*Danika*
Yesterday’s dinner was very cumbersome for me. I had to struggle between keeping my head high as the supposed mate of Lance, at the same time bearing in mind that any unruly behavior from me might warrant a serious punishment from my mate.
From time to time, I caught Alfred peering in my direction, and when I met his eyes, he would wink at me in a flirtatious manner and look away, making me uncomfortable and nervous throughout the dinner. While on the side of Alonso, he was working so hard to undulate me by showing all kinds of affection to his chosen mate which I know was a bid to taunt me.
While Lance on his side tried to keep me comfortable by always giving me a soft hand squeeze or pecking my cheek, all of which gave Theresa so much pleasure.
I couldn’t help but think that maybe my past life was to an extent, preferable. At least, I don’t get to be jittery or try to do stuff just to please anyone.
After dinner, I had hurriedly stood when Lance announced that we would be making our way back to his keep.
I didn’t wait for him to aid me out of my chair before I was out, my hand finding his and giving Theresa my most profound gratitude for the dinner invitation. Alfred gave me a smile that virtually made me stumble if not that I was hanging on Lance’s arm.
Today, Lance had sent Mary to inform me that we would be going for a picnic. And to add to my surprise, he gifted me a phone.
When I unwrapped it and was checking it out, a message popped into it. It read.
As mates, we are expected to be seen by the pack members. That way they get to know you as mine. It helps when you go out, you will be under protection from the guardians and the patrollers.
Well, I never thought of that but he is absolutely right. I know from my former pack that when a new person comes into the pack if the guardians are not familiar with you, they usually attack you thinking you are a rogue or a spy from another pack.
I managed to find my way around replying to him and finally succeeded in sending him, okay.
“You look very gorgeous as always, Ms. Danika,” applauded Mary who had come to dress me up for the picnic.
“Thanks, Mary. It’s all your doing,” I gave her a gleam. Mary is such a nice girl. Since I arrived, she has been trying hard to keep me updated with everything going on around the pack.
I am hardly void of any information as pertains to people living here and some events that are taking place, all because of her.
There was a slight knock on the adjoining door. Lance peeped in before making his way in. He had that faraway look that I am yet to decipher. Alas, he licked his lips, his eyes coming to my face from appraising my cleavage which was somehow bunked on my chest.
I blushed, my hand finding my silver short gown and pulling it up. “Hy,” I let out mildly, meeting his somewhat dark eyes.
“I’m sorry for intruding. I thought perhaps you were ready,” he asserted, making disorganized gestures with his hands, anxiously. He was impeccably dressed in black straight trousers and a plaid shirt which he tucked in smartly, to be complemented with a black Hessian.
“Yea. I’m ready. Mary, thanks, I have to go now.” I rapidly stood from the vanity chair and picked up my bag. I gave myself one last look, equally shocked at my image.
The red lip gloss made my lips appear plumper and my waistband tightened my waist, thereby heightening my hip line. My hair was the perfect touch. Neatly tucked into a smooth bun at the roof of my head and leaving some tendrils falling to cup my face.
I loved it.
Without meaning to, I gave Mary a thumbs up. She giggled, her hand in front of her as she shook her body.
“This way,” Lance said as I virtually collided with him. I turned red getting agitated with my clumsy attitude.
“Where are we going?” I broke the silence that has been looming since we left the room to his car.
He flipped his eye to me shortly before looking ahead to reverse the car out of the lot. “Wait and see,” he told me with his signature smile.
“Okay,”
The silence held on.
“So why haven’t you found your mate up to now?” I just had to say something to break the murky silence, and this was the fastest thing that penetrated my thought.
“I don’t know…” he said, giving me a side glance from time to time as he moved. “Maybe the goddess knows why she made it so.” There was a hint of foreboding in his tone but I didn’t think hard on it. He was right. The goddess’s ways most times are very hard to tell.
Take me for instance. One minute I am close to my death, and the next, salvation is near. Yet, I’m still suffering.
“Danika?”
I slightly jerked aside, my head whipping about to look at him. “Sorry, I was woolgathering,” I cheered, supporting it with a smile.
“Don’t worry about me, I am good. In fact, I am happy that I haven’t found her yet.”
“Really? Why?” I found that hard to believe.
“I am happy with my life this way. Come to think of it, if I had a mate, don’t you think by now your condition would have been grave? Alonso would have had no choice but to pronounce you his slave and that would have been very disastrous.”
I nodded, looking down at my fingers and flicking at them. An annoying hair grazed my face, and I pushed it away in irritation. He was right. Maybe it is good he is without a mate. Call me selfish.
“I always anticipated the day I will find my mate. It was supposed to be my happiest day,” I let the words flow of their volition. “However, my ugly life became darker from the very day I turned eighteen.” My eyes went to his and saw the in-depth apathy. “It was the worst day of my life. I lost everything. And yet got nothing in return. Not even my wolf.”
His right hand found mine and squeezed tightly and said, “You are going to be alright.”
“I have given up a long time ago after Liam’s rejection. Now I just hope that maybe someday, I will be able to get my shit together and become a better person for myself, not for anyone.” I thought of what my mother had said about me not ending up like her.
“As I said, it’s going to be alright. I will keep you safe. I promise.”
“Thanks, Lance. For being my friend.” His grin was my undoing.
“I should be grateful to have someone like you as a friend, you have no idea,” he surmised. Then he concentrated on the driving.
The car soon pulled into a wood lane and continued down the path. I wanted to ask him why we are going into the woods but kept my peace. I will like to think I trust him, so there was no need to panic.
Then I saw it. A wide beach stretched along the terrain that was very blue, reminding me of a certain someone.
Someone that loathes me.
I swallowed back a heavy pang and worked to focus my mind on the present.
“Here we are!” gyrated Lance, his orifice sparkling in clear mirth as he stopped the car and the doors slid open.
I was already climbing out and running ahead of him. I opened my arms and let the air whip around me, locomoting to his grinning face. He was left behind bringing out the picnics boxes while I delved into the fun.
“I knew you will like it!” The wind carried his voice to me.
“I love it!” I careened, letting out bouts of laughter as the giant wind tossed my hair out of the bun, leaving it cascading down my back.
Lance was covering the space between us, with the boxes in his hand. He went to dump them in a shed and hailed me to him, stretching out my beach hat to me.
“Come here and cover yourself with this. You don’t want to get tanned, do you?”
“I don’t care!” I giggled like a pup, dashing through the water and kicking at the pebbles.
I was on time to see Lance advance at me with the hat and tanning cream in his hand. I giggled louder and threw my slippers at him.
He dodged it, nodded his head, and prepared to rush at me. Becoming aware of his next course of action, I screamed and took off deeper into the depth, my hands flailing about me.
“You are so dead!” he dubbed and made for me.
We were so deep into our beach play that we didn’t see the car that had pulled at the beach beside ours until one of the occupants had reached the shore of the beach.
“Lancelot!”
I froze at the spot, very much conscious of the owner of the powerful voice and knowing very well that I was, or rather we were in trouble.
“This is our favorite spot. I didn’t know he would come here today,” Lance quickly whispered to me, slowly turning around to look at Alonso.
“Hey, man. What are you doing here?” he addressed Alonso, a tinge of wit in his voice.
“What the fuck are you two doing?” came Alonso, disregarding his question. Very calm question. Yet, threatening.
…