Chapter 3

I quickly leave my seat and go stand behind Sebastian.

I wasn't sure whether my actions would be appreciated, but there was no other choice. I start to rub his shoulders, trying to ease the tension I felt underneath them. Luckily for us, we were in a private section, so there weren't any eyes on us.

I had expected him to shrug my hands off, but to my surprise, he starts relaxing. I was actually happy to see his hatred for Darren and Miranda. Until that moment, I had not believed that he hated Miranda. "I asked you what you're doing, Lauren,” Darren's annoying voice breaks my concentration.

I turn to look at him, and I honestly don't know why I fell for him in the first place. There was nothing that screamed special about him. Sure, he was good-looking and had a great body, but that was just it. I must really have been desperate for a mate to choose him.

“What does it look like I'm doing? I'm having dinner with Sebastian,” I sneer at him.

I wish he would just take his whore and leave. They were both sucking the life out of the small space with their disgusting presence.

“I can see that, but with him? What are you doing with him, of all people?” he asks in disgust, grinding his teeth.

Miranda just stands there, her mouth gaping like a damn fish, looking between the three of us as if she were an observer and not part of the scenario.

"What about him? There's nothing wrong with Sebastian.”

He looks at me in pure disbelief, like I've lost my mind, like I should be admitted to a psychiatric hospital.

"You can't be serious. He's the same guy that took Miranda from me. He took my mate!” he yells, and I wince. Thank the Goddess for soundproof walls.

I fold my hands across my chest. “And I should care about that why? In case you've forgotten, I'm no longer tied to you, meaning my loyalty no longer lies with you. Sebastian is a decent guy and I love him. Besides, he didn't take your mate from you. Miranda is a gold-digging whore who left you for him because he had more power and money.”

I hear Miranda's shocked gasp right before Darren lunges at me. He doesn't get close, though; Sebastian stands up and pushes Darren back. Darren stumbles, almost knocking Miranda off her feet. I guess he’s still touchy where Miranda is concerned.

“If you ever try that shit again with Lauren, I'll rip your fucking beating heart out and feed it to the rogues,” Sebastian says in warning, his wolf shining through his eyes and his alpha aura leaking. We were all struggling with his aura, even Darren, despite being an alpha himself.

I get past my need to submit to him, my need to kneel before him and touch his arm. He turns to me, and upon seeing my struggle, he draws back his energy, making me breathe in relief.

"Did you just say you love him? Is this what you've been doing instead of answering my calls which concern Krystal?” Darren asks, his tone venomous. “Were you too busy spreading your legs for him instead of taking care of your daughter?”

Sebastian is about to lunge at him, but I stop him, stepping aside to stand next to him. I have the strongest need to punch Darren, but I stop myself, reminding me and Blue that what we had in store for him would hurt so much more.

"Don't you fucking talk about Krystal. You and that bitch turned her against me, you fucking bastard.” I pause before continuing. “Besides, who I spread my legs for is none of your fucking business. At least with Sebastian, I don't have to fake my moans,” I finish with a cruel smile. I hear Sebastian laugh a little, and it pleases me.

I wrap my hands around Sebastian's waist for good measure. He doesn't disappoint when he brings his hand over my shoulder.

Miranda and Darren both stare at us in shock, as if they couldn't comprehend what I just said. Of course, it's a lie. I've never slept with Sebastian. I probably never will, but they didn’t need to know that.

“If you have no more insults for me, then leave. I would like to continue this dinner date with my man, which hopefully will end up with both of us sweaty on my bed,” I say. “Shoo, you're both dismissed.”

Miranda is about to say something, but one look from Sebastian shuts her up. She then grabs and drags a reluctant Darren away.

Once they're gone, I release Sebastian and jump away from him. We take our seats just as our meals arrive. We eat in silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts. When we finish, I ask him the question that has been bugging me—a question whose answer might break our deal.

"Did you know Miranda had a mate when you took her as yours?”

I'm afraid of what the answer will be, but I also need to know. No matter how desperate I was to get marked, I don't think I would be okay with the knowledge that Sebastian took someone else's mate knowingly.

He sighs before answering. “No, I didn’t. She had told me her mate had died. It's only recently I came to know that she fucking lied to me.”

"What about your fated mate?”

I see the moment he shuts down, the moment he decides he’s done sharing. I didn't know much about him except what the whole world knows. That fact alone left me at a disadvantage. Thinking back, I wonder how Sebastian never suspected anything, especially during alpha conventions where Darren spent most of that time glaring at the couple.

“Didn't you suspect anything? I mean, Darren never hid the fact that he hated you," I ask, changing the subject.

“I did, and I asked Miranda. Just like with everything, she lied to me. She told me that Darren was an old flame who became bitter when she refused to be his chosen. I investigated her claim, but nothing came up on their connection except that they had dated in college. Darren never came to me with the truth, so I believed that he was a scorned lover. She lied to me and made a fool out of me. I can never fucking forgive that.”

I nod in understanding. Didn't Darren do the same? Made me believe he loved me when he didn't. Both of them had made fools out of us. I was going to enjoy bringing them down.

“Let's go,” Sebastian tells me while standing up. I guess dinner was over.

We walk out, and I want to ask him about the bill, noticing that he didn't pay. Maybe he had a tab or something.

We get in the car and drive off. Unlike when we came, we make small talk this time. Soon enough, we arrive at my cottage. I get out of the car and he walks me to the door.

“I'm sorry for saying those things to Darren. I shouldn't have lied about the sex part,” I tell him while disengaging the alarm system.

“You did what you had to do,” he says in a deep voice.

We stand there in silence. Why was it awkward all of a sudden? I ask myself.

“Tomorrow we'll be signing the contract. Have a good night, Red,” he whispers right before he gives me a chaste kiss on my lips.

I hear the click of something, and moments later, Sebastian steps away from me. I watch him as he gets in the car, just as I catch the figure of a man with a camera.

Of course, Sebastian kissed me because he knew the guy was there. As I enter my house and he drives off, I wonder why I was disappointed.

Why the hell had I wanted him to kiss me because he wanted to, not because we had to make this believable or because the paparazzi was following us?

And why the hell do I wish the kiss had lasted longer, or had been deeper?