12. A Real Man

twelve

A Real Man

*ELDEN*

I ’m running late, five minutes at least. It doesn’t matter if it’s one minute or thirty, or an hour, I just hate being late. I’m always on time; I can’t stand to have people waiting for me or to waste their time waiting for me. Tonight however, I can’t seem to find my stuff. I know Flora is already waiting for me, so that we can leave for the party. While I’m dressed for the occasion already, my wallet is missing. After rummaging through my bag, I finally find it under my bed. Probably dropped it there earlier this morning. I usually always carry it in my bag though, or put it on my desk, but maybe when I grabbed something for training it happened. I briefly peek into it, checking to see if everything is still in its place.

Now, only my watch is missing. I look everywhere I usually place my watch, but it’s nowhere to be found. It’s when I decide to grab my second watch, the one Flora gave to me, and I usually only wear for official gatherings out of fear of losing it, that I open my nightstand drawer, and my eyes fall upon my watch. The one I have been looking for. Why did I put it here? In this drawer, there are only things that Flora gifted me throughout the years; things that are important to me. I sit down briefly to look through the drawer. Flora took up drawing a couple of years ago, and sometimes will give me beautiful pictures. There is also a wristband she made for me, plus all her letters.

It doesn’t look like there is anything missing.

I’m probably getting paranoid, because why would anyone be interested in stuff my girlfriend gave me? Maybe one of the maids accidentally put my watch here while cleaning up. I sigh; there is no time to wonder about it anyway.

Once I’m done, I grab my stuff and the small box I’ve prepared, before I head downstairs, noticing how Flora is already waiting for me. “Next time, you need to be the one waiting for me,” she pouts.

“I apologize,” I say, handing her the little box. “Maybe this will help you to forgive me,” I add, well aware that she isn’t angry at all.

I still caught her by surprise though, because she eyes me curiously before opening the box. I dried some flowers for her and had them worked into a brooch. “It’s so beautiful,” she squeals, jumping into my arms. “What’s it for?”

“Secret,” I say with a smile. It was today, ten years ago, that I met her for the first time, and she changed my life.

Emilia, who has been silently watching our interaction, helps Flora now with attaching the brooch to her top. She is wearing a short petticoat skirt, a wide blouse, and a cropped top beneath it. The type of outfit Samuel constantly keeps complaining about. Why can’t the youth cover their stomachs? I don’t mind, Flora looks amazing.

“It’s beautiful,” Emilia says, looking at the brooch, before smiling at both of us. “You both look fantastic.”

My father clears his throat, looking at us with a frown. I haven’t even noticed that he entered the room. I know he has something unpleasant to say, so I make sure to harden my face and my heart, as usual, when I have to interact with him. He shakes his head, displeased. “A real man would pick his date up,” he mutters.

Before I can even say anything, Flora smiles dashingly. “A real man,” she muses. “Would respect his mate, in happiness and sickness, and wouldn’t mind her being her own person.”

Emilia looks at her surprised, while Dad just stares at her in disbelief.

Flora giggles like she didn’t just blurt out the biggest insult at my father, and twirls around, touching the brooch. “It’s so beautiful, isn’t it?”

I don’t give anything away, but inwardly I’m almost dying with laughter. Only Flora can say and do the things she does, completely shocking everyone, and then pretend it was all just an innocent comment. My father is completely confused when he watches her, while Flora jumps forward towards me.

“Do I smell chocolate?” she beams.

I rummage through my pocket and hand her one of the small chocolate bars I always carry around.

“Well then,” Emilia says with a smile. “You two have fun.” She turns to look at Dad, elbowing him slightly.

“Right,” he mutters, opening his wallet and handing me some money. “Make sure to take a cab. Enjoy the evening.”

What the fuck? While money is one of the very few things that’s never been an issue for me while growing up, my father certainly never made the effort to, so generously, hand me some bucks and wish me a fun evening.

“Thank you,” I say, mainly to avoid any drama, but I make sure to look at Emilia, not him. Before we can have any other conversation, Flora tugs me along. Beta Oliver has volunteered to take us to the party, but I make sure to tell him we’ll find our own way home at night and will take a cab.

