Olivia’s POV
The drive to the pack was exhausting, and I fell asleep for quite a while. Every time I woke up, I would see Andre looking down at me with a beaming smile. I would smile back, and occasionally, I would glance at his shoulder to check the injury.
It had mostly healed up, but I couldn’t help checking on him. He had no idea how worried I was.
I brushed my fingers over his shoulders, checking the wound for the umpteenth time when Andre snatched my hand in his.
I was stunned, but he quelled my fears with a kiss on my palm. I felt my heart melt. His green eyes dazzled me, and I felt a blush fill my cheeks. He was so sexy. I couldn’t believe that this was the person that I had been trying to run away from.
“Olivia, I’m fine. I’m not hurt anymore. It healed up last night.”
I was silent and bit my tongue down further to make sure that I didn’t say something stupid.
“Are you just worried about me or…”
He leaned closer to me. His lips were a few inches away from my ear.
“Are you just trying to find an excuse to touch me?”
My face went even redder, and my heart began to pound furiously. He was teasing me!
He drew even closer and caressed my lower lip with his thumb as he held my chin dominantly. My eyes feasted on his lips. I was dying inside for a kiss.
He read my mind and leaned in closer. My lips parted to savour his taste, but he stopped mere millimetres away.
“You can have me all you want when we get home, kitten. Unless, of course, you aren’t afraid to moan my name right now.”
My blood reached boiling point. I was speechless. Fuck! Why did he always have to do this to me?
He pulled away with a satisfied smirk, and I sat in my seat, dazed and slightly angry.
I folded my arms across my chest and took deep breaths to calm myself down. I was going to get back at him.
There was silence in the car. I could almost hear his thoughts as he stole seductive glances at me.
“We are arriving soon, Alpha Andre.”
Pierre’s voice filled the air and broke the silence, and I felt myself being pulled out of my seductive plotting.
I looked out of the window and saw the familiar greenery of the pack come into view. The fresh, crispy air filled my lungs, and I felt my nerves relax. I was finally home.
We soon pulled up in front of the mansion and got out. The guards and servants rushed towards us, and I was bombarded with worried looks from the maids. They took our bags and headed inside.
My stomach churned, and I huddled closer to Andre for support. He held me close and walked beside me protectively.
“Where will Jonas stay? Maybe he should stay with us. We have a lot of rooms to spare,” I asked curiously.
I hadn’t given Jonas much thought until now.
Andre stopped walking, and I was quick to notice the scowl that dominated his demeanour.
“I think that there are enough inns and hotels here that are more than capable of meeting his needs. It wouldn’t mind paying the living expenses.”
I stuck out my lips and pouted. Why did Andre hate him so much? He didn’t have to be so overprotective.
“Come on, Andre. He had been so good to me. He housed me and kept me safe. It would be unfair to treat him like a total stranger.”
Andre seemed irritated, but he kept his cool.
“Olivia, he is a total…”
Skrrrrtttttt!
We all jumped in fright, and a few guards jumped out of the way as a car came barreling towards them. Andre held me defensively and stood in front of me as the car parked right in front of his, making an almost perfect ‘T’.
It felt as if everyone stopped breathing as we watched Nicole get out of the car and slam the door behind her. She stormed up to us and stopped about a meter away from Andre.
I stood next to Andre, and she threw me the dirtiest glance imaginable.
“I see that you two are back from your little vacay,” she hissed.
My eyes rolled in their sockets. I didn’t think that I was going to have to deal with her once I got home. I had even forgotten that she lived here.
I tried to take another step forward, but Andre pushed me behind him again.
“Last I checked,” he started dangerously calmly. “I don’t think I owe you any explanation for my whereabouts.”
Her eyes grew wide, and she stared at him in shock. I could tell that everyone was uncomfortable. A few guards moved uneasily at their duty posts, and maids came out, only to go back in as soon as they saw her.
“You don’t owe me any explanation?! Andre, are you being serious? I am your wife, your Luna. Everyone watching knows that. I deserve to know where you go!”
My mother was heaving. Her face was a blotchy, ugly red, and her hair was getting stuck to her sweaty face.
Andre was calm, and he faced her unafraid.
“On the 14th of June of this year, five days ago, you stopped being my Luna.”
My mother let out a slight gasp, but she was able to find words soon enough.
“What are you talking about? What are you saying? This is nonsense, Andre.”
“Really?” he said sassily. “I suppose that means you have forgotten the contract you signed.”
My mother became even more worked up. I saw her struggling to breathe and keep her composure.
“Contract? When? What did I sign, Andre?”
“Are you really going to make me say it, Nicole?”
“Yes! Because I have no idea what you are talking about.”
My heart began to pound in my chest. Was Andre going to tell Nicole that he was mated to me? I was going to tell everyone about it, but I certainly didn’t want my mother to be the first to hear.
“You, Nicole Vanessa Grey, signed a legal contract prior to our marriage stating that you would step down from your position as Luna as soon as I found my fated mate. Under those conditions, you are no longer my Luna. There is officially nothing between us.”
My mother looked as if she had been struck in the stomach. Her breath was shallow, shaky, and her face turned pale.
“F… Fated mate? Andre…”
Suddenly, another car drove in, and everyone froze. I could almost hear my mother’s pounding heartbeat. Or was it my own?
My mother glared acidly at the car as it parked neatly next to Andre’s.
“Is that the bitch, Andre?! She’s inside that car, isn’t she?!”
I felt the cold water of relief wash over me and tried my best to stifle a giggle. My mother, however, caught me and turned her venomous glare to me.
“You! What are you laughing about?! What’s so funny? You are a curse! Since you came into my life, all you have done is ruin things for me. You ruined my relationship with your father, and now you’re ruining my life with Andre!”
My mother was yelling, but she soon realised she was losing her composure.
She immediately stood up straight and arranged her long locks.
“You know what? You aren’t worth my time. I’m going to deal with this bitch that thinks that she can just waltz in here and take everything that I worked so hard for.”
She turned to the car, and the door flung open. Jonas stepped out, and everyone was deathly silent.
My mother looked like she was about to die. Her face was pale, and a few guards rushed forward to catch her in case she fainted.
“Andre?! You’re… You’re gay?!”
I couldn’t help it. I was going to die if I didn’t laugh soon.
“This was it the whole time? This is why you never showed interest in me or attempted to touch me. You were never interested in women, to begin with?”
Andre stepped away from me and walked up to her, closing the gap and staring at her dangerously. Just a few inches away from her, he stopped.
“Nicole, you have no idea how interested in a woman I could be. I’d go to the ends of the world to bring her back if she, as much as stepped a toe away from me…”