Chapter 21
Stacey’s POV
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The three of us grabbed a drink, looking around for our table. I could see Adam watching our every move. I ignored him, keeping my attention on my father and Derek. I had planned to keep Derek close all the time but instead of me doing that, he himself kept me close since we walked in. I liked the feeling of someone doing that to me, even though it was pretending. I still felt wanted.
“Stacey, you should go and greet all the Alpha. In this way, you will get to know a lot of things that are happening around you.”
“Sure, dad.”
After a while,
“It’s good to see you moving on Stacey with someone who really treats you like queen.”, Luna Naomi of Rivermoon pack, said after talking with us for a few minutes.
“It was time to move on.”, I smiled. I looked at Derek, who was busy with Alpha Max discussing the issues of Vampires. I had to admit that he was quite knowledgeable along with being powerful and handsome. I kept watching him out of the corner of my eyes. He looked very handsome and then when didn't he? I smiled as I let my eyes study his face carefully in a way I have never done. I never noticed he had such perfect sculpted features that seemed to connect well. He had a scar, just above his eyebrow and a mole hidden by his eyebrows.
I quickly looked away to all the teenage werewolves who were searching for their mates, not wanting him to catch me, staging at him. He was in deep conversation with Alpha Max and now Alpha Austin., but I could feel another set of eyes on me. I looked around and found my father looking at me, a smile playing on his lips. I looked at him, confused, and he mind linked me.
‘Pretending, you say?’, He teased.
‘Yes, dad. I am not ready for anything yet, neither is he.’, I tried to explain myself and expected my father to believe it.
‘I can understand that. Adam was never good enough for you. And I never liked that man.’, My expression immediately changed after hearing that. Many people around me never liked him. I wondered why I couldn’t see this earlier?
By that time, my father was already near me and asked my hand for the dance.
“Truth to be told, I didn’t expect you to be happy and taken care of. Call it pretending or anything else, sweetheart but I am glad to see you smiling.’
I smiled at him, trying to hold back tears.
“I won’t force you to choose someone I like but I have known Derek for all my life and I know that he is a decent man and well bred.”
My eyes drifted off to where Derek was standing, but suddenly I couldn't find him. My eyes searched the ballroom until finally, I spotted him, holding his hand out to a baby girl of 3-4 years and dancing with her. My heart warmed at the sight and at the same time, I realized that I could never give that happiness to him.
“Poor Derek. He might be missing his daughter.”
“He has a daughter?”, I was caught off guard when I heard this. Derek never told me about it. Neither did I ever come to know about it.
“Not his own. His father had found a child of a few months in the forest. Since, there was no note with her. They decided to keep her with themselves and Derek had legally adopted her. So, in that way, she is his daughter.”
“What’s she? A human child or a werewolf’s pup?”
“We can’t say anything about it right now.”
“Oh”, I nodded in an understanding way because even werewolves' pups couldn't be identified as werewolves until 18 years. “Why doesn’t he keep his daughter with him?”
“She’s a girl plus she’s still a baby. It would be better if she stays with her grandparents who can look after her all the time rather than staying with a father who barely can handle her.”
***
After dancing with dad, I was back in Derek’s arms.
“Hmm...I thought you were going to spend all night dancing with your father. What were you two whispering about?”, Derek asked.
“Wouldn’t you like to now?”, I winked at him, at which he pulled me closer and kissed me on my nose before leaning his head to the side to gently kiss my neck. Then he signed and pulled me closer toward him again. I rest my head on his shoulder.
“Yes, I really would.”
“Dad was telling me about your daughter. You never told me about her.”, I complained.
“I never did?”, He sounded surprised.
“Nope.”
“Sorry, I might have missed to tell her about her. Her name is Scarlet and she’s one and half years old right now. Well, that’s not her exact age, but we have assumed that she might be of that age.”
“So, now it’s final. You are going to your parent’s house tomorrow for sure. Infact I feel so bad that I am reason because of which you have to stay away from your daughter.”
