Chase’s POV
I slowly walked back to my seat from the bathroom. A lazy smile began to spread on my lips. Just as I sat Hercules, Angus, and Mika all had their eyes on me. I stared back at them and smirked.
Angus rubbed a hand on his chin and Hercules began to chew. Their faces had a ghost smile as they tried to act normal. There was just one thing that bugged me. Mika’s countenance. She had not looked pleased with me ever since I began to pursue Arya. I have no idea, why she could be feeling this way. She knew Arya was my only hope of being free from this curse. Why was she then pissed? I resolved to ask her about it after the party.
Arya walked back to her seat after a while. I stared at her and she immediately looked away. Her face was the exact color of a fire truck.
Weeks ago, I could swear, the girl hated me with all her guts, and now here she was, being all shy with me.
By midnight, Arya and her friends were ready to leave the party.
“Your highness” Angus whispered into my ears. I turned to him. “Aren’t you going to talk to her now? She’s leaving” he glanced at Arya who seemed to be rummaging through her purse for the past few minutes, meanwhile, I knew that was her own way of not staring at me.
I shook my head and smirked. “She’s going to come to me,” I told Angus to call on Kelsi, his love interest. His eyes widened in horror. I nodded at him. He must think I haven’t noticed.
Angus nodded and beckoned for Kelsi to come over. The young lady elated to be around Angus, dragged her friend along. And that was how Arya was standing behind me. I turned around to find her shooting daggers at Kelsi. And that was my opportunity. I stood up and walked towards her. Her face went pale and her eyes widened. She looked like she wanted to run.
“Aren’t you going to say goodbye Arya?”
She glanced at me and back at the people in the VIP section. “Can’t you see people are watching’ she hissed.
“Let them watch,” I said. She let out a harsh breath. She was looking at everyone but me.
“Fine” she muttered. “Goodbye,” she said with gritted teeth.
“That’s better” I smirked.
It was then Kelsi said her goodbyes to Angus. She bowed a little towards me and then turned to me. Arya shot daggers in her friend’s direction.
“Come on we have to go, Kelsi,” she said with gritted teeth.
“Your highness, I wanted to know if you have any job openings at the office”
“Kelsi!” Arya warned.
I chuckled. “Yes, I do, do you want to work there?”
“No, it’s not for me” She turned to Arya who seemed like she was going to strangle her any moment. “It’s for my friend here, since she moved with Chamberlin, she had been complaining of boredom and freaking stupid hibiscus tea.” While Kelsi spoke, Arya was uncomfortable. “She said she hates it and wondered whose favorite it is the palace.”
“Ouch!” Kelsi yelped as she stared at her friend. “What was that for?”
I smiled. Those were my favorite. Arya saw me telling the maids the other day at my office about it. I was the reason, it’s been made in the palace. “There’s a job opening, she can put out an application, if she’s still interested.
“Thank you, your highness,” Kelsi said, and also I -”
“Your Highness, if you don’t mind, we will take our leave now” Arya glared at her friend and she marched off with her.
I chuckled. Those two were hilarious.
***************************************************************************************************
“Chase… chase!”
“Hmm,” I snapped my head away from the window. Deep in my thoughts, I didn’t know when the door to my study opened.
“Where have you been Man, I have been waving my hands like a flag here” he dragged a chair and sat.
“Oh I’m sorry Andy, I was just thinking” I ran my hands over my hand and sighed deeply. Smiling too. Andy was an old friend. We go way back. He couldn’t adapt to werewolf life, so he was always on the human side.
“Okay,” he began to smile too. “So are you going crazy any moment?” Andy leaned in. I laughed.
“Why will you think that? By the way, when did you come?”
“Now, that’s not the point” he pointed at me” Look at your face… dude you are smiling,” he said
“No, I’m not” I raised a hand to my face. “So when has that become a crime?” I smiled some more.
“Never. Just that you never smile, I mean you didn’t even welcome me” Andy remarked. “But why are you so defensive” he raised his hands in the air, in mock innocence. I opened my arms to hug him but he shoved me away.
“Animal” I laughed “Well I am now” I smiled again. Then he trailed off on how his company in the human world was doing well at this time, even though the police had been investigating and some company partners and stakeholders knew. My mind wandered back to someone I had seen in biker shorts in the kitchen this morning. She had her hair tied in a ponytail. Her thighs were smooth. I wondered how soft it would be under my touch. My mind wouldn’t let me be, as I kept thinking about it. I found myself thinking of Arya in my study.
The rest of the day went by fast, except for a little drama of two ladies fighting over Andy. They had made a scene at the palace they said he was their mate.
“Quite the playboy Andy, what’s that they say again about leopards and their colors” I said as I walked into his room.
“Please don’t start Chase, I have had the most stressful day” he loosened his tie.
I chuckled.
“And why are you going dressed like that?” Andy asked with an eyebrow raised.
“a walk’ I replied. I tried so hard to keep a straight face but Andy won’t quit grinning. “Stop that you animal,” I said and we both burst into laughter. Immediately the laughter died down, Andy grabbed a chair and gestured for me to sit in an empty one.
“Start talking” he narrowed his eyes. Without even giving it a second thought, I walked towards him.
I began to smile. “I think-”
“You think what?” Andy interrupted me.
I broke into a laugh. “Let me finish bro” he nodded smiling.
“I think I like someone… I do” I said.
In response to my comment, Andy let out a Laugh then he stood up. “Wait let me get the champagne.” I burst into laughter.