Chapter 27

Derek's POV

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I must admit that she was too good at whatever work she did. I meant the way she handled the smell of burnt food was recommendable; being a werewolf, our sense of smell was too good compared to humans, but whatever magic she did, even I couldn't say that food had been burnt even a little.

"Damn it! I will surely be going to gain a lot of calories after eating all this.", Lucy commented, eating the foods like a hungry woman.

"You can eat like a normal human instead of eating everything like an animal that you are.", Laila commented, on which she earned a smack from Stacey for teasing her.

"Seriously, Ace!! I'm eating this amazing food after decades. I love it.", Owen praised.

"Really? And what do you think I cook like?" Ruby, his mate, asked, raising her brow. "Were you eating shit until now? Huh?"

"No, baby. I..I…"

"You are going to cook at home from now onwards.", She said, pointing her spoon toward him.

"Please, baby!" he pleaded, but Ruby ignored her. Everyone broke out into a fit of laughter, seeing all this.

"Ace! You are a great cook.", John said and then looked at Laila. "But not good as my mate." Immediately some pieces of salad were thrown over him.

"Just shut up, okay! I know the truth.", Laila laughed.

"Derek, Man! You're so lucky.", John laughed, eating the salad which Laila had thrown on me.

"Yeah! I'm." I laughed, nodding my head. No, I wasn't thinking about the future. It was just she was cooking dinner for me or, say, both of us from the last couple of nights.

"Okay! Okay! Now, coming back to our plan. There will be a volleyball competition between boys and girls to burn the calories.", Lucy said, to which the boy's team started shouting, saying a straight NO for this idea.

"What's wrong, guys? Why is everyone against this idea?" I said, munching the food.

"Because we will lose badly.", Jack said, rolling. "Very. Badly."

"Why? None of you knows how to play volleyball? Hmm", I asked, arching my brow.

"You know how to play it?" Brandon asked to which I nodded my head. "Great, then I will like you seeing defeating Acein this game. In fact, everyone will like to see that happening. Right guys?"

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!", Everyone started hooting, but I could sense that something was fishy. I looked at Stacey, who was a sly smile on her lips.

What was that everyone knew, but I didn't?

"Okayyyy.", I agreed, wondering how hard it could be because I was good in all the outdoor games. Well, not PRO, of course.

*****

When everyone came back to the swimming pool area, I saw Stacey start stripping.

"What are you doing?" I asked in horror while Rex didn't like her showing so many skins in front of other males. I didn't give a damn about the part of whether there were mated or unmated, but…

Calm down, Derek! It was not that she was your mate. On the top, no one is staring at the figure.

"How do you think I'm going to play volleyball in the swimming pool?", She smirked and jumped in the swimming pool.

Holy shit!

How the hell I was going to play when she was in nothing but bra and panties. "Come on, Derek, get your clothes off and join the game.", She said, giving me a wide smile. I looked around and found everyone holding their laughter.

"You were right, guys.", I laughed, realizing how true their words were when they mentioned losing the game badly. Very badly. Hearing me, everyone started laughing. I then looked at Stacey. "I accept my defeat. I don't want to play.", I laughed.

"Scared?"

"Very."

"Why don't you girls enjoy this game while we boys spend our time?" I suggested on which all males agreed. I looked at Stacey for the last time before leaving; she was pouting like a baby. I knew I should leave from here before anyone could smell my arousal because I could feel my little member start to begin to stir under my pant again.

'You're no fun, Beta.', Stacey's voice rang into mind.

'Stop being me a pervert, Luna.', I muttered back and looked at her again. She was smirking and licking her lips. She loved teasing me.

Though I was maintaining a little distance from her and the girls were busy enjoying, my eyes and my mind were on Stacey.

"I can smell it.", Jack said, sitting beside me.

"Smell what?"

"Your arousal.", he responded with a grin and added. "It's too faint, but it is."

"Well, what can I say on that? I'm also a man.", I said, shrugging my shoulder. If she was attractive and sexy, then I couldn't act like nothing was happening to my little member. As a Beta, I should be feeling this way for my Luna, but then, this was not in my control anymore. My subconscious mind told me that I should stay away from her, but at the same time, I also knew I didn't want to stay away from her, and this was not the drink that was speaking.

I was also sure of one thing if this PRETEND thing would continue for a little longer, then the things would get real from my end.

And to be honest, I didn't know what would happen when she would not feel the same way. That alone thought scared me. I knew that she liked me, but she likes dogs as well, but that didn't mean she would think of choosing a dog as her partner. I also knew that I shouldn't be thinking about all this, but then it wasn't in my control again.

'You're thinking too much. Just treat her right, and I'm sure that that day will not be far when she will reciprocate our feelings in the way.' Rex encouraged me.

I grabbed a beer while watching everyone around, especially Stacey. She used to keep looking at me from time to time whenever she used to get the chance.

After a while, she climbed out of the pool and walked toward me. I grabbed a towel for her in case she wasn't planning to return to the pool again.

"Thank you.", She muttered, taking the towel from my hand. "What were you thinking so hard?", She asked all of a sudden, stepping closer to me.

"Nothing important.", I responded and couldn't control myself from reaching my hands out and placing them on her ass, pulling her body a little closer to me. I ignored the fact that she was still wet and she was making my clothes wet.

"I won't pressure you to share if you don't want to.", She said, reaching up and placing her lips over mine. I grunted into the kiss, placing my hand on her back, holding her against me, and kissed her back. She wrapped her arms around my neck as the kiss became a little more heart."

"Get a room, guys.", I heard Lucy shout.

"I have rooms for every couple, so go over there because no one is interested in watching a live sex scene in front of us.", Laila commented. Stacey smiled against my lips before pulling away.

'We should leave then.', She said through the mind link on which I smiled, scooping her up into my arms, bridal style. And my smile widened when she gasped, letting her arms hold my neck for stability.

"You are making me feel loved by carrying me like a bride.", She said, giggling a little.

"I'm glad that you are feeling that way because that's what you deserve.", I responded, entering the first room which I found upstairs, and I put her down to lock the door.

"So this is the last time we are losing control of ourselves, isn't it?", She asked. I didn't know what she was thinking. But all the reasons for pretending things were going to END now.

Party? Over.

Hangout out with friends? Over.

"Hmm. Just second and last." I agreed because there was no use for continuing this relationship which was dependent on just our physical needs.

"Yes, for the last time.", She repeated again before lunging at me, crashing her lips against mine. I kissed her back, hoping I would find enough control not to let it happen next thing or over and over again.

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#TBC