"Do you always have to drive slowly like a grandma? It took us thirty minutes to get back; I would have gotten us back in less than twenty minutes."

I rolled my eyes and slammed the door. "That explains why I haven't been in a car accident and you have."

"Whatever," she said, then opened her door but stood beside the car pressing her phone.

I opened the door, too tired for her tug of words, then headed straight to my room. I pulled my clothes off and was grabbing my bath essentials when my phone started ringing again.

Caller ID: Agnar the fool.

Agnar never took a hint in his life, and if I never answered, he would keep calling and may even call me to glory.

"Why are you calling me" I asked him immediately I picked up.

"Wow, that is no way to talk to your brother whom you have not seen for years. What happened to hello' and long time no see?"

"You don't say that when that evil brother of yours drove you out of the pack. Now drop the act, Satan. What do you want?"

"Wow, always so emotional, but you can't help it being a woman and all; that's why you wouldn't have been a good Alpha even if you had a wo..."

"If the next thing out of your mouth is not why you called me, then I will end this call immediately."

He did not talk for a minute and I knew he was probably imagining himself strangling me.

"My mother wanted me to check on you and ask if you plan to return and partake in the maiden ball, you know since you are not mated and all."

I read between the lines.

"Is she worried that I may have my wolf now and decided to come to claim back the alpha position?"

"Are you coming?" He asked, his voice low.

The old me would have tried to rile him up, but I wasn't dumb enough to have him on my back, worrying that I would take his position. A position he had killed many for.

"No, I love my life."

"Good, stay gone, and do not forget that there has never been a female Alpha in our pack before."

The line went dead before I could curse at him, and I was left to stare at my screen with my bottled anger.

I went into the shower and scrubbed myself till I was red; when I came into my room, Clara was in my bed.

"I am staying here tonight," she said when she saw my raised eyebrows.

"Did you overhear my phone call?" I asked even though I already knew the answer; only a call from home would make Miss Chatty afraid.

"Yes, does he want me back? Has he found us?"

I rolled my eyes and then got under the blanket.

"No to both, and I would never give you back; I have told you that times without number. Now go to sleep."

" Okay, are you still coming with me to the party?"

I had wanted to get out of going, but with how emotional she was, I nodded, "Of course I am; I promised you that I would go."

"Good. Now the only problem remaining would be your dress. I doubt that that is something that screams party of the year in that ancient wardrobe of yours."

I rolled my eyes. "Hey, my clothes are fine, and if you have a problem with them, then I would be very happy to stay at home. I don't even enjoy clubbing like that, and you are taking me to the busiest party of the year. I think I would even...."

"Stop talking right there; I don't care what you think, but we are going. Besides, we would be in the VIP, so we would be fine, and I am planning to find you a hot man to dance with, even if you don't do the do." She winked and made some crude signs. "with them since you are waiting on your mate."

"I am not waiting on anybody; I just haven't found anybody I feel comfortable enough to give my V-card dummy to."

"Whatever you say, but I just ordered you a dress for the party," she said, then hugged me tight, and we slept off.

****

When I woke up, it was already three in the afternoon, and Clara was not in bed. I could smell some stew, so she must have cooked. There was also a box in the living room with my name on it.

I was too hungry to care what it was, so I tiptoed to the kitchen; she was cleaning the counters when I saw her, but she turned immediately.

"You were trying to catch me off guard, right?"

"Yes, but I did not succeed; your wolf-hearing abilities strike again."

She shook her head. "Not really. I heard you curse when you opened the door and smelled the food. Maybe don't curse whenever you smell food after your shift."

"I will think about it, I said and grabbed a serving of the food and started wolfing it down.

She grabbed hers, went to the living room, and put on the movie Sinners.

"Is that sinners?" I asked and then sat beside her.

She nodded.

" I thought we already watched it; why are we watching it again?"

"Excuse me? Am I supposed to watch Micheal B. Jordan's awesome ass only once?"

I looked at her incredulously. "You are rewatching a movie for someone's awesome ass?"

She shrugged, "Yes, Michael's. I also want to see Preacher Boy being so nasty with Pearline. That boy can get it anytime."

"You are crazy, really crazy."

"I don't care, If wanting someone to turn me loose in every possible way is crazy then I do not mind being crazy."

We bantered while watching the movie, while she kept commenting on how awesome their asses were and on how she wished she were the one in the scene till it was some minutes after six.

" What do you mean, you're not coming?" she asked whoever was her date.

I couldn't make out what he said, but she cursed and then cut the call.

"Does that mean that it is canceled, and Mason is not coming?" I asked.

