Chapter 64 : Breakfast

Karenina

After breaking the wax seal of the Westwood Pack, she read the short message and knew immediately who had written it, the masculine scent was obvious even if the writing was not.

‘Come to the garden terrace and we'll have breakfast.’

She should have been surprised by the invitation, but instead her stomach fluttered as she remembered her conversation with the guy yesterday. Had she really agreed to a date with him? All thoughts of her strange conversation with Helga vanished as the thought of a date with Xavier overcame her.

This can't be real. Xavier Westwood wanted to go out with her! But why?

A question that kept popping up in her head ever since his plan had been revealed to her.

"Luna Karenina?" Helga asked.

Snap out of her reverie, Karen looked at her friend. "Yes?"

Helga asked patiently, "Would you like me to bring you something to eat?"

"Uh, no? I don't think so. Xavier wants me to eat with him in the garden... somewhere," she replied, not sure where.

******

Helga

Seeing the girl's confusion, Helga could guess exactly where her confusion was coming from. "Don't worry. I'll take you to Alpha Xavier." Then Helga looked down at the dress she had just put on the girl. The dress was a beautiful purple and white, although one of the designs was simpler but no less luxurious. The straps of the dress were golden yellow for added color.

There was only one inner layer to the dress, which was white, and Helga wanted to add a few more layers underneath, but the girl's wounds wouldn't take any more pressure. Not that it mattered. Because Karen would have refused to wear what she called 'too much clothing'.

In Helga's opinion, the girl was not of a high social class, for not only did she refuse to dress elegantly, but her manner and speech were also inappropriate. However, she could not help but judge the girl's lack of social grace as she tried hard to treat her as her friend.

Perhaps it was because Karen did not come from high society, but Helga began to appreciate the girl's outgoing and friendly attitude towards everyone.

After a moment, a shadow flashed across Helga's expression. Although Karen was unaware and seemingly indifferent to the situation inside the pack house, Helga knew very well, and she had no choice but to remember her position or suffer. She was a servant, nothing more. If she fully accepted the girl's friendship, the others would find out and she would be accused of being too familiar with her Luna.

As she looked at her dark brown hair, keeping her eyes away from the innocent face reflected in the glass, lest the girl question her thoughts, Helga knew she could never tell the girl. She also knew that the girl wouldn't understand and would probably do something stupid.

Right now, her position in the Alpha Xavier pack was very vulnerable, especially when everyone knew that their Alpha wanted a hybrid as his mate; there were many people who would reject that statement. Only the strong, strange aura energy inside the hybrid girl could give her a chance to stay at Alpha Xavier's side.

However, Helga realized that Alpha Xavier was trying to strengthen the aura energy inside the girl, and she could only pray that Karen could be transformed and survive. She liked her and didn't want to see the girl forced to leave. Her pack house would be a gloomy place without the little hybrid girl.

******

Karenina

Less than fifteen minutes later, Karen found herself in a luxurious garden surrounded by what appeared to be hundreds of blooming flowers, the colors so bright and vibrant it almost calmed her. Then her eyes fell on a building again.

The building was white, with several steps leading down to a low tiled floor, slightly larger than her room in her house at that time, with large columns at each corner supporting an elegantly crafted roof. There was a small table in the center, with a bowl of fruit and a set of old-fashioned tea sets - a sophisticated atmosphere.

For a terrifying minute, Karen dreaded the thought of having to perform the tea ceremony. Of course, her mother had taught her several times over the years, but she had never really paid attention to the lessons, finding the process too long and tedious. She silently cursed her impatience as a young girl until her gaze fell on the lone occupant of one of the two couches around the small table, golden eyes fixed on her arrival.

Her gaze was caught and held by his. She didn't realize that she had stopped to admire the Alpha with his beautiful casual shirt and black pants, his grayish-black hair and the black suit that adorned his broad shoulders. She had no idea how someone could be so beautiful and masculine at the same time.

When Xavier stood up and walked towards her with such a stride, she immediately thought of herself and why she was there.

That's right, she was on a date with Xavier Westwood, Rylan's older brother!

