Chapter 7

Elena’s POV

The dress, floor-length but with a slit, hugged me tightly at the waist. The halter neck gave a good amount of attention to my breasts. My hair was packed up with a matching red hair claw, and I could help but feel very pretty.

“You should feel very pretty. You look more than pretty. You look absolutely flawless”, he said, as if reading my thoughts. God help me if this man were a psychic werewolf.

“Thank you”, I said, trying so hard not to blush as I took the black, shiny purse from the table.

“You look quite handsome yourself.”

“I know”, he said, and I laughed, rolling my eyes.

“You know? What happened to saying thank you?”

He stretched his hand to me and raised it so that I gave him a full 360, but midway, Horace had me pinned to the wall like he was about to drag my throat.

“So you mean to tell me you cover all this…”, he paused so I knew he was referring to my body. “Behind ugly skirts and a white coat”

“I …”

He leaned closer, his scent overpowering every good sense of reasoning I had. We were just lips apart, and Horace placed his hand on my neck, moving up till he covered the line of my jaw, and his hands reached out to my cheek. I could feel his wolf’s desires, but my wolf didn't just want to feel; she wanted to taste them so bad.

“Daddy?”

Just then, Ethan’s head popped out at a corner, and he ran to me. Horace released my hand so he could pick him up.

“Where are you going, Daddy?” he said, playing with the neck of the shirt Horace had on.

“On a date with mama”, Horace said, his eyes on me. I smiled sheepishly.

“And we are going to be late if you don't go with your nanny here”, he said, handing him over to the nanny who stood by.

“Daddy, you have to promise to come back early to play ping pong with me.”

“Of course, buddy. I never miss it”, Horace said, patting his son's head. The nanny took him away, and we headed to the car waiting for us downstairs. Horace got the door for me and then went around to get in the car.

In less than thirty minutes, we were pulled up at The Wilmington Family House.

Horace got out of the car quickly. I should have wondered why he was in such a hurry because the next thing you knew, he opened my side of the car and carried me out in his arms.

“What are you doing?”

“Taking you in”, he said with a smirk.

As we entered, we met Michael and Ashanti walking into the dining hall.

Oh, the shock in his eyes when he saw Horace.

“What the hell are you doing here?” he roared, his face visibly distraught just to see Horace.

Horace placed me down.

“Thank you, babe”, I said, pecking him on the cheek. I turned to Horace, disgust on my face.

“He’s my date.”

“He wasn't invited.”

“He's my plus one. You have your silly little girlfriend here, don't you? And I have my man”, I said, turning to give Horace another peck on his cheek. I could feel the rage even with Michael metres away from me. My wolf had pleasure just from seeing him flinch at Horace and me.

We walked past them with our hands entwined, and I revelled in the jealousy Michael had in his eyes.

Horace pulled out a seat for me and then for himself.

“That seat is reserved,” Michael said sternly.

“Too bad”, Horace said, taking his seat.

“Where's the rest of the gang? He asked,

“I thought this was a family dinner.”

“You’re not even invited, so why don't you shut the hell up

“Excuse you?” I shot back. “You will respect my boyfriend the same way I've been respecting the wretch you call a girlfriend.”

“What did you just call me?” Ashanti retorted, shock in her eyes.

“You heard me loud and clear.”

“Cal, you better hold that whore.”

“No one is holding me. Especially not this, joke, you call a man”

“Elena!”

“You will lower your voice, Michael”, Horace said sternly, his deep voice echoing in the room as he got to his feet. I could see his wolf almost bulging out from his skin, and a feeling of pride filled me.

My wolf rejoiced to see the almighty Michael withdraw from having a fight with Horace. He left the hall pissed, and Ashanti followed like the sheep that she was, her haughty eyes on me before she finally disappeared out of the room.

“You're doing great”, Horace whispered to me as soon as they left.

Soon, the dining table was filled with Michael and Ashanti's family. I was a little discouraged seeing Michael's mum at the table, her haughty eyes staring me down.

“Who's your new girlfriend?” she asked, arranging her napkin.

“Oh, she?” Horace asked, taking my hand up to kiss it. “She's Elena, my girlfriend.”

“My ex-wife”, Michael said bitterly, his fist clenched. Ashanti placed her hands on Michael's arms in some kind of victory.

The whore.

“Ex-wife?”, Ashanti's aunt asked.

“Oh, Michael, you didn't tell them about your open marriage plan? That's why you invited us to dinner, cousin, right?

“Open marriage?” Ashanti's aunt asked, her eyes lit up in shock.

“No, it's not”, Ashanti quickly spoke up. “They are through, still going through the divorce process, right, babe?”

Michael hesitated to answer, but he had to save himself.

“Yes, babe”, he said, and they kissed.

“Now that's a couple I'm proud of”, Michael's mum said, eyeing I and Horace down.

“It's funnier when you look at how pathetic they are together”, Horace whispered into my ear, making me laugh. Everyone looked at us, but I didn't mind. Horace interlaced his hands with mine and placed them on the table, and I could feel Michael glaring at us, jealous and enraged.

“Hey”, Ashanti said, turning his head to face her. “I'm right here.”

“I know”, he said, placing a hand on her chin to give her a kiss.

But Horace wasn't having any of it.

When the steward filled my glass with water, Horace offered to help me with the glass.

“Here”, he said, placing a hand under my chin as he gave me some water to drink.

I equally played up to act, playfully feeding him some of my food.

I laughed when the salad cream stained his nose.

“Hey, let me get that for you”, I said, taking the napkin off the table. Horace leaned in so I could clean his nose, and we spent the next few seconds held in each other’s gaze. It looked so natural, Ashanti's aunt had to commend us.

“You too look so good together”, she said, smiling.

“Just like my Michael and Ashanti”, Mrs. Wilmington quickly said, trying to steal the show.

“Oh no, those two look like they're putting on a show”, the whole table laughed, obviously that they'd been watching the whole charade.

“They look so natural. How many years have you two been together?”

That was enough to blow Michael's head off because he suddenly banged the table in anger and walked out, leaving Ashanti behind.

Horace smiled, and an overwhelming sense of victory filled my heart. “I think the night is far gone, Auntie. We will take our leave now.”

Horace stood up, pulled me out of my chair, and to the shock of everyone and me, I lifted myself from my chair in his two muscular arms, and he carried me out of the dinner hall.