancing with a beautiful lady who was putting on a short dress.
As if that was not enough, he bent over and placed his lips on her…
And no, she did not care.