CHAPTER 7 - Temptation

Aria

I ran out of the packhouse, chased by Daniel’s aggressive and insulting tone. Although I knew this was another of Alicia’s tricks, I couldn’t prevent the sadness that overwhelmed me. I forgot about the lunch preparation and I wandered outside in the garden, lost and discouraged. So, when Maria sent someone to look for me, I pretended I was ill and returned to my place. I couldn’t afford to see Daniel again. Not after the way he had treated me.

I needed time to control my emotions and put my plan into action. Daniel’s girlfriend’s appearance had spoiled my original plan of seducing my mate, trying to be as close to him as possible. The way things were now, I needed to get close to Daniel when he was alone and if my assumptions were correct, his girlfriend wouldn’t leave him alone that much.

“Shit, Tania. Things are more complicated than expected. How am I supposed to be near him when that Lea bitch is around him all the time?”

“I can help you, Aria. Good thing Alicia didn’t take my power of detecting other werewolves’ whereabouts by their heartbeats. We’ll know when Daniel is alone, sweetie. And then you will have to make your move. You’d better think of how to seduce him quickly, Aria., I could tell by his heartbeat that you piqued his interest, and he was upset about meeting you back in his room. And he still is; I can say that for sure. So, don’t lose hope, dear. Trust me, it might take longer than expected, but you will finally reach his heart.” Tania’s sensible and soothing words calmed my raging heart.

“I never expected my first encounter with Daniel to end like this, Tania. My heart stopped when he wrapped his arms around me and I felt his touch after so long. Boy, this is going to be harder than I expected. But I strongly believe it’s worth it, Tania. Having Daniel back in my life is worth every single obstacle Alicia throws in my way,” I replied and closed my eyes, exhausted. I needed to relax and clear my thoughts if I wanted to continue pursuing my mate.

“I propose that you stay away from him for a few days. Don’t throw yourself at him from the beginning. Give me some time to perceive his reaction when he sees you. That would help us determine how you should proceed,” Tania advised, and I agreed with her. My wolf had always been efficient in the past, and I knew I could count on her.

When Valeria came back, she looked for me in my room. She found me lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling.

“Aria, what happened to you? I was worried when Mary told me you weren’t feeling well. Here, I brought you some soup.” Valeria showed me the flask she was holding.

I sat up straight and smiled at my roommate.

“Some things never change,” I whispered, remembering how sweet Valeria used to be with everyone.

“Huh?” Valeria was confused.

“I said thank you, sweetheart,” I smiled at her.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you! Alpha Jackson announced that he would have a barbeque party tonight to celebrate Daniel’s return. We are all invited, and none of us will work tonight. Our Luna hired a catering company for the food preparation.” Valeria spoke with excitement.

“I think I will pass. I am not feeling that well,” I told my roommate gloomily.

“No, Aria. Our presence is a must for our Alpha. You can’t deny his orders,” Valeria insisted, squeezing my hand.

“Come, let me help you with the soup, and then I will leave you to rest. We need to prepare for the party. Our Luna suggested we wear something nice tonight. The party will be official.”

Great, just great! I thought and huffed, irritated.

“Don’t be upset, Aria. This is a good chance for you to find out if you have got Daniel’s attention,” Tania explained.

A few hours later, Valeria insisted on us getting ready for the party together. After taking a bath, she helped me curl my long dark hair and gave me a beautiful sleeveless blue cotton summer dress to wear.

“I only wore it once years ago, when I was still slim,” she smiled.

I put on the dress and checked myself in the mirror. The hem was just above the knee, but it wasn’t provoking. The beautiful blue colour matched the colour of my eyes and it made me feel good inside and out. Its asymmetrical design accentuated my shapely shoulders and collarbones and balanced my body shape. The natural waistline design followed the curves of my body and created a form-flattering silhouette.

Valeria insisted I wear a pair of high heels, but I chose my blue sneakers instead. They would be better if I wanted to run away later on. To finish my look, Valeria gave me a pair of statement earrings to wear.

I was soon ready with light makeup, a volume of mascara that made my eyelashes look longer than they were, and natural lip gloss. I followed Valeria to the packhouse backyard where the party had already begun.

We found Mary and the other girls who worked with us in the kitchen and sat beside them. Maria complimented me on my appearance.

“It’s pretty rare to see such a beautiful Omega, Aria. You seem special, my dear,” Maria told me and I thanked her, blushing. All the other girls laughed at my reaction.

I finally relaxed and started enjoying my time with the Omegas. When the food was ready, we took turns getting served. When it was our turn, I followed Maria and Valeria and filled my plate with food, happily chatting with them.

Suddenly, the feeling of being watched made me uncomfortable. I turned my head left and right, but there was no one there. When I finished, I turned to go back to our table and my eyes locked with Daniel’s.

He was standing not far from me, holding his girlfriend’s hand, but his eyes were on me, burning holes in my soul. I blinked and averted my gaze. Pretending I wanted to ask Valeria something, I spoke to my roommate and walked to our table, ignoring my accelerated heartbeat and my desire to get closer to my mate.

Daniel

I made love to Lea in the bathtub trying to get the Omega out of my mind. It was the most challenging task because her hourglass figure constantly popped into my mind. Feeling guilty towards Lea, I tried my best to make her happy.

We left the room when it was time for the party and I took Lea to meet my father. He was polite to her, but I knew he would tell me off later on. I had to make him like Lea.

“Daniel, your mother has made many preparations for tonight’s party. You must thank her later on. Oh, by the way, she invited all the pack members. Be sensible and polite with them tonight. Don’t forget; you will be their new Alpha after your graduation ceremony. You must be close to them and make them love you,” my father advised me, ignoring Lea.

“Baby, why don’t you go find my mother in the kitchen? She may need help,” I suggested, and Lea got my point.

She left the room, and I turned to my father.

“Look, dad. Lea is special to me, and I don’t care that she is not my mate. She loves me and I love her, and I want to make her my Luna.”

“Daniel, what the fuck, son? What if you find your mate? What will you do then?” My father was furious.

“Dad, I am twenty-four. What makes you think that I am not mate-less? Why don’t you give Lea a chance to prove herself? Please!” I insisted.

“Let’s talk after the party,” my father proposed. We left his office and headed outside, joining my mum and Lea. The place was soon filled with pack members who greeted me with respect.

Once the party began, I watched my people chatting and relaxing, making me smile. My parents kept our people happy, and I needed to follow their example.

Holding Lea’s hand, I looked around. My eyes caught a familiar figure at the buffet. She wore a blue dress that flattered her perfect figure and left little to the imagination. I kept staring at her back, unable to take my eyes off her. Those round buttocks would become my nightmare. I tried to hide my arousal but then she turned and caught me staring.

She blinked, averting her gaze. Talking to another Omega, she walked to her seat.

“Holy shit, Cole. How the hell am I going to avoid this walking temptation?” I asked my wolf, who whined hornily inside my head.