“Hey, that’s totally fine! I know mom and dad can take better care of her than me.”
“But…”
“If you won’t stop feeling guilty then I will start calling you LUNA at this party.”, He teased.
“Not again.”, I giggled while he laughed. During our dance, one of his hands was on my bare shoulder and instead of keeping it silently over there, he kept moving his hand over my shoulder sensually. I didn’t know if he realized he was doing it. His simple touch was making my legs a little tingly. It seemed like my body was me that I could deny it all I wanted, but I wanted him. I was begging to wonder if my body was right?
“S..stop doing that.”, I whispered and was glad that he stopped.
After a while,
“Dad was asking again and again whether something is going on between us!!”, I replied to his earlier question.
“Oh, and what did you say?”
“The same which we had discussed earlier.”
***
The night was coming to an end and I was heading to the washroom before we headed to the party we got invited to. I headed in doing my business before washing my hands. I gave myself the once in the mirror, making sure my make-up and hair were still alright, while Derek was standing outside, waiting for me. I grabbed my lipstick from my bag, reapplying it and smacking my lips together. I fixed my hair and reached for the door when I heard.
“She will be bored with you soon and come back to me.”, I heard Adam’s voice from outside.
“Did I ask anything from you?”, Derek growled.
“But I am telling you to give you a reality check that she will come back and she always does. You are just her timepass right now, Derek. I will always be the one she wants no matter what.”, Adam said.
“Believe what you want, Adam. I don’t give a damn about it.”, Derek answered back. I walked out of the washroom because I really didn’t want them to start throwing punches at each other.
“Stacey!”, Adam beamed at me. “I didn’t know you were inside.”
Liar!
Before I could have said anything I saw Megan come up behind Adam.
“There you are!”, She said, hugging Adam from behind. “I have great news for you!”
“And what is that sweetheart?”, Adam asked, putting an arm around her.
“You are going to become a father.”
“Oh my god!”, He quickly kissed her in front of me, making my heartache. “You gave me the best gift of my life which no one ever did until now.”, He added, after breaking the kiss.
Somehow, I felt that that comment was for me. I smiled at them, refusing to be defeated. “Congratulations to both of you. Now I believe that Adam will finally accept my rejection so that we can spend our life without any disturbance.”
“Wait! What? You are the one who is not accepting his rejection, aren’t you?”
“Is that the lie he is feeding you, huh? I am sorry about that sweetie.”, I whirled around and pulled Derek with me. We went straight for the exit without saying goodbye to anyone. I was holding Derek’s hand tightly, after that if I let go of him, I wouldn’t be able to support my own weight. Alicia was sobbing in pain.
“Stacey….”, Derek started. I didn’t respond. I kept walking and dragging him with me. “Stacey!”, He called louder this time around. He actually stopped and pulled me toward him.
I was afraid I was going to slip, but he caught me spot on, wrapping his arms around my waist and holding me against him.
I closed my eyes as I buried my face in his chest. I felt him hold me tightly. I cried silently in his arms, as he caressed my head gently, whispering soothing words in my ears.
“Did I do the right thing? Kicking him out of my life?”
“Yes, Luna. You deserved better.”, He said stiffly. I realized Adam was somehow getting on Derek’s nerves.
I couldn’t help feeling….flattered about that.
“I want to forget it all, Derek.”, I whispered to him. “I want to forget them! I want to stop feeling the hurt and the pain.”
He smiled and pinched my nose. “You can’t cheat the healing process.”
“Really? There’s no bypassing this the fastest way possible? I mean, what can take the pain away?”
He sighed, “Time,”, He whispered softly.
“So, there's no way to fast forward it?”
He shook his head. “You can forget it tonight but I can’t promise you that you won’t feel heartbroken in the morning.”
I smiled. “Okay, if only for tonight, Derek. Help me forget.”
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#TBC
