Chapter 3

Cassandra’s POV

Grandmother suddenly leans forward, “Does this new-found happiness have anything to do with Parker?” she gives me a mischievous smile and I make a face, “Oh don’t make that face, it’s about time you both got together.”

“He is not even my mate,” I tell her.

“How would you know, you are not the moon goddess,” she fires back.

I open my mouth to reply and stop, no point replying that.

After dinner I head to my room where I can watch the street for Aidan from my window without grandmother intruding. Why isn’t he here yet? It’s getting dark, should I be worried?

My phone dings and I pick it up to see a message from Parker, it’s a video file with the caption ‘One day as his mate and you are going to parties together’ he ends with a winking emoji. I open the video file to see it is a short clip of Aidan chugging down alcohol, there is a brunette on his arm with her back towards the camera. I don’t like how close they seem.

I immediately send Parker a text stating that it is not me, I might see how he might have mistaken her for me but come on I would never hang of a man like that, mate or not…I think. I haven’t exactly been given the chance to make such a choice.

Parker replies immediately. It isn’t you! Then who is the slut?!

“That’s what I would like to know,” I mumble to myself but instead send Parker a long message on why it is bad to label a woman with words like ‘slut’.

Pish posh, wanna go find out? He replies and I bite my lip, I wouldn’t want to start my relationship with my mate on suspicious foundation but I really want answers. So, I reply with a, Where do we meet.

“I hope I don’t regret it.”

***

My grandparents had no problem with me leaving the house since I told them I would be meeting with Parker, that is how much they trust him. Parker and I decide to meet at the park, according to him the party is being held at the nicer side of the pack, where the rich and influential stay.

I get there before Parker but I don’t have to wait long because he soon shows up, “Ready to go burst your man?” he asks with a straight face.

I laugh, “We are not doing anything extreme; I just want to find out why he hasn’t reached out,” when I say it out loud it makes me look pathetic and I suddenly feel stupid. Parker gives me a sympathetic look.

“He probably has a logical explanation,” he says and I know he saying it for my sake.

I shake my head, shaking of the awkward feeling, “Let’s go,” I tell him and start walking forward. Aidan must have a valid reason; he must have because why would you go to a party with some other woman a day after you find your mate.

Parker also lives on the nice part of the pack so he is familiar with the neighborhood where the party is taking place. We arrive at the house and I watch from outside as people mill around.

“Maybe we should leave,” I say fear already clawing up my throat. I am about to say more when I see Aidan step out of the house, he stumbles over his own feet and I know immediately that he is drunk. How much did he have to drink? It takes a lot t get a werewolf drunk due to our high metabolism.

Without thinking I approach Aidan but stop when the brunette from the video suddenly shows up and helps Aidan sit down. I am already on the house property and I am thankful for the people milling around being too drunk to see past their feet talk less of recognizing when certain guests should not be here.

“Man, you are really drunk,” the brunette says and huffs after getting Aidan into a sitting position, I am close enough to hear their conversation. Aidan responds with drunken slurs his face falling into her neck, I note how her cheeks turn red as she lifts his head up.

“Why couldn’t it be you,” Aidan suddenly exclaims startling me and the girl, he looks at her with adoration in his eyes and I feel something twist in my stomach, “I wanted you, did you know that? I hoped for days that you were my mate.”

The girls face becomes redder with every word while the pain in my gut twist even harder but Aidan’s drunken words are not over, he suddenly scoffs and makes a disgusted face, “I got mated to some high school nobody, I checked and turns out she is some bullied nerd. Talk about the moon goddess making a mistake!”

“You shouldn’t talk about people like that Aidan,” she chides him.

Aidan pouts at her, “You don’t believe me,” he says but the girl shrugs.

“You are drunk,” is her only reply, “Come on let’s get you to your car, I’ll take you home myself,” she helps Aidan stand up and together they stagger towards me. I panic immediately looking foe where to hide.

Suddenly arms come around me and push me into a chest blocking my view of the approaching couple, the familiar scent tells me it is Parker and gratitude fills me. I hear them stagger past us as Aidan says more drunken slurs of how beautiful and kind the girl is. I don’t realize I am wheezing till Parker grabs me by the shoulder, “Calm down Dria, breath, in and out,” his words manage to get to me and I calm down enough to breath properly.

“I want to go home,” I tell Parker in a small voice, embarrassment floods me knowing he saw all that. Parker leads me out of the gate and slowly walks me home.

Fortunately, when I get home my grandparents are already asleep and Parker and I walk in.