“Before taking us to the party, Beta,” Flora tells him. “Please take us to a private cottage in Emerald Moon. We are picking up a friend.”

“Oh?” Beta Oliver says, but nods.

“A friend?” I ask her.

“Yes, Janice,” she smiles.

“Does she know we are coming?” I ask.

“I hope so,” Flora giggles. “They don’t have a phone, but I managed to reach the packhouse’s landline, and asked one of the maids to tell her.”

“What if she doesn’t want to come?” I ask her.

Flora smiles. “Oh, Elden,” she says.

“What?”

“Nothing,” she pats my leg. “If she truly doesn’t want to come, we’ll not force her, but believe me, she wants to.”

Oliver eyes us curiously throughout the conversation; he doesn’t ask anything but instead steers the car to the address Flora shows him. He halts in front of a small cottage, a bit further away from the other houses. Flora jumps out of the car, hurrying to the door, while I follow her curiously.

An elderly woman opens it. “Hello,” she says, smiling at us. “How can I help you?”

“I’m Flora,” Flora exclaims. “Janice’s friend. She is in my class at school. That’s Elden, my mate.” When the old lady eyes us curiously, Flora simply smiles dashingly. “It’s a long story. We are here to pick up Janice.”

“Excuse me,” I say, stepping forward and deciding to help this poor old woman who looks completely confused. “I’m Elden Reynolds. Flora and I are from Silverlake Pack.”

“Oh, you must be Alpha Caelum Reynolds’ son? It’s an honor to meet you. I’m Rosemarie, Janice’s grandmother.”

“We met Janice in school last week,” I explain. “And Flora and her became friends.”

“Exactly,” Flora beams. “I’m so happy to finally have a best girlfriend.”

“We don’t mean ill,” I say to her grandmother, noticing how guarded she looks. I can understand her; she probably finds it highly suspicious that an alpha’s son and his girlfriend pick up her granddaughter, who is just a normal pack member, and only just moved here. “Jace, the heir of Emerald Moon, is our best friend and invited us to a party. Youths from all around the packs are attending.”

“Janice is new here, and we thought it would be nice to take her along,” Flora explains, suddenly sounding much more serious. “Don’t worry, Miss Rosemarie, with me around, they will mostly make fun and gossip about me.”

“Who makes fun of you?” I ask with a frown.

Flora looks at me, her lips twitching slightly. “I’m your mate.”

“And?”

“You are the most popular guy in school, and I’m the weird girl who is dating you. They are just scared of you, that's why they don’t bully me. And this is why-” She turns to Rosemarie. “I’m so happy that Janice is here, and I can finally have a female friend.”

Rosemarie’s eyes warm up. “I’m happy that Janice already has friends here.”

As if on cue, Janice appears behind her grandmother. “You really came?” she asks, stunned.

“See?” Flora looks at me. “She was expecting us.”

“I wasn’t sure you would really come,” Janice admits. She has tied her blond hair back and curled it slightly. She is wearing a petticoat dress and a jeans jacket on top.

“Oh, so these are the schoolmates you were talking about,” Rosemarie chuckles. “Now it all comes together.”

“I also live with my grandma,” Flora says out of the blue, smiling at Janice. “Yours is so sweet, too.”

“She is the best,” Janice says, hugging the elderly woman.

“Mine too,” Flora says.

The two of them seem to share a moment that I can’t quite grasp, but it seems that it’s the one thing that finally convinces both Janice and her grandma. “Well then, have fun, Janice,” she says, kissing her forehead.

“I will make sure to take her home safely,” I assure Rosemarie, while Flora is already tugging Janice to the car.

Before I can leave, Rosemarie holds me back. “I apologize, young alpha,” she says. “But I know what type of party this is. It’s for the high-ranking youth. Do you think they will let Janice in? I don’t want her to face this type of rejection.”

I look from her to the car, a smile curling my lips. “As if Flora would accept anyone sending her away,” I say. “And I’m there, as well. They won’t dare to ask any questions.”

Rosemarie nods contently. “Please watch out for her.”

“Of course.”