She looked at me like I was crazy then shook her head. "I am not dating Mason anymore; we broke up two months ago. I am dating Jackson now, so don't mention that man's name again. Try to keep up with my dating life, Ali."

"I would if you didn't have a new man every week; maybe you should get a television show and name it Keeping Up with Clara's Dating Life, and who the hell is Jackson?"

"Ha ha ha, that's so funny. Anyways, Jackson owns a law firm, that firm beside our office. His father is an oil mogul, old money type shit," she said and made cash signs.

I chuckled, "Good for you, and he is decent, right?"

She nodded. "Yeah, a little boastful, but I don't care; I am not planning for anything long-term."

I didn't blame her. She was beautiful, slim, and tall, just like a model, so finding a new man was not something hard for her.

"The party is still on; Jackson is running late, but his friends will take us to the VIP, so get dressed; I have everything under control."

"I thought you bought me a dress; why is there a debit in my account with the description of a dress?"

I smiled, "I did buy you a dress; I just paid with your card. Besides, what are you going to use all that money in there for?"

"It is our emergency fund, and if you stop spending your salary immediately when it lands, you will have some saved up too."

She shook her head. "Nah, that sounds like a lot of work to deny myself something I want to save up."

I put the dress on, and it hugged my curves. I wasn't as tall as Clara, but I was curvier. The dress was simple but was sparkly, so it glowed in the night.

"This dress is so beautiful," I murmured.

"You're welcome," she shouted from her room.

She helped me do my makeup and my hair before we headed to the venue. Jackson sent a limousine to pick us up, and his friend was waiting for us in front of the club.

"You both look exquisite," he whispered, then kissed Clara's cheek, which was perfectly normal, but her blush and his hand placement told me that there was more.

The inside of the club was beautiful, which wasn't a surprise because Palermo was exclusive, and the VIP section was even more beautiful.

"Let's get a drink at the bar, my friends are there too or would you prefer for us to bring yours back" He asked me

"Come with us so you get to choose from that hot stuff" Clara whispered.

I look at the bar and at all the trustfund boys there and shake my head. Not to sound judgy, but I have met a few when my father was alive, and it was so obvious that they were sheltered. I was not about to have a full conversation about what their daddy's money could do.

"I would rather stay; get me my favorite from the bar, I said and sat down.

"Come on, there are some people I want to introduce you to, and Gerald is already waving; it would be rude not to say hello."

I rolled my eyes at her patronizing tone; she had been trying to set me up with her type of man forever, but I was not a fan.

"My feet are killing me; let me catch my breath for a little bit, and I will join you. You can keep Ciara safe, right?" I asked, trying to shift the conversation.

He nodded. "Of course, take your time; come on, Ciara."

He gripped her hand and pulled her with him. I relaxed into the chair and was looking around when I felt a hand on my boobs. I turned in shock to the source of the hand, and he was smiling.

"Excuse me, how dare you touch me?" I asked angrily, standing up.

He rolled his eyes. "Stop pretending to be angry and just tell me how much."

I was flabbergasted and was trying to gather my thoughts when he tried to touch me again, so I slapped him, hard.

"If you put your dirty hand on me again, you wouldn't wake up tomorrow," I said and tried to walk past, but the asshole gripped my hand. Rookie mistake: I pulled him, so he fell forward and hit his nose with my head.

"Fuck, the bitch broke my nose; get her," he said, and two men pretending to dance turned to us.

I looked at the bar, trying to catch Clara's attention to see if her friend could do anything, as I didn't want to fight tonight.

"Get lost." Someone snarled behind me, and they fled immediately like the devil was after them.

I turned to the source of the voice, and it was the man from the hospital; he was dressed in a black suit, and his eyes were black instead of red, as we saw last time.

"You're such a magnet for trouble, but given your loud mouth, I am sure that you can't help it," he said, then shook his head.

I blinked. "Excuse me, I'll have you know that I didn't say a word to him, so mind your business, fool. "

"I find that hard to believe, because I have witnessed your loud mouth and the crassness that comes out of it, and I pity the man who would be unfortunate enough to end up with you."

I felt a sharp sting, and my eyes watered. I gripped the edge of the table, swaying. I felt his hands on me, holding me upright.

Then it happened; I saw him biting my neck, and then he called me mate.

The arrogant fool who had called me loud-mouthed and was sorry for the person who would end up with me was my mate. I was not sure what the moon goddess was playing at, but I was not for it.

I pushed his hands off and then turned; thankfully, Clara chose that moment to appear.

"Are you alright? You look like you have seen a ghost."

"Take me home; take me home immediately," I whispered.

She looked at me and must have seen how afraid I was, so she gripped my hand, leading me to the exit. "Let's get out here. Let me text Grant to take us home; we have an emergency."