When he stopped in front of her, Xavier ignored her nervousness and offered his hand to help her walk to the seats. "You look beautiful, Karenina."

She hesitantly accepted his hand, trembling as she felt his strength under his palm. "Yes, thank you," she murmured, following Xavier up the short stairs and letting him sit her down before he did the same in front of her.

Wake up Karen! It's just breakfast to talk. There's nothing weird or perverted about what he's doing.

Memories of the night Xavier had taken her to a secluded lake park flashed before her eyes, forcing her to remember how he had touched her, turned her on, made her feel blissful ecstasy.

As best she could, she ignored the heat that flooded her cheeks. Not knowing what else to do, she poured their tea, his first when she realized it was ready - thanks to the Moon Goddess - and waited for him to drink before popping the grapes into his mouth.

As nervous as she was, Karen thought she was going to be sick, butterflies swirled in her stomach and no amount of food would ease them, in fact they were getting worse. As the meal began, she felt quiet and awkward as she ate her fruit carefully, feeling nothing. Somehow, she managed to concentrate enough to make sure his teacup was never empty, and watched in fascination every time he ate a piece of fruit, a peach if she guessed it right.

It was the first time she'd ever seen Xavier eat, and she tried hard not to stare at him.

Gosh, he's even eating perfectly!

******

Xavier

Meanwhile, Xavier was at a loss as to what to do next. How to get close to her? And a girl as strange as this? And he was at a loss for words. When he created the competition to find a mate, he hadn't expected to have to wait so long to mark Karen as his mate by combining their scents and auras through a union so that everyone would know his intentions, then the official ceremony a week later with the exchange of blood and their mating marks.

However, Xavier will be forced to wait as he tries to convince his reluctant mate to claim him as her own. He never thought he would face such a dilemma, as there were many she-wolves who wanted what he gave to the hybrid girl.

But Karen rejected him at every turn. She didn't seem to want or care about his social status, his wealth, or his abilities as an Alpha. She just didn't seem to want him.

His gaze fell on the woman in front of him. But she was not looking at him and missed his piercing gaze.

No, that wasn't quite true. She did want him, at least physically, no matter how hard she tried to deny her body's reaction to his touch, his closeness. As he led Karen to her seat, Xavier felt her immediate reaction to him, her breathing and heart rate increasing.

But how could he take the opportunity when she had forced him to promise to win her over, not in a sexual way, but by earning her loyalty, her friendship first.

Now that he was out of ideas, Xavier refused to admit defeat. She would be his, of that he had no doubt. Suddenly, a familiar female voice snapped him out of his reverie, his gaze fixed on the mesmerizing creature before him.

Karen couldn't stand the silence any longer. She had to say something, anything, to make this awkward situation more comfortable.

"You have a very beautiful garden, Xavier," she said softly, a forced smile spreading across her face. She continued, "And what I see of your house is wonderful. It's so beautiful. There aren't many houses like this in the city I live in now. Too many skyscrapers and highways."

Taking a few seconds to sip his tea and try to make sense of her jumbled words, Xavier decided to focus on what he could understand.

"My great-grandfather built this house when he took over the Westwood Pack as his territory decades ago. Then he created this garden as a mating gift for his mate. Since then, the land, the house, and the title to this garden have remained in our line, protected from anyone who might want to take it."

Looking around the garden, she couldn't help but smile at the romantic gesture his great-grandfather had made for his mate. "I'm sure your great-grandmother would have loved this. This garden really is beautiful. He must have loved her very much to do something like this for her."

He looked at the young girl. However, Xavier did not comment on her mind's interpretation of the reason for the garden's construction. Love was an illusion, but if she wanted to believe otherwise, he could use it to his advantage. If he could make her 'love' him, it might make her more accepting of his wishes.

But how he could manipulate her emotions, Xavier still didn't know.

"When you've finished eating, I'll accompany you to the garden if you like." Not wanting their time to end, he offered after seeing her interest.

Not feeling as awkward as she had a few minutes before, she agreed. "Okay."