My prediction was correct, because once we arrive at the party, held at the other end of the Emerald Moon pack in a huge fancy house by a lake, no one stops Janice from entering. The two bodyguards who are checking the guest list look at her with a frown, but I interrupt them before they can say anything. “She is with me,” I say shortly.

“Of course, young Alpha Reynolds,” they say.

That’s all it takes and we can set foot in the party. “I feel so out of place,” Janice mutters.

“You are not the only one,” I say quietly, noticing how some girls look at me and giggle. They are always doing that, even when Flora is around. It’s the reason I never made a secret of her being my mate. Everyone knows she is, yet they constantly and openly flirt with me. It’s so disrespectful towards Flora. I hate it.

Flora pretends not to see it, as usual. “Let’s look for Jace,” she says.

I put my arm around her, ignoring the other girls, while leading her and Janice through the crowd. I’m sure Jace is already here. This party is basically co-organized by his mother, and his parents expect him to make not just an appearance, but to attend it fully.

“Here he is,” Flora exclaims, pointing at our friend, who is currently standing together with a young guy, Deacon. He is a young warrior of the pack and the only one Jace trusts.

“Hello ladies,” Deacon flashes Flora and Janice a smile and winks. He is his usual flirty self. With anyone else, I’d be annoyed that they flirt with Flora, but Deacon is gay. No one knows but his closest friends. Jace’s parents would never tolerate him as Jace’s friend otherwise.

The only friend for Jace they truly accept am I. Emerald Moon pack is a lycan pack, but not a royal one. It’s the reason why my friendship with Jace is so important to Jace’s parents, and why they never complain or question anything when Jace joins me in something they disapprove of… such as inviting Janice.

Jace looks happy to see us, his happiness growing when he sees Janice. “A surprise guest,” he says with a smile.

“I am sorry, I’m basically attending uninvited. I hope you don’t mind,” she says.

“Not at all,” Jace says. “I’m very happy to see a kind face here.”

“Is my face not enough?” Deacon pouts.

Jace snorts, and elbows him.

On the other side of the room, some boys are already shaking off to some wild music. “It’s only 8 pm, and they are already drunk,” I mutter.

“That’s the college boys,” Jace says. “They brought beer, cheap vodka and rum. Be careful what they mix together. That said… do you want something to drink?”

I nod. “Just don’t make us drunk.”

“You might want to, to survive this,” Jace mutters, while two girls start to organize a drinking game with the college boys.

Our metabolism works differently than humans, and when we are with ourselves, we are allowed to drink at sixteen. We are not immune to getting drunk, rather the opposite, although some still manage to overdo it, exactly because we can drink more than the humans.

Jace organizes us some cocktails before we join the crowd, so that Jace can pretend he is enjoying his time here. At least Flora and Janice seem to be having real fun, because soon the both of them start dancing with each other. Flora had her hair tied up, but now lets it down and sways her body sensually to the music. When our eyes meet, she smiles at me.

“She is totally flirting with you,” Jace mutters.

“Yes, lucky you,” Deacon agrees.

Jace smiles when he sees Janice dancing gracefully and putting her hands on Flora’s hips. Both of them laugh. “Come, let’s join them,” Deacon pushes us. “Or at least, you two join your girls.”

“Janice isn’t my girl,” Jace argues.

“Whatever makes you happy,” Deacon makes a dismissive gesture with his hand. “But she seems cute and nice, and she is not kissing your feet for being the future alpha. Plus, you are single, as usual.”

“Thank you for pointing that out,” Jace grumbles. “You are single, too.”

Deacon wiggles his brows. “Want to make out?”

“I don’t think I’m that desperate, yet,” Jace says.

“Me neither,” Deacon grins.

Seeing Flora hug herself while she moves her hips to the music gives me the final push. She is so beautiful, easily the sexiest and most stunning of them all. The others keep saying that she looks so young and childlike, but it’s not true. She might be more youthful than others, but nothing about her looks like a child. They are just jealous. I wrap my arms around her from behind, joining her little dance. Jace and Deacon surround us, each of them taking one of Janice’s hands and twirling her around.

I notice some of the girls around us are not looking too happy, but I couldn’t care less what they think. Soon, more people join us and start dancing, just leaving a small group of college kids-I think–at the side, whispering to